LACING:
a practice of corsetry taken to an extreme, cinching a corset much tighter than usual for body modification. Lacing also refers to bondage using numerous fixed tie points to create a laced pattern, or to the rare and high-risk practice of affixing skin to an object or restraint using surgical sutures.





LACING TABLE:
a piece of bondage furniture designed for lacing bondage, consisting of a flat table equipped with eyehooks. A person is restrained using rope threaded through the eyehooks in a crisscross pattern, mimicking the lacing of a corset.





LADDER RACK (LADDER or JACOB'S LADDER):
a piece of bondage furniture resembling an A-frame ladder, to which a person is bound to allow easy access for flagellation.





LADDER (CANE LADDER):
an execution in which a dominant repeatedly strikes a submissive with a cane in a structured series to create distinct, raised red marks called wheals in a pattern resembling a ladder.





LADY:
originally an honorific title for a female submissive, typically used as a prefix to a name. The term is also widely used as a prefix for a dominant woman or a switch. Using the title before a name, such as Lady Ruby, is considered correct for submissives, dominant women, and switches alike, though modern usage favors the term as a title for a professional domme.



LARK'S HEAD KNOT:
a simple knot consisting of a single collapsing loop that can easily be released. A Lark's head knot should never be used by itself for bondage, as it collapses and can restrict circulation. However, the knot is very useful as the first step in creating other knots that do not self-tighten, such as a bondage safety tie, a Somerville bowline, and a Burlington bowline.

See related BONDAGE SAFETY TIE.





LASH:
any long, flexible material used to strike a person. A lash is another name for the falls of a flogger or the striking end of a single-tail whip.





LATEX:
a synthetic or natural emulsion of polymer particles resembling rubber, used as a material in fetish wear. Latex garments are often maintained with a lubricant that gives the material a high sheen. The feel of rubber, combined with the texture of the lubricant and the tight fit against the body, can heighten the erotic appeal for a latex or rubber fetishist.

See related PVC and see below LATEX & PVC FETISHISM.





LATEX & PVC FETISHISM:
the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex or PVC clothing, or in some cases, to the garments themselves. This attraction is often referred to as a rubber fetish.



LEATHER (LEATHER SCENE):
refers to the leather community.

See LEATHER COMMUNITY (LEATHER CULTURE).



LEATHER BUTT (LEATHER SKIN or SUBSKIN):
when a person bruises, the blood vessels under the skin break and bleed. The blood remains trapped under the skin, causing discoloration and swelling. Repeated deep bruising can cause the skin to thicken, develop a rough texture, and become desensitized (feeling less sensitive or even numb) due to damaged nerve endings. The popular terms for this condition are "leather butt," "leather skin," and "subskin." In the BDSM community, the term "leather butt" is frequently used, sometimes giving the false impression that a person can condition their body to stop bruising. While the skin itself may become rougher and desensitized over time, medical consensus maintains that the human body cannot train itself to prevent blood vessels from rupturing. More likely, a person who undergoes repeated deep impact has simply developed a higher mental tolerance for pain. Any BDSM play that aims to desensitize an area is dangerous, as serious and permanent nerve damage can occur.ruising has merely become mentally accustomed to rough play.



LEATHER COMMUNITY (LEATHER CULTURE):
the BDSM subculture involving leather garments and those with a sexual interest in wearing leather. Wearing leather is a way participants distinguish themselves from other BDSM circles. The leather community tends to have stricter rules, protocols, and ceremonial practices than the rest of the BDSM community. Originally, the leather community was founded by gay motorcycle clubs shortly after World War II. For many years, the term "leather community" referred primarily to gay individuals with kink, fetish, and S&M interests. Today, however, the leather community includes all sexual identities.

See related FLAG OF LEATHER PRIDE.



LED (L.E.D.) WHIP:   see FIBER OPTIC FLOGGER.



LEG CUFFS:   see below LEG IRONS (LEG CUFFS).



