Dominatrix
[1] It was initially coined to describe a woman who provides punishment-for-pay as one of the case studies within Bruce Roger's pulp paperback The Bizarre Lovemakers.Although the term dominatrix was not used, the classic example in literature of the female dominant-male submissive relationship is portrayed in the 1870 novella Venus in Furs by Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.Ancient cuneiform texts consisting of "Hymns to Inanna" have been cited as examples of the archetype of powerful, sexual female displaying dominating behaviors and forcing gods and men into submission to her.[9] The profession features in erotic prints of the era, such as the British Museum mezzotint "The Cully Flaug'd" (c. 1674–1702), and in accounts of forbidden books which record the flogging schools and the activities practised.[11] This included the names of 57 women, some actresses and courtesans, who catered to birch discipline fantasies, keeping a room with rods and cat o' nine tails, and charging their clients a Guinea for a "lecture".[12] The most famous of these Governess "female flagellants" was Theresa Berkley, who operated her establishment on Charlotte Street in the central London district of Marylebone.[13] She is recorded to have used implements such as whips, canes and birches, to chastise and punish her male clients, as well as the Berkley Horse, a specially designed flogging machine, and a pulley suspension system for lifting them off the floor.The "bizarre style" (as it came to be called) of leather catsuits, claws, tail whips, and latex rubber only came about in the 20th century, initially within commercial fetish photography, and taken up by dominatrices.Amongst these were Miss Doreen of London who was acquainted with John Sutcliffe of AtomAge fame, whose clients reportedly included Britain's top politicians and businessmen.[16] In New York, the dominatrix Anne Laurence was known within the underground circle of acquaintances during the 1950s, with Monique Von Cleef arriving in the early 1960s, and hitting national headlines when her home was raided by police detectives on 22 December 1965.[17] Von Cleef went on to set up her "House of Pain" in The Hague in the 1970s, which became one of the world capitals for dominatrices, reportedly with visiting lawyers, ambassadors, diplomats and politicians.[18] Domenica Niehoff worked as a dominatrix in Hamburg and appeared on talk shows on German television from the 1970s onwards, campaigning for sex workers' rights.[19] Mistress Raven, founder and manager of Pandora's Box, one of New York's best known BDSM studios,[20] was featured in Nick Broomfield's 1996 documentary film Fetishes.[23] Sessions may also be conducted remotely by letter or telephone, or in the contemporary era of technological connectivity by email, online chat or platforms such as OnlyFans.[41] Professional dominatrices may take pride or differentiation in their psychological insight into their clients' fetishes and desires, as well as their technical ability to perform complex BDSM practices, such as Japanese shibari, head-scissoring,[42] and other forms of bondage, suspension, torture roleplay, and corporal punishment, and other such practices which require a high degree of knowledge and competency to safely oversee.From a sociological point of view, Danielle Lindemann has stated the "embattled purity regime" in which many pro-dommes emphasise their specialist knowledge and professional skills, while distancing themselves from economic criteria for success, in a way which is comparable to avant-garde artists.In popular culture, the conception of the dominatrix is generally associated with specialized clothing and props used to signify her role as a strong, dominant, sexualised woman.[48] During the twentieth century, dominatrix imagery was developed by the work of a number of artists including the costume designer and photographer Charles Guyette, the publisher and film director Irving Klaw, and the illustrators Eric Stanton and Gene Bilbrew who drew for the fetish magazine Exotique.Its appearance in mainstream culture began when catsuits were worn by strong female protagonists in popular 1960s TV programs like The Avengers and by comic super-heroines such as Catwoman.The props she brandishes signify her role as dominatrix, such as a flogger, whip or riding crop as illustrated in the artwork of Bruno Zach in the early 20th century.
Dominatrix (band)Phyllis and AristotleGiovanni Buonconsigliosexual orientationerotic humiliationservitudesadomasochismEric StantonmistresspolyamoryVenus in FursLeopold von Sacher-MasochmasochismRichard von Krafft-EbingPsychopathia Sexualisviolin bowInannaIshtarMesopotamiaarchetypetale of Phyllis and AristotleAristotlebrothelsFashionable LecturesHertford StreetTheresa BerkleyBurton CrescentCharlotte StreetLondonMaryleboneBerkley Horsecorporal punishmentsuspensiondominationHerbertstraßeJohn SutcliffeAtomAgeDomenica Niehoffsex workers' rightsPandora's BoxNick BroomfieldFetishesBoot worshipsex showBDSM playOnlyFansbondagespankingcock and ball torturemedical playurethral soundingsmall penis humiliationfacesittinghandjobsfellatiobody worshipfoot worshiptease and denialbreast torturecaningwhippingorgasm denialdripping hot wax on the genitalsgolden showerschastityescorttie and teaseTerri-Jean BedfordOntario Superior Courtprostitutediscussion groupcontact magazinesfetish magazinesJapanese shibaritortureDanielle Lindemannfinancial dominationCatherine Robbe-Grilletnouveau romanAlain Robbe-Grilletfetish fashionfishnet stockingsstiletto heelsspanking paddlesexual fetishCharles GuyetteIrving KlawGene BilbrewExotiquecatsuitThe AvengersCatwomanthigh-high bootskinky bootsFishnetseamed hosierystockingscorsetsopera glovesNeck corsetsPVC clothinglatex clothingleather subcultureNazi chicSS officeruniform fetishdominant posturing in the animal worldBruno ZachsmokingtobaccocigarettescannabispastiesVenus BerlinCanoness HroswithaDon QuixoteRobert HerrickHesperidesUlyssesJames JoyceLeopold BloomList of dominatrices in popular cultureEuphoriaBarbie FerreiraBondingZoe Levin