Side? Switch? Top? Choosing Your Role And Position On Recon
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Recon News
18 March 2026
Hello,
In the new Recon, we're updating how some of your details appear on your profile, and we'd like to get your input.
Back in 1999, when the original "Role" field was introduced, we used the terms like "100% active" and "100% passive" to convey if you were a "top" or "bottom", terms that were common in the scene at the time. But how we play, and how we describe the way we play has evolved, and we've noticed that people interpret this field very differently, and most often meaning dominant or submissive "Role" rather than top or bottom "Position".
This has led to some confusion, and we want to ensure that the new Recon accurately reflects the full spectrum of how people identify today.
That's why we've decided to split this field into two clear categories in the new Recon:
Position - This is where you can share if you're a Top, Bottom, Vers, or somewhere in between.
Role - This allows you to express if you're a Dom, Switch, or Sub.
We've now added "Side" as a new option to Position, for those that don't engage in penetration.
Since this is a major shift in how we interpret and display this information, we've mapped your existing Role values from the old system to these new fields. However, we're making some assumptions based on the data we have, and while we think we've got it right for many people, there will be cases where the mapping isn't perfect.
So, here's what we're asking you to do: Log in to Pilot, go to your profile, and review your new Position and Role settings. If they look good, you're all set. If they need editing, click the "Edit my profile" button on your profile to update your Position and Role. Save your changes when you're done.
If you'd prefer not to share these details, you can simply set them to "Rather not say."
Thanks for helping us build the best version of Recon possible!
Best regards,
Team Recon
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