Researchers in Chile just published a study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, examining discrimination against BDSM and kink practitioners. The findings reveal who actually faces stigma and where the real harm happens.
The research surveyed 543 BDSM practitioners. Nearly 30% reported experiencing discrimination. Healthcare emerged as one of the most common settings, with 12% of respondents reporting discrimination by medical professionals.
TL;DR Systemic discrimination against BDSM practitioners follows the straight world’s prejudices.
The study revealed two critical findings.
First, discrimination isn’t based on what people do but on who they are. Non-binary, queer, and bisexual participants reported significantly higher rates of discrimination than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. BDSM role (dominant, submissive, or switch) didn’t predict discrimination at all.
Second, seeking medical care for BDSM-related injuries strongly predicted healthcare discrimination. Those who disclosed their practices when getting treatment faced judgment and substandard care.
What Keeps People in the Closet
The data show a direct correlation. The greater the connection to the BDSM community, the higher the rate of discrimination. In other words, being out = greater vulnerability.
BDSMers often avoid seeking help with injuries, mental health issues, or other health problems that require sexual disclosure. Competent, compassionate care is not a guarantee for our population.
What This Means
This research provides valuable evidence for the BDSM scholarly literature. It documents what our community already knows from lived experience. Coming out to vanilla folks rarely goes well! Doctors lack the training to handle our needs and situations. So do psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and the list goes on!
The study confirms what we see in our Community. Marginalized groups (particularly queer, bi, and NB, according to this study) face unequal treatment both within the BDSM world and outside it. Who gets hurt most is no longer a matter of speculation.
We can and MUST address how we treat one another. We can and will do better in the Community. But the straight world has thousands of years of entrenched myths to unravel before it accepts that we are, after all, just fellow humans with our own legitimate needs and desires.
Study link: https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf235
From the study’s conclusion: This study highlights the significant impact of discrimination on non-binary/queer, bisexual, and highly visible BDSM/kink practitioners in Chile, particularly within healthcare settings. Addressing these challenges requires prioritizing comprehensive sexual education that incorporates BDSM-related topics, equipping healthcare providers and communities with the necessary tools to foster acceptance and inclusivity, and to support sexual diversity.
Full Reference: Experiences of discrimination among BDSM and kink practitioners Open Access. Manuel Catalán Águila, MD, PhD , Inmaculada Fernández Agis, PhD , Jenna Marie Strizzi, PhD. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 22, Issue 11, November 2025, Pages 2099–101, https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf235
photo credit: Claudio Schwarz @ Unsplash
