TL;DR:(V) When a person positions themelf as subordinate or submissive, but controls the situation, makes decisions, or dominates others when they are not supposed to.
(Full) The term originates from the kink and
BDSM community, but could apply anywhere, and refers to an often abusive failure to adhere to one's role as a power dynamic . "Top and bottom indicates the position of a role in a dynamic seperated by a "/", i.e. "
Top/bottom" (T/b, Dom/sub, Sado/maso, Parent/child, Employer/employee, Win/lose, etc.)
The "top"
slash has control, agency, and imposes their
will on the "bottom"
slash, who yields control, agency, and is only willful in their submission.
Topping from the bottom occurs when the bottom does not respect these roles and attempts to take control of the
scene or relationship or impose their
will on the Top slash, often passive agressively, but sometimes directly.
Top: "I thought we were having
pizza. Why do we have burgers?"
Bottom 2: "I was picking a
pizza, but Bottom 1 complained about all of them. So I chose burgers."
Top: "Bottom 1 mentioned burgers earlier, but when I asked, they said they were fine with whatever I picked, so I picked
pizza. Looks like they were "topping from the
bottom" again."
Rigger/ bunny
Bunny: "Would you do one of your ties on me today?"
Rig: " Yeah. Sounds like fun." Starts ties
Bunny: "Oh. I don'tlike taht tie. Would you do a different one?"
Rig: "okay." Reties
Bunny: "No not that one either."
Rig: "Well do you have a specific one you want?"
Bunny: "No. As long as you do a good one."
Rig: "Well, I have been doing good ones, but you don't think they are good. I can't do any ties if you're gonna "Top from the
bottom" like that.
Driver/passenger - Passenger topping from the bottom
D: "I'll drive I know how to get there."
P: "Great. I HATE driving"; "You're going too fast..." ""...too
slow..."...I wouldn't go that way..." "Watch out for that
car..." "This ways faster..." "Watch out!"
D: "Hey! If you think you can do better driving, then you take over and I'll ride!"
P: "No thanks. I don't want to be behind the wheel."
D: "Then stop telling me what to do and let me drive in
peace.
