Abdl Vs Ab/Dl

[DprDJeff]

Okay, so this might seem trivial to most, but it's one of those pet peeves things for me. Years ago, when the ABDL term was adopted, there was no slash involved. I think people assume it's supposed to be Adult Baby/Diaper Lover, but much like BDSM, it has three terms. Not two.

BDSM = B&D - D&S - S&M

Bondage & Discipline - Domination & Submission - Sadism & Masochism

ABDL = AB - B&D - DL

Adult Baby - Bondage & Discipline - Diaper Lover

This way, the term encompasses those with a penchance for humiliation and diaper discipline. Not just the ABs and DLs. So folks, please leave the slash out of ABDL.

/nitpick mode off

[Junibug 4 Lucy]

i have to say i do prefer ABDL...it just seems right....not that the slash has ever bothered me....

xxx

juniper

[tommee]

Here is Paula Abdul. She often pops up in search results for ABDL. Just sayin'.

[Junibug 4 Lucy]

hehehe that funny....goes to try it......

xxx

[momma.bear]

my boyfriend said that back in the day, when the slash started to get used, he was a big part in pushing for it. it was important to him because he felt that being an AB was more fundamental to his personality, & in his opinion, there is a difference in the aesthetic of those who are strictly or primarly ABs & those who are strictly or primarily DLs.

personally, i see bondage & discipline as being more a part of bdsm than ab/dl. so theoretically one could be an ab, a dl, or an abdl & be either interested or not interested in bdsm. i also know some folks who are ab/dls who would just as soon rather NOT be associated with bondage & discipline.

that said, *shrug*. i think it only matter in so much as how people use it to identify themselves. for instance, my boyfriend identifies as an ab/dl, NOT an abdl, because he said his ab & dl sides as being related, but not the same thing.

[Bettypooh]

I use the letters both ways, often preferring the slash when I'm speaking of "DL's" separately from "AB's"

There is a lot of morphing of terminology over time- especially in subcultures where there is no "official" authority leading all the others. Even when someone can be pointed to as the originator of a term this morphing occurs.

The term "Transgender" was coined by Virginia Prince, a well known self-professed heterosexual crossdresser in 1981 (yr?) and was stated to mean what we now call "Transexual". In a very short time the community-at-large began using the term "Transexual" so V.P. changed the definition to mean what we now know as a "Heterosexual Crossdresser"- but the community-at-large (especially heterosexual CD'ers) objected to the 'new' term being applied to them, preferring what they percieved as a more exact pre-existing terminology People everywhere began using "Transgender" in so many various ways that it's definition was no longer clear, and using "Transgender" required an explanation of exactly what the speaker intended it to mean before proceeding in the discourse Of course there were as many 'definitions' as there were individuals as well as some who knew where the term came from and used it as V.P. intended

Around 2000 a widespread movement began to unite all the segments of the "non-standard gender community" and these people beagn pressing to redefine the term "Transgender" as essentially meaning "anyone with a non-standard Gender identity or exp​ression whether full or part time". There was again some contention and resistance but in time the vast majority of this community began using "Transgender" as the umbrella-style term we know it to mean today, and in time the world followed along I am proud to say that I was a part of that movement and did my part to bring about a more concise definition of all the terminology in this community, both in the terms that seperated us and gave us individuality as well as the term that united us together as one. "Transgender" has gone far to bring all of us together to achieve greater tolerance and acceptance in the world. V.P. finally conceded to allow the new usage of the term "Transgender" that the people had already given definition to- not that this permission was needed anymore

So no matter what the original intent or who the originator was words, termimology, and abbreviations come to mean whatever the people intend them to mean and accept them as meaning In this case I don't think anyone misunderstands AB/DL as intentionally excluding anyone. Still, I doubt that I am alone in not seeing much "BD" in "ABDL"- in fact the BDSM that exists here is a whole lot more "DS" than "BD Unfortunately those letters don't fit in "ABDL". There is always some overlap between different subcultures and most people understand that- but it's totally unfair to 'brand' the larger part of a group as being something most of them are not. I am not an "AB" or "Furry" or "Goth" or into "BD"- yet all of these can be found in the ABDL Comminuty- and I don't want to be identified as one of them because I'm not one of them I hope the people at large see the term "ABDL" differently than dprdjeff does and more like I do for it is the voice of the people that will define the terms used in it's language and I don't want to divide us by excluding myself as being only "DL". Frankly, I had enough of this kind of thing about ten years ago and I'm just too jaded to have to go through it all over again

Bettypooh

[curiositykilledthecat]

I did not know that, good to know.

[Aleia]

You learn something new every day! I always thought it meant "Adult Baby and/or Diaper Lover." I didn't know BD was supposed to be in there.

[DprDJeff]

my boyfriend said that back in the day, when the slash started to get used, he was a big part in pushing for it. it was important to him because he felt that being an AB was more fundamental to his personality, & in his opinion, there is a difference in the aesthetic of those who are strictly or primarly ABs & those who are strictly or primarily DLs.

personally, i see bondage & discipline as being more a part of bdsm than ab/dl. so theoretically one could be an ab, a dl, or an abdl & be either interested or not interested in bdsm. i also know some folks who are ab/dls who would just as soon rather NOT be associated with bondage & discipline.

that said, *shrug*. i think it only matter in so much as how people use it to identify themselves. for instance, my boyfriend identifies as an ab/dl, NOT an abdl, because he said his ab & dl sides as being related, but not the same thing.

