Until recently, BDSM was a bad word—even in the sexology world. Early studies from the 1970s put the average number of BDSM participants across the US population at around 2 percent to 5 percent. Sexologists largely considered BDSM a "fringe sexual activity that interested no more than a small percent of the adult population."
The Underground Years: 70s-80s
The 70s and 80s saw a steady stream of BDSM porn on DVD. Although the content was tame by our modern standards, it undoubtedly had a market—even if the tapes were hidden in the back of closets.
The Internet Explosion: Late 1990s
By the late 1990s, BDSM was exploding on the internet. Kink.com, Insex and House of Gord, along with countless smaller producers treated us to week after week of over-the-top, delicious and authentic BDSM. Momentum drove us through the early 2000s, and the wave crested in 2011 with the release of "50 Shades of Grey" by E.L. James.
The 50 Shades Phenomenon
50 Shades sold 150 million copies in the first 6 years, making it the best-selling novel of all time. This embossed, fantasy version of BDSM irked the players, but it opened the door to millions of otherwise tuned-out people.
Suddenly it was okay, even trendy, to admit (or boast) to being into BDSM. By 2015, surveys saw huge spikes in BDSM interest—some claiming as much as 36% of Americans were into it.
BDSM Goes Mainstream: The Numbers Today
Today, BDSM is basically a mainstream cultural phenomenon. In 2024, our friends at Bedbible Research Center released their amazing "How Common is BDSM" study - possibly the largest and most comprehensive done to date.
The Bedbible study puts the figure for Americans that have tried BDSM at 42%, and another 44% expressing interest.
According to Bedbible's 12,700 survey participants:
• 86% of Americans are actively kinky or interested in BDSM • 60% of men fantasize about dominating someone • 47% of women fantasize about dominating someone
Inside KINK Survey
Kink Store conducted a survey recently that asked the Inside KINK email list how they identify on the dom/sub scale. Roughly 1000 people responded and the results are very similar to the larger studies out there.
That's a lot of kinksters. It's safe to say, if you're feeling like you might be into BDSM, you're less alone than ever before. Kinksters are everywhere, in every walk of life - you're likely among friends.
