A famous internet rule says: “If it exists/you can think of it, there’s porn of it.” (Rule 34).
This meme/rule supposedly was first created in… well, most stories say it’s 2003, with knowyourmeme.com stating it can be found cached as far back as 2004. An artist called Peter Morley-Souter (“Something Awful” Username Electric Eggs), upon a stroll on the web and to his shock finding sexual depictions of the Calvin & Hobbes comic. He made an illustration about it, and it since then has gotten it’s own life.
This rule holds very true for the most of us. And it also applies up to a certain degree to kinks. If you can think of doing it in a sexualized way, there’s likely to be likely a fetish for it.
In this article series we’re going to give you an simple overview about the common categorizations of fetishes and show you a few examples of what crazy fun things there exist out there. Hey, who knows, maybe you’ll even find out a new kink for yourself.
Note: I want to say here that I am by no means a certified psychologist or similar. I merely did some research. Should you be an expert in the field and find matters for correction, please contact us and we’ll update it accordingly.
Paraphilia
The sexual arousal to atypical objects, situations, fantasies, behaviors, or individuals. [Wiki]
There is a reason this is the first discussed term. It is the base term everything else falls under. Everything that arouses you which is atypical or uncommon is paraphilia. It is the word that has replaced the word perversion in psychology.
This term has a bit LGBT history btw. . Homosexuality (and back then, that term pretty much included every other than heterosexuality) also used to be included in the paraphilia list, and in the DSM*. That listing therefore justificated many to see and treat homosexuality as mental illness by doctors and the public. It has been removed in 1973, although sadly the “illness view” did not disappear with it.
That problem was not just due to the listing though. And in today’s time, while there are still terms like transgender on the list, (good) psychologists usually don’t see them as a mental disorder, unless the person practicing them views them with feelings of unhappyness and as a problem (or if they’re unlawful). They also usually aren’t tried to be “cured”, more than just tried to become managable by the person with them (again, in accordance with the law). The listed terms aren’t necessarily seen as paraphilia too, depending on the conditions and origins when the term comes up. It is a very grey and individual area…. simply put, it’s psychology.
Oh yeah, interesting to mention: BDSM is also included in the definitions of paraphilia.
*The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, used in America) and ICD (International Classification of Diseases, used in Europe, here particularly chapter V, mental and behavioural disorders) are scientific publications used by psychologists etc. to look up and classify mental conditions and disorders for treatment. It is likely that the terms and definitions used here, at least partially, stem from these books.
Objectophilia
Sexual or romantic attraction focused on particular inanimate objects.
Or, as it is also called, object sexuality – Not to be confused with the appeal to becoming an object – that’s something we’ll get to later. For some people this attraction tops everything else, and/or they cannot even imagine feeling sexually attracted towards another person. And some see their relationship as reciprocating, as they believe in animism (that all objects, places and creatures possess energy and are alive to a certain degree).
It could be said that this is a very on the point definition for erotic fetishism as it’s written:
– A sexual fixation on a nonliving object or nongenital body part –
and this again is derived from the one for fetish itself:
– An object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a human-made object that has power over others –
which originated from the Latin facticius, “artificial” and facere, “to make”. There is a key difference though.
Erotic Fetishism still has a human partner behind the object focus. For objectophiles the object is the partner.
Btw. it was a french psychologist named Alfred Bidet who first came up with the erotic fetishism term, with the argumentisation that the adoration of objects in a sexual manner is in some aspects similar in behaviour to observed religious fetishism by native tribes.
He has written a full publication on it, which can be found in it’s french original here. Please be aware that as the publication was made 1887, there may be racist views or language used in the text (such as in the comparison of erotic to normal fetishisim) as well as world views corresponding to that time.
Famous examples for more abstruse object sexuality are Erika Eiffel, who married the Eiffel tower and is an outspoken advocate to object sexuality. There’s also another woman who married the devil’s bridge in france. You can find all sorts of examples honestly, from people in love with their car, game characters, computers, pillows, locomotives, shoes, trees, rollercoasters, dolls, etc etc etc.
Objectophilia also seems to accompany us already for a long time. There are tales dating back to ancient rome, such as the famous Pygmalion poem in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, in which a sculptor quite literally falls in love with one of his works. That actually is a form of our next term.
Agalmatophilia
Sexual attraction to a statue, doll, mannequin or other similar figurative object.
There are various forms of this fetish. There may be the want for real sexual contact with a statue/mannequin etc. , the fantasy of wanting an contact with an animated object of this sort, or also the want of being turned/transformed into such an object itself.
It first was recorded as a psychological case of study 1877, upon the discovery of a gardener found trying to copulate with a statue in one of his employers gardens. Richard von Krafft-Ebing documented the case in his work Psychopathia Sexualis (attention, a large part of it is focused on homosexuality as paraphilia)
The transformative aspect in many cases features the state of object tranformation with some sort of paralisis/immobilization and awareness as an object, nad is often roleplayed with rubber, paint or similar material.
The fetish of wanting to be turned into an object is called
(Sexual) Objectification Fetish
Treating a person or wanting to be treated solely as an object of sexual desire.
There is a need for a bit of clarification here. The title here mentions more 2 than one broad fetish term. The sexual objectification is more to be seen as a object of sexual relief for others, while simply objectification is to be seen more wanting to be seen as an object. Of course the degree to where they wander between each other is different from case to case.
Famous examples for the former are the cumdump fetish, being used as a sexual relief station. And the latter, well there’s a few later on.
Mecha(no)philia
Interest/Attraction towards mechanic/technological objects.
