A kinkster is a person who enjoys sexual activities that are considered to be outside of the sexual norms of their culture. It is derived from the term kink, which, in connection to sex, refers to most types of sexual play that aren't heterosexual, cisgender copulation for procreative purposes.
What is considered “normal” in sexual expression and relationships in Western societies is largely based on settler/colonial views of intimate relationships. Our current Western ideas of what is vanilla and what is kinky are deeply embedded in a Judeo-Christian European perspective on a right/wrong way to express our sexual and romantic desires.
However, just because a certain behavior is seen as part of the Western kink community does not mean it would be seen that way in other cultures of across history; the same is true for what is viewed as vanilla. For example, research published in the American Anthropologist demonstrates mouth kissing is rare as a sexual expression globally, but is embedded as vanilla/normal in Western Colonized civilizations.
Anyone of any gender, sexual identity, or in any kind of relationship structure can be a kinkster. Frequently, the term kinkster is most often associated with people who enjoy BDSM (pain and impact play, humiliation, dominance, submission, etc.) and those who participate in polyamory.
However, it can be much more widely applied to people who have fetishes and other desires, including feet, rubber, watersports, leather, Shibari, voyeurism, sensation play, impact play, pet play, role play, and more.
Being a kinkster can mean different things to different people. Some kinksters will engage in kinky activities during sex some of the time. Other kinksters are exclusively interested in kink-related activities. For some people, being a kinkster is limited to the pleasure they seek during sexual encounters. Others, however, will merge their identity as a kinkster into their daily lives, incorporating that part of their personality in their employment, fashion and social activities.
Some kinksters form social groups that can focus on meeting other kinksters for casual discussion and information-sharing. These gatherings are called munches. They can be designed for a relatively broad kinky audience, or focused on specific kinks and cater to smaller groups.
Kinksters also have many different options to meet to engage in kinky sex, including sex clubs and events that cater to kinksters in general or specific kink themes. Kinksters have also carved out a significant place for themselves online, with many different communities and dating sites that offer the opportunity to meet for sex and to share feelings as well as to seek out tips and information.