LEG IRONS (LEG CUFFS):
a set of cuffs designed to fasten around a person's ankles, usually connected by a chain about 14 inches long. Leg irons allow a person to walk only in a slow, shuffling manner, making it impossible to run at full stride. The term "leg irons" sometimes refers to heavy shackles, whereas "leg cuffs" usually refers to adjustable, police-style restraints that resemble modern handcuffs.

See related FETTERS.





LEG STRETCHER:   see SPREADER BAR.



LEGREE WHIP:
a punishment whip used for striking. It is a modified version of the signal whip, in which the end remains unbraided and is finished with a small Turk's head knot. Its name is believed to come from the villainous character Simon Legree in the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. Signal whips and Legree whips do not have a fall.





LESSER:
an uncommon term for a submissive, meaning a person who is "less than" in stature compared to a superior dominant or top. Many people in BDSM believe that a dominant holds a superior rank in certain play dynamics, but is not actually a superior person to the submissive due to their role. This is likely why the term lesser is not common.



LGBT (LGBTQIA+):
an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. It is a blanket term used to describe those who consider themselves homosexual or part of a sexual subculture. The letter "Q" was added to the acronym to stand for queer or questioning individuals. The "I" and "A" were added to mean intersex and asexual. The plus symbol was added to stand for all other identities not encompassed in the acronym. The plus sign is met with controversy inside and outside the gay community when it includes pedophilia-leaning sexual identities. Though many letters have been added to the acronym, LGBT by itself is becoming the general term used to mean all accepted identities.



LIBERTINE:
a late 18th-century term still used today for a person who behaves without moral principles or a sense of responsibility in sexual matters; a person who rejects accepted opinions in matters of sex and religion; a freethinker.



LIFESTYLE:
a broad term for the BDSM subculture or community, pertaining to persons involved in BDSM practices; the alternative lifestyle that is BDSM.



LIFESTYLE D/s (LIFESTYLER):
a term for those who engage in BDSM often and consider themselves ongoing, active participants in BDSM play, BDSM performance, or the BDSM community. It is also a term for those engaged in continuous BDSM role-play.

See TWENTY-FOUR-SEVEN (24/7).



LIGHT WHIP:   see FIBER OPTIC FLOGGER.



LIMIT:
a boundary that a person sets forth for a dominant to follow. Limits are often defined as either a soft limit or a hard limit. A soft limit is seen as flexible and open to change over time. A hard limit is one that may never be crossed under any circumstances. Confusion between soft limits and hard limits often ensues. BDSM is meant to offer a safe, controlled environment in which a person can test their limits and boundaries. A safe approach is for a dominant never to cross any limit set forth by a submissive, whether hard or soft, without explicit permission. What constitutes a soft limit or hard limit should be stated very clearly, and a dominant should always respect all limits.

See related HARD LIMIT.



LITTLE:
one who takes the role of a younger person in age play; the submissive.



LITTLE PAINFUL SNAP (LPS):
any device used for impact play by placing it against the skin, pulling back one end, and releasing it to snap against the skin, causing a stinging pain. Examples include a credit card, a rubber band, a wooden tongue depressor, or a plastic spoon. Implements such as an Evil Stick operate in similar ways; however, LPS usually refers to much smaller items.

See related EVIL STICK.



LITTLE PLAY:   see AGE PLAY.



LIVING DOLL:   see DOLLIFICATION.



LORD:
a title for a male dominant. Often used as the dominant's title when the title "Lady" is used to describe the submissive in the relationship.



LUBRICANT:
a slippery, liquid substance used to lessen friction during sexual penetration. Some non-water-based lubricants are not meant to be used with latex and can weaken a latex condom. It is also a term for a silicone oil substance applied to latex fetish wear.



LUNGE WHIP:
a specific type of whip originally designed for training or directing horses. It consists of a long, flexible shaft attached to a long, single lash, unlike a buggy whip, which has a short lash.

See related BUGGY WHIP.










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