[QUOTE=iamnotninja;702400]My current boyfriend is not into bondage, and I have only discovered my interest in it in the last few months. At the beginning of our relationship I told my boyfriend that I thought that a relationship with a collar seems so wonderful because the collared partner is publicly marked as being owned. He did some research then bought me a thin chain and padlock and kept the key. Since then I have researched BDSM and believe that me wearing a collar is disrespectful of the BDSM community and of collared couples as my boyfriend and I in no way have a D/s relationship. I want to stop wearing the collar, but I do not know how to explain why. He is not my Master; I can do this, but I just don't know how to explain to him that collars are significant of deeply committed D/s relationships without hurting him.[QUOTE]

Um.. he gave you a collar to publicly mark you as owned... but this isnt a D/s relationship? i would have thought being owned MAKES it a D/s relationship. Not necessarily a S/M or B/D one... but im pretty sure that's D/s. Or am i confused?

you dont need some stamp of approval from the crowd or even to know anything about BDSM in order to have a D/s relationship. If he went to the trouble of researching and getting the collar to mark you as Owned and keeping the key, then it sounds like he's up for it. Perhaps it might help to let him know you wish he would make you feel your condition as his more often or more clearly? As he's new he may need the ok from you to act on these ideas and feelings. Some encouragement may help to get him started more fully in helping you to feel the D/s more.