Domestic Discipline

Domestic Discipline (sometimes DD for short) is a label (or depending on the perspective a warning if it is a squick) in fanfic to indicate that a relationship between the characters involves physical punishment or discipline between them. This commonly spankings, but also other measures, and it can also include non-physical punishments. 
==Gen Kink==
The label is commonly used if it is a consensual relationship, not as much if it is for example a slavefic that features punishments by the owner/master, and the perspective of domestic discipline fic is that the punishment is beneficial, and often, though not always, ultimately desired by the one punished, for example to correct and modify behavior "for their own good."See Dr. Alice Miller's For Your Own Good: Hidden Brutality in Childhood, and the Roots of Violence, entire text online at nospank.net. Stories in which pain and punishment is used consensually to relieve guilt are usually not labelled as domestic discipline, because the element of behavior modification is absent. It is also less used if one character is de-aged or a child to begin with and it is a parental relationship or a relationship with a teacher, though some fans do count kidfics with spankings under the DD label. If that perspective of the punishment as beneficial is absent authors usually don't pick the DD label, but one like "contains abuse" or with children "child abuse."
While many discipline stories do feature sexual BDSM relationships, domestic discipline fic (e.g. a subgroup of gen mentor fic) usually isn't sexual. However some gen archives such as the Sentinel archive Cascade Library, have policies that exclude domestic discipline fic. (accessed 21 Aug 2009) Some gen readers also don't see gen DD fic as truly gen because the id button it pushes for many readers is sexual and works as porn, even if it may not be a sexual situation for the characters. Gen domestic discipline shares that quality with several other power kinks.
Spanking of an adult woman by an adult male, usually a husband or fiance, was completely accepted in mainstream society until relatively recently. Spanking scenes in Hollywood films were commonplace. Spanking in the Movies and On TV, page found 2012-02-11. One 1978 example of spanking in Trek writing comes from the story, "Surprise!" by Sondra Marshak in The New Voyages #2: 
==It Was a Thing in Sentinel Fandom==
A fan's 2005 description of Domestic Discipline in The Sentinel:
==Criticism==
Occasionally the genre faces the criticism that labelling stories thus is a euphemism for what amounts to spousal or child abuse in reality, in particular if the relationship in the story in question is not highly formalized with prior negotiation and explicit consent to the punishments. The Divine Adoratrice said: 
Other fans object to DD because they see it as infantilization and also as overlapping with their incest squicks:
A Professionals fan writes of the overlap with BDSM fiction: 
== Fan Comments==
===1999===
===2009===
==Examples of Domestic Discipline Fanworks==
===1990s===
* The Real World by Saraid is a responsefic. The author notes: "Jim takes his role as Blessed Protector too far and loses everything. A response to the plethora of despicable domestic abuse stories out there masquerading under the too-cute synonym of so-called 'domestic discipline.'" from 
 
* Hit Me Once by Aramae is a Sentinel example in which Jim and Blair encounter another couple's domestic discipline relationship. The author writes: "If you are a fan of corporal punishment stories, this story ain't for you!" 
===1970s===
* The Maze (1976), a Kraith installment by Joan Winston (Metamorphosis #2, 1976). Kirk, while studying on Vulcan, is in a "Warder-Liege compact" with Spock. This is "the most formidable tool for training the mind ... a highly artificial arrangement ... The Liege has total control over all the actions, and even over the life of his Ward. The Ward is allowed no independent thought, and is also obliged to allow no harm or discomfort to come to his Liege.." Lichtenberg invented the Warder-Liege for the Kraith novel Federation Centennial, but it was Sondra Marshak who took time to explore its possibilities. And Marshak insisted there was no slash in her work. Kirk is put in an impossible bind: he must disobey an order, to save Spock's life. In ancient times the punishment was being branded in the face, but the pair settle on spanking as a punishment that will not permanently harm Kirk but that he will never forget. One reviewer called this "either a ridiculously serious story or a seriously ridiculous story." A sequel by Mariann Hornlein, "From Both Sides" (Galactic Discourse #2), has Kirk attempting ultra-Vulcan behavior in order to show Spock and Sarek that this isn't what they want.
===2010s===
* Learning the Hard Way by reapertownusa is a Supernatural fic in which Sam disciplines Dean after Dean is careless of his own safety on a hunt. (gen kinkfic written for Blindfold SPN)
* Cruel and Unusual by YWIT is an Avengers domestic discipline fic where both Tony Stark and Loki discipline the other. (2015). The story was inspired by Limmet's slavefic Poetic Justice.
==Meta/Further Reading==
* Apologia by The Divine Adoratrice (1998)
* The Less Valid Victims? by Candy Apple (1999)
* This'll hurt you more than it hurts me. by The Divine Adoratrice (March 1999)
* Freedom, Censorship and Flaming by T'Mar (1999?)
* Domestic Discipline: Understanding Its Effect On Me (Or Why I Can't Be Fair) (late 1990s?)
*The Purpose of Discipline Fic (2021)
==Links==
* Orphans of Discipline ("So many spankings, so little time")
* Works tagged Domestic Discipline on AO3
==References==
Category:Sexual Tropes & Kinks