Kink in the Digital Age: An Interview
At Kynk 101, we’re all about exploring the “why” of kink. That includes concepts of identity, and the structures that shape how we connect.
So when we got the chance to speak with Dr. Liam Wignall, a sexologist and social psychologist teaching at the University of Brighton, and author of Kinky in the Digital Age: Gay Men's Subcultures and Social Identities, we couldn’t wait to learn more.
Liam’s work explores the role of the internet in shaping how queer kinksters understand and participate in kink communities, or choose not to. We asked him about the driving force behind his research: what’s surprised him, and what it all says about how kink operates in the digital age.
The internet played a significant role in helping Liam to understand his own sexuality. “Growing up in a working class city without access to gay role models/communities/subcultures I knew just how important the internet and online networks were,” he explains. In his adulthood, as Liam started digging into academic research on sexuality, he noticed a glaring gap. Plenty of studies existed about sexual identity online, but not much explored the internet’s role or influence on kink. This topic would become the focus of his PhD and subsequent research.
In Kinky in the Digital Age, Liam introduces the concept of “non-community participants,” which are people who engage in kink without immersing themselves in the community side of things. This isn’t just about showing up to events or having a social media presence. In the book, Liam looks holistically at online behavior, self-identity, and how integrated kink is to the broader life of kinky gay men.
As a way to highlight the dynamics of kink culture, Liam’s book includes interviews with 74 gay men who engage in kink. Factors such as an active online profile, event participation, sharing info and photos online, having kinky friends, or viewing kink as core to one’s identity are defined as “community participants.” Those who keep things private, don’t engage much online, or view kink as more of a personal interest (versus a core identity) are considered “non-community.”
Based on Liam’s research, this division can create tension. “The kink community may view non community participants as "not real kinksters" because they don't invest in kink the same way as they may do,” he shares. On the flip side, non-community participants might see community involvement as too intense or simply not for them.
When we asked Liam if he’s come across anything that has been unexpected or surprised him in his research, he shared the results of a study conducted last year on the link between pup play and autistic traits.
Going in, he and collaborator Dr. Rachel Moseley had expected to see some overlap. What they found surprised them: “In our sample, 1 in 2 people scored above the threshold on the Autism Quotient Scale that is likely indicative of autism (in the general population, 1 in 44 people would score above the threshold).”
This finding doesn’t suggest that pup play is inherently tied to autism, but it raises thoughtful questions. Why might pup play resonate so strongly for neurodivergent kinksters? Could it offer structured social roles, non-verbal intimacy, or a unique sensory landscape?
There’s more to explore here, and that’s what makes Liam’s research so interesting.
Whether you're a lifelong community organizer or someone who explores kink behind closed doors, you deserve to be part of the conversation. And thanks to researchers like Liam, that conversation keeps getting more honest, more inclusive, and more grounded in real human experience.
Those who might be interested in reading Liam’s book can head over to the Oxford University Press’s website to use the code "ASPROMP8" to get 30% off.