There are many things that fall under said specs. One of the most common is the interest in fuckmachines, or other kinds of intercourse with specifically designed for sex machines.
There also are cases for expressed interest towards other kinds of machines, such as gundam mechs, other kinds of robots, or more unusual cars and kitchen appliances.
There are more specific oriented fetishes which fall under the above categories. Fairly common ones are for example:
Dollification
Wanting to be transformed into a doll.
That is played out through various means. Some prefer full rubber dollification, others prefer a mix of masks, make up, other kind of outfits and such. Others again want their real body to become doll like, and even go through plastic surgery to achieve that goal. This is very prevalent in the heterosexual community in combination with another term called bimbofication, which will be discussed later on.
Also liked is the achieving of a doll like mental state through hypnosis or similar practices.
Robot Fetishism (ASFR)
a fetishistic attraction to humanoid or non-humanoid robots, or the like to be transformed / transform somebody into one.
Other group terms used for this are Technosexual(-ity) as well as ASFR (alt.sex.fetish.robot), originating from the once used Usenet group of the same name. The original FAQ gives more information to what exactly it was for:
“The alt.sex.fetish.robots (ASFR) newsgroup is dedicated to the discussion of the concept of sex with or sexual attraction to robots and robot-like beings. This can range from metallic, non-humanoid machines to humanoid androids. Discussions can deal with specific fantasies, fiction relating to the topic and connected ideas like people behaving like/turned into human mannequins, dolls, toys, and other hypnosis and mesmerism fantasies that involve the mechanical/monotone response that appeals to the members.” – ASFR Usenet group, as found in p-synd.com
There are 2 community “factions” of ASFR’s, so to say. One is the transformation type, into humans turned partially or fully into machines. (Example: Seven of Nine, Cyborg, etc. etc.)
The other is mainly interested into built constructs, such as androids. These are non-human entities and completely artificial. There is also further differenciation of this side, of the liking of humanoid or non-humanoid looking constructs. (Example: Data from Star Trek or Terminator – and yes, there’s rule 34 for both.)
The likes and preferences are very individual, however, while there is a variation of crossover between them, in the community these factions often are fround to be very protective of their side. As there isn’t much achievable yet for most people technologywise in that area, it is mostly lived with the help of cosplay and art.
Fun fact: There’s a differenciation in that community for the droid term. Android is comin from the greek prefix “andr-” for men. It’s the term specifically used for male-shaped/styled robots, whereas gynoid (gyno-) is used for the female equivalent. These prefixes also got their own -philia term. Androphilia is the sexual attraction towards masculinity, and gynephilia feminity.
Petrification/Statuification
Attraction to transform someone / being transformed into a statue.
Often lived out with the help of bodypaint, and in some cases again hypnosis. Fantasywise often lived out with art. Sometimes also seen as part of the ASFR, probably particulary the alt. part.
Forniphilia
Attraction to turn someone / being turned into a piece of furniture)
There are various variations of that being lived out, with the help of extravagant constructions, hypnosis, bondage, humiliation and so forth. There are versions for this in both sexual and non-sexual nature out there. Sexual relief station, chairs, tables, lampstands, art decorations, chandeliers, and other kinds all have been seen on the web already. And in fantasy art it is also quite popular.
Another fetish that is often connected to the above is the
Encasement Fetish
Becoming aroused when enclosed in various ways.
This comes for example a lot with rubber dollification, or also just generally rubber. After all Total enclosure fetishism – having entire body enclosed in a material – does also count as encasement. Another fandom this is very popular in is spandex zentais, but not only. There are many materials this is being done with. Nilon pantyhoses, plastic, pvc, metal (or similar cosplay material, see for example gear fetish or robots) and much more.
Other versions of encasement include practices and objects like vacuum bed/cubes/towers, sleepsacks, and things that are connected to it, such as:
Cast fetishism
Attraction to casts/ an immobilizing shell and people wearing them.
The attraction there does not come from what most normal people immediately picture it with there, hospital injury. The overwhelming majority actually dislikes that. They still like their bodies fully intact. It is the vulnerability that you create, and the overcoming thereof, and also the intimacy you create with showing such vulnerabilityto your partner. The bondage aspect comes to it too. And that kink can go all the way up to full immobilization and encasement.
Mummification
Attraction to wrapping the full body in a manner that prevents movement.
I think that term explains itself. It’s a bondage confinement thing.
Plushi(e)fication
Being put into a plushie/stuffed animal suit.
That is not the same as furry, although the fursuits themselves also belong partially to this category I’d suspect. The term for sexual attraction to stuffed toys or people in animal costume, such as theme park characters and others btw. is called Plushophilia.
If you had to categorize furries, it would likely be a combination of plushophilia/encasement fetishism (fursuits), toonophilia/schediaphilia (cartoon characters), probably fur fetishism (object fetishism), encasement or transformation fetishism, and likely something like (auto-) anthrozoophilia (humanized depicture of animals). Thats quite a row, not that I’d likely be one to talk xD
These above also have another thing in common, or at least often combined/associated with it.
Claustrophilia
The love or arousal due to/of enclosed, thight spaces and the confinement therein.
Yeah, there actually is a real acronym to the one you hear on tv or from others most of the time. Whereas some people instinctually fear those places, others actually are attracted to the neurochemical rush they induce for them, or even the feel of safety, depending on their construction.
Practices for such include among the above also classic cell confinement, bondage coffins, storage boxes, travel cases/suitcases, and others.
All these fetishes are often combined and mixed in all sorts of ways, as many as we likely can fantasize or create things of. It’s part of the fun we get with our human creativity. Next time we will get to even more of these.
