When did you first enter the BDSM scene?

It was pretty gradual.

over the past 7 months and i'm 40 something

I didn't start formally engage in it til like a year ago, but I've always had an interest / educated myself since I was 18.

I formally joined the scene at 19, but knew about it since I was about 16 or so.

I don't know that I'd consider myself "in the scene" in the sense that I don't go to events or anything like that. I've known I was kinky since I was, like, 8. Don't judge. I had my first semi-BDSM related relationship at 14, long before I had acronyms to attach to what we were doing. I'm just anti-social, so going out and being part of the local scene is something I keep saying I should do and never do it.

gradual. some tying up at 15/16 with my first. but didn't really start exploring beyond that and rough sex until my 20's.