Edging Vs Edge Play
Edging and Edge Play are two very separate kinky things.
Here’s why you should definitely know the difference!
One of the most common misconceptions within kinky conversation is when someone mentions a preference for ‘edge play’. Often, people will join in a conversation about edge play and assume (very incorrectly) that this has anything to do with ‘edging’.
What Is Edging?
Similar to orgasm control and orgasm denial in kink & BDSM, edging is where someone is held on the brink of orgasm.
Also known as surfing, edging can be a D/s activity, or a way to prolong the enjoyment of masturbation. Edging can be done alone or with a partner - and in either direction. It can also be a tool to build up to a ruined orgasm.
Commonly, people will edge throughout the day, which often leads to a very powerful climax when the time eventually, uh, comes.
What Is Edge Play?
An activity which has the potential to cause serious or lasting damage, inflicting harm as opposed to hurt.
Whilst subjective, edge play generally means a subset of high-risk kinky activities outside of the ‘safe, sane, consensual’ approach to BDSM. This includes breathplay, bloodletting, needleplay, rope bondage, or fire play.
Edge play also includes the willful act of pushing against someone’s limits - without crossing them, for example barebacking or emotional S&M.
Does Edging mean a better orgasm?
That depends on your kinky preference. You can enjoy one without the other, and it’s absolutely not something you should be ashamed of if you don’t enjoy edging or edge play. Your kinks are your kinks.
Edging is quite common practice because many believe it makes the orgasm more powerful. Likewise, as the definition of edge play varies from person to person, it’s also a common kink. There’s no ‘correct’ kink you should feel you have to enjoy; you just need to be aware of the differences.
Is Edge Play more dangerous than Edging?
Yes. Edge play can and does go wrong, even with the most seasoned of kinksters.
Risk Aware Consensual Kink (RACK) goes some way towards mitigating the responsibility for things going wrong by ensuring all involved parties consent to and are wholly aware of the risks involved, but all the preparation in the world can’t prepare for what happens when it does go wrong. Doing a knife scene or a breathplay scene that goes wrong can be fatal, so yes, it’s very dangerous, and often that’s part of the draw.
Edging, on the other hand, doesn’t have much in the way of lasting effect. Orgasm control takes a lot of mental conditioning, which requires a degree of deprogramming, but the side effects of edging can be alleviated with an orgasm, or two.
Hopefully, this goes some way to helping highlight the differences between edging and edge play in kink and BDSM.
If you mix up the two, you might quickly find yourself in a sticky situation!
