Between Normalization and Transgression: The Complexity of Consensual Non-consent in BDSM

Consent is one of the primary components in the process of BDSM normalization. It is achieved not solely through formal agreements but also through a complex process of intersubjective engagement and its public representation. Consensual non-consent (CNC) challenges this process by suspending consent through the desire of the submissive partner (bottom) to fulfill the wishes of the dominant partner (top), even when this contravenes the former’s own will. In this article, the tension between BDSM and consent is subjected to scrutiny, calling for an analysis of their underlying social mechanisms. This tension is critically examined through its implications for legal discourse, an exclusive public apparatus rooted in sociopolitical agency. The article proposes a queer reading that offers a new perspective on the constructive process of BDSM consensual normalization and possibilities for its expansion.