Are sex contracts a real thing?
Heh, that funny opportunity to illustrate my answer with my own clipart created specifically for this topic (years ago). So, yes, some of those practicing BDSM do draw such contracts. There are some popular versions that circulate forums and communities, and there are also personal texts, created specifically for one particular couple. They may be as detailed as the one described in Fifty Shades of Grey, or they may be along the general lines of The Dom agrees to take care of the sub and do everything in their power to make the subs experience as good as possible, blah-blah. Are they legally binding? No way. There is no document that may legally bind one person to be sexually available to another (unless the law of a particular country suggests that once people are married, any sexual acts between them are voluntary by default). No court will argue that, well, you did sign a document that you will be available for oral sex on a daily basis. Rumors have it that some lawyers in the US help to draw up such documents, but my best educated guess is, this is just to help phrase the text, find potential loopholes and make it as legalese as possible for the best authentic experience. In the end, this is a fetishized piece of equipment just like a collar, a cage, or a bunny tail buttplug. Its main purpose is to help the participants enact their parts with greater feeling of immersion in the game. To write down some house rules so that there was a reference material for day-to-day use. To be aroused at the thought that one is a slave/pet/possession and the other is the owner/master. Like, for realz! Basically, it has the same role and the same legal power as a marriage contract that can be created by two people but not finalized by anyone with the power of making such contracts legal. It is actually a lot of fun for someone who is into documents and organizing and having everything neat and orderly. Im all for people practicing it and getting their dose of emotions through this practice. But I draw the line at people starting to use it as a point of emotional pressure and thinking that it has any actual legal weight.