1. When starting out in kink, it’s important to recognize that every activity carries risk. Risk is part of what makes kink exciting, but it also comes with responsibility. These risks can be emotional, physical, or - depending on the activity, such as choking - even life-threatening. No matter how skilled someone is, they can always make mistakes. Being responsible with risk means planning for those mistakes.
2. Often what you see in porn is not an accurate representation of what that activity would actually be like in real life. Porn is like a highlight reel - it shows the most exciting parts and leaves the rest out. Porn that shows kinky activities often leaves out the preparation, negotiation, check-ins, and aftercare that are a part of the full experience. It definitely doesn't show or reference that some activities require many hours of training and practice to be able to do safely (like whipping or rope suspension). To reduce your risk, do your research, start slow and small and work your way up to the more intense activities you may see in porn.
3. Kink can be almost anything you want it to be. Even something as simple as using a blindfold can be kink. You don’t have to jump straight into playing in front of strangers or with the flashiest toys to be doing kink "right".
4. Lastly, kink doesn’t have to be super serious - it's called play for a reason! All emotions can be welcomed - laughter and silliness can absolutely be a part of it.

What advice would you give to someone just getting started in kink? Let us know in the comments!