Domination & submission _ the BDSM relationship handbook ( PDFDrive )

Introspection
How do you know if you’re a Switch? It may be overly simplistic to assume that
just because you are neither a Dominant nor a
submissive, that this automatically makes you a Switch. After all,
millions upon millions of vanilla folk are neither Doms nor subs as well, yet that
doesn’t make them Switches, either. I believe that there are a few definitive
traits and characteristics that are common to
most Switches. Let’s examine them.
The first characteristic would necessarily have to be an involvement in the D/s or
BDSM lifestyle. Without some degree of involvement in the lifestyle, virtually
anyone (kinky or vanilla) who doesn’t consider himself a Dominant or
submissive would have to be categorized as a Switch. There are at least three
good reasons why this would be neither smart nor effective.
First, the mere fact that someone doesn’t consider himself a Dominant or a
submissive doesn’t necessarily mean that he isn’t one. There are a lot of people
out there who simply haven’t yet learned that there are other people like them,
and that there is a name for what they are. Lumping those individuals into the
category of Switch by default would not be helpful to them in any conceivable
way, and could actually hinder their journey of self-discovery.
Second, any categorization that gives a member of the vanilla community a
BDSM label, regardless of the character traits that he or she
exhibits, does a disservice to both communities. Finally, the mere application of
such a label to a group so large that it applies to eighty
percent of the world’s population would have the undesired effect of watering
down its meaning to the point of not really meaning anything at all.
The second characteristic which is common to most Switches is the enjoyment of
performing in both Dominant and submissive roles, depending upon the
circumstances, mood or partner. Please note my