How was That for You?: Gender, Aftercare and Impression Management in BDSM

Existing research finds that people's perspectives on sexual interactions shift with time and new experiences. Despite this, little empirical work has explored the role that communication following a sexual interaction plays in partners' perceptions of each other and the sexual interaction. This study began to address this gap by applying impression management theory and gender performance theory to analyze 40 interviews with BDSM (Bondage/discipline, Dominance/submission, Sadism, Masochism) practitioners who "top," or enact a dominant role, about a community-held practice called "aftercare." Participants were U.S. residents, ages 23-65, and included 14 cisgender women, 19 cisgender men, 2 transgender women and 5 non-binary individuals. Findings showed practitioners used aftercare to manage the impression they leave on their partners, the wider BDSM community, and themselves. Further, data revealed gender differences in how BDSM practitioners understood and articulated aftercare. Overall, these findings offer an empirical example of impression management in erotic interactions and the role that gender plays in this process.