What does age play mean?
In BDSM, ageplay stands for a type of role-play in which those involved pretend to be or treat each other as if they were a different age than they actually are. Although a person can also act as if he or she is older than he or she actually is in an ageplay, playing a younger person is more common. The most popular play ages are baby, child or teenager. Age play can, but does not always have to, contain a sexual element.
In most cases, exaggerated childish clothing, diapers, toys, and coloring books are used to emphasize the assumed age. In most cases, the “younger” participants also adopt language characteristics and behavior that are perceived as appropriate or typical for the playing age.
Why do you want to take a different age?
The “older” partner enjoys childlike elements that are present in adults and feels satisfaction when he or she cares for, looks after, comforts and teaches the “younger” role player. Adults who portray children often enjoy freely expressing inner childlike feelings and reactions.
It’s about living out the childish parts that each of us carries within us. On the other hand, it is about expressing caring, a need that is stronger in some people. Ageplay has nothing to do with pedophilia, a sexual preference disorder.
Age play can incorporate and reinforce existing BDSM power dynamics in which the younger, cared-for part consciously and voluntarily assumes a submissive role. However, many consider childish parts and behavior as part of their core identity or the basis of a relationship, which is why ageplay cannot be viewed exclusively as fantasy role play.
It is also not uncommon for individuals to sexualize family roles. Mommy and Daddy roles on the one hand and little girl and little boy roles on the other are particularly common. Relationship constellations of this type are abbreviated with the first letters, such as DDLG for Daddy-Dom and Little Girl, a type that is enjoying increasing popularity, particularly in the USA.
What should you pay attention to when ageplaying?
This type of play, especially when an adult takes on the role of a toddler, is often widely misunderstood. People who engage in these types of games are not pedophiles. You are not sexually attracted to children. However, even within the community, ageplay is often met with a lack of understanding and is described as perverted.
Explain to people objectively why you like doing what you do, how you feel about it, how you want to externalize your childlike or – depending on the age you choose – caring aspects. And above all, that your preferences do not affect those of others. Because “your kink is not my kink, but your kink is okay!”.
For this reason, age play is often understood as edge play and is therefore assigned to the RACK area because it is reminiscent of cases of pedophilia or incest and can therefore trigger triggers. Fans of this type of game note that ageplay is a consensual fantasy played by adults and does not involve actual minors.
Others view age play as a potential edge play because this kink can contain regressive psychological aspects that can endanger the mental health of participants in various ways.
