BDSM symbols represent individuals engaged in the BDSM lifestyle. Tanos designed the first four symbols in 1995. The Slave Register adopted those symbols. Avoiding recognition by vanilla people was a consideration in their designs.
Triskelion
The triskelion is benign for outsiders but serves as an identifier. In the early 1990s, there was a movement for a discreet way of recognition in the community.
The three arms and the number 3 are significant.
BDSM has three parts.
B&D: Bondage and Discipline
D&S: Dominance and Submission
S&M: Sadism and Masochism
The BDSM creed has 3 parts.
Safe
Sane
Consensual
BDSM practitioners have 3 main groups.
Dominant, Master, or Top
Submissive, Slave, or Bottom
Switch
The Yin Yang shapes represent the fluid transition between different aspects of BDSM.
The holes symbolizes incompleteness. Each shape is incomplete on their own, necessitating the presence of another. A dominant requires a submissive as much as a submissive requires a dominant. There’s a need for partnership and completion.
The outer ring encircles the three divisions. It represents the unity, collective understanding, respect, and acceptance in the community. Being inside the circle means embracing the lifestyle.
Ownership and Possession
The shield symbolizes the authority and control of the owner or head of the household.
The circle signifies a collar, which represents the owned submissives and slaves.
Owners
This symbol represents Owners, Masters/Mistresses, and Dominants/Dommes.
It indicates ownership of a slave or submissive.
Owned
These symbols represent owned submissives and slaves.
The closed circle signifies a collar. It indicates the submissive or slave is owned and unavailable to others.
Unowned
These symbols represent submissives or slaves who are not owned.
The open square signifies an unlocked cage. It indicates that the submissive or slave is not owned.
Littles
This symbol represents littles of any gender. Sully designed it in 2016.
The closed circle indicates the little owned.
The open square indicates the little is not owned.
The heart symbolizes the inner essence of the little.
Polyamory
This symbol represents polyamory.
The infinity sign symbolizes an endurance and trust among the parties involved.
The heart symbolizes unconditional love.
Switch
This symbol represents a switch of any gender.
The arrows symbolize the individual’s choice to alternate the dominant and submissive roles.
The heart symbolizes unity.
Notes:
The up-pointing arrow represents the male biology symbol.
The cross represents the female biology symbol.
This was based on a blog post on Beautifully Bound.