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Vivian Ho
Sexual fetishism, more simply known as simply