But people into diaper punishment and discipline should be included just as much as the ABs and DLs. Just because some people aren't into the B&D aspects doesn't mean it should not be included. There are a lot of mainstream BDSM folks that have zero interest in sadism or masochism - or others that love the pain, but hate the domination and submission. They still use the BDSM term as a catch-all. In fact, the reasoning for it being ABDL and not DLAB, was specifically so the BD could mean something on it's own.

Either way, it really doesn't matter. Whatever you prefer is your own thing. I just remember the arguments back in the day about using the term enough to make it mean something and there were reasons behind it. Just kinda feels like a slap in the face when people try to change it. A personal peeve of mine. lol

[paradox]

Better yet lets just have a catch all, like people who like to wear funny clothing and do strange things to each other for personal gratification PWFCPG, now we got all paraphilic fetishes =D

[sarah_ab]

i'm not sure it matters that much. when i see bdsm, i dont think of all three meannings, i think of one sorta meaning in my own mind.

when i see ab/dl or abdl i think of one sorta thing "it has to do with diapers" and go from there...

is it really a huge deal?

[Knuxie Fawks]

Personally, I'm kinda put off by bondage and dom/sub stuff. Also, I don't get sexually aroused when I put a diaper on. To me, that kind of stuff is kinda gross, though I have some friends who are into that. I guess I'm just a furry infantilist. I want the comfort and security that I once had when I was a baby. Before all the abuse and fighting and all the stress from adulthood. This is just my way of going back to a state of mind of when things were simpler.

[timmyc]

is it really a huge deal?

[ultrapampers]

What timmyc said. (Or rather, what his emoticon said.)

[Guest Mummy's Cute Baby Lucy]

To be quite honest in 10 years I've never heard ABDL referred to as being: Adult Baby - Bondage & Discipline - Diaper Lover. I'd think that even of that's how the term was started, I don't think that's how many people think of it any more. I'm not saying that the BD part isn't here, as I would say Discipline can be very important for many of us.. Just I never heard it before.

Saying that when I see BDSM I don't think of the full meaning... to be honest what actually goes through my head is "Bondage etc." hehe. sorry but I'm not so much into that community.

[phogendpf]

I like ABDL I dont like the slash.

[dl_ashlee]

I never even heard of BD being part of ABDL. I doubt I will ever think of it as that way, BD really doesn't have anything to do with DL, which is generally thought of as being either sexual or sometimes it is just convenience/comfort thing. AB on the other hand have to in some way want to act like a baby/toddler. I don't see having a mommy or daddy as BD as I see BD as totally different then wanting to feel like a baby.

I just know when I see ABDL or AB/DL it will always mean to me something to do with diapers or being a baby. BD is something that can be added on to the fetish, but for the majority of us BD has nothing to do with our diaper or baby side.

[sarah_ab]

having a mommy or daddy can have a lot to do with BD.. as in... the mommy or daddy is the DOminant who disciplines and binds the submissive i.e. the baby. for some of us, ab is just another form of Dom/sub play

[curiositykilledthecat]

Just as long as we don't start getting carried away with the letters I'm good.

I'm more along the lines of sign me up for one of each please. I'm not an ab however i'd role play it to try it so i guess all three would be good.

[Carl2229]

[/quABDL = AB - B&D - DL

Adult Baby - Bondage & Discipline - Diaper Lover

ote]

Aaahhhh..... You just made that up, didn't you?

[ultrapampers]

In the past, I've always used the slash to denote the difference in the two interrelated groups, but I've since decided to join the trendy green movement and save the wear and tear on my slash key. Just think of all the energy we could save, and all the '/' keys we could keep out of landfills, if we'd all just use "ABDL" instead.

[d_drew12]

I personally have never heard of the BD part ever used in ABDL. The majority of sites you go to or groups that are interested in this refer to it as either ABDL or AB/DL and then go onto explain as Adult baby or Diaper lover or both but never have I seen a site that includes the Bondage and Discipline as part of this. Not sure where you came up with this or if it was the original and quickly was dropped but anyone I've heard say it never said BD.

Personally I just figured ABDL was easier to type than AB/DL and we all knew what it meant so the slash wasn't important.

Sorry, when I read it I still only say the two phrases in my head and not three. Adult baby...pause...diaper lover. I think most would agree this is what they say in there head as they read it. Like when you see say something that weights 10mg, in your head you probably say "ten milligrams" not "ten m g".

There are also a couple new abbr. I've seen lately (like that...abbr. )

LG - Little Girl

CG - Cute Girl (who could forget )

[Guest Mummys Cute Baby Lucy]

Like when you see say something that weights 10mg, in your head you probably say "ten milligrams" not "ten m g".

I'm not disagreeing but, it's funny that one of the things that i read 10mg and in my head i say 10 m g... But I think that's my engineering side coming out.. hehe

CG - Cute Girl (who could forget )

Please can I forget the drama!!!

[Rawr]

Personally, I like the slash.

I'm NOT an AB, but I do self-identify as part of a wider "AB/DL" community that encompass strictly ABs with no DL, strictly DLs with no AB, and people who fall somewhere inbetween, as well as those who enjoy AB, ABDL, AB/DL or DL as part of/along with other fetishes (spanking, bondage/BDSM, furry etc).

But it's hardly a huge issue, certainly not something to be bothered by, in my opinion. I mean, lets just let everyone self-identify with whatever labels make them happy, and get along nicely

Rex.

[Bella :)]

Well I never put the Bondage & Discipline in the ABDL. I don't use a slash though, but that's mostly because I'm lazy. I do use *BDL, a lot. Because it could mean Adult Baby, or Teen baby. Depending on who I'm talking to, and which forum I'm using, of course.