I’m curious about people’s first becoming aware about BDSM and the fact that they were turned on by the idea.

I was turned on by women in fur coats and boots before I really knew what BDSM or even being "turned on" was. Being in Canada both the Sears and Eatons fall and winter mail order catalogs sold fur coats. While other young boys ogled the lingerie section, the ladies fur and winter coat section was always the first I turned to with fashion boots a close second.

Being excited by being tied up or being held prisoner while playing Cowboys and Indians, Army or Cops and Robbers was another early, pre puberty predictor.

In terms of being introduced to actual BDSM play it was things like Penthouse Variations and the “Oh Wicked Wanda” comic strip probably around age 12-13 in the early 70's

Xavier Hollanders book The Happy Hooker also had some kinky scenes. Combine that with the fact that her photos for the book had her in a fur coat and hat sealed the deal for me

My first play experience was with a London pro Domme while on a student trip to Europe at age 18. Private play with a college GF followed a year or two later. 40+ years later the urge to play is just as strong.

I think I was 13 when I first started to have some very strange fantasies. I am not going into detail about them other than to say that a majority had masochistic elements. Unlike you I don't have any fetishes at least by the narrow definition of "fetish".

When I was in high school I stumbled on to a copy of The Memoirs of Dolly Morton in a book shop. By chance when I opened it up it was right where Dolly gets punished. I was able to read 2-3 pages quickly without having to buy the book. I found it incredibly hot. I think that was the first strong experience of my sadistic side.

I do remember "Oh Wicked Wanda". Quite frankly I thought it was overrated with most of the installments landing at the intersection of Goofy and Artsy. Again if I was into fetish I think I would've appreciated it more. Wanda was presented as being a man hating Lesbian. That cliche resonates with some subs but not with me. The most memorable episode IMO started with a man spanking Candyfloss with a belt. That was pretty good.

I actually found the letters section of Penthouse more entertaining. A fair number of them involved punishment and these tended to turn me on. It didn't matter if they were M/f, F/m or F/f.

I had "Inkings" from the time I was a young child. I must have been about 5 years old when the neighborhood was playing "Queen and her slaves." The older girls always got to be the Queens so I was stuck as a slave. I used a lot of the power play games that were innocently played in my neighborhood in sessions and at fetish events. The funny thing is that I never looked at it as an "Inkling." It just all seemed so normal...probably because of all of the weirdos I grew up with in the day that children were left to play outdoors with their imagination instead of being glued to their ipads.

First Dominant characteristics started show up very early for me. I would try to take charge around 3 or 4. My mother told me my kindergarten teacher said I was trying to boss her around.

The first thing that could fall under "BDSM" was when I was about 8. I had a kind of scene with a girl I played with. I told her I was going to teach her how to masturbate (except I didn't know that word yet). I didn't touch her, I just told her what to do. LOL

My first grade teacher wore knee high boots with a short skirt every Friday. Why it was on Friday, I will never know. But, as I got older, I often wondered. By middle school, I knew it was a foot and leg fetish. I didn't think of it as being odd. Some guys like tits and ass. I wanted to smell the majorettes worn boots. My tenth grade year, my best friend stole the cutest majorette's boots and put them in my locker. I had no choice but to return them to her. She was speechless. My friends and a few of hers were watching the whole thing. It was a set up. She's looking horrified. Everyone is laughing. That is when I knew for certain. My dick was hard for days reliving that in my head.