Glossary
Left of the slash
Why a capital letter before the slash shows at once who leads in a D/s dynamic.
What is left of the slash?
Left of the slash is, in notations like D/s and M/s, the side before the stroke, and it stands for the leading role: the dominant, the master or the top. The right side, after the stroke, is then the submissive or the slave. The capital letter and the place before the stroke belong to whoever is in charge.
| English term | left of the slash, about notations like D/s and M/s |
| Stands for | the leading role: dominant, master or top |
| Opposite | the right of the slash, the submissive or slave |
| Where you see it | in D/s and M/s, and in profiles on fetish sites |
| Why a capital | a capital marks the dominant side, a lowercase letter the submissive |
| Note | it’s a writing convention, not a ranking between people |
How the notation works
The convention comes from the way people in D/s circles handle capital letters. The encyclopedia explains that some write words and names referring to the dominant with a capital and those referring to the submissive without, “hence the capitalization of D/s”. In that same abbreviation the capital sits before the stroke and the lowercase letter after it, and so the left side is automatically the side of whoever leads. The same logic holds in M/s for master and slave. The abbreviation D/s itself is also in the overview of BDSM. Anyone who calls herself “left of the slash” on a profile is saying, in two characters, that she’s looking for the leading role.
Why people use the term
The notation is handy because it tells in two characters what would otherwise take a whole sentence. In a profile or a conversation, “D/s” or “left of the slash” makes clear right away who takes the lead and who gives it up, without anyone having to explain first what they mean. For someone looking for a fitting dynamic, that saves time and misunderstandings. What matters is that the side says nothing about the person outside the play: it’s an agreed role, not a ranking and not a judgment. Whoever plays both roles stands left of the stroke one time and right of it the next.
Where this fits on my site
If you’re looking for someone who takes on the leading side, that’s the role I take in a D/s dynamic. I like to steer, always by arrangement and within what we agree on together. How I work and what’s possible is on the page about the BDSM date. Don’t know yet which side suits you? Just ask, there’s no appointment needed for that.
Sources
- Dominance and submission. Wikipedia. Supplies the writing convention that whoever refers to the dominant uses a capital and whoever refers to the submissive does not, which is where the notation D/s comes from.
- BDSM. Wikipedia. Supplies the abbreviation D/s for dominance and submission as a set writing convention within BDSM.
Related terms
Left of the slash is a writing convention within BDSM, and points to the dominant role.
- BDSM. The wider whole that the D/s and M/s notation is part of.
- Dominant. The role that left of the slash marks.
- Topping. Actively carrying out the leading role, close to what stands left of the stroke.
- Submissive. The right of the slash, the counterpart that gives up the lead.
Frequently asked questions
What people still ask about left of the slash.
What does left of the slash mean?
Left of the slash is, in notations like D/s and M/s, the side before the stroke: the leading role, so the dominant, master or top. The right side stands for the submissive. The capital letter belongs to the dominant side.
What stands to the right of the slash?
To the right of the slash, after the stroke and with a lowercase letter, stands the submissive role: the submissive or the slave. In D/s that’s the s, in M/s the s of slave. The right side gives up the lead that the left side takes.
Who can you turn to with questions about left of the slash?
Victor, a gigolo and trained psychotherapist, who takes the leading role himself. If you’re unsure which side of the slash suits you, he’ll think it through with you, no obligation. You can ask through the contact form or first through chat for free.
Learn more
Still have questions about left of the slash?
I'm Victor, a gigolo and trained psychotherapist, and in a D/s dynamic I take the leading side myself. Don't know yet which side of the slash suits you? Send me a message, I'll think it through with you and text you back when it suits you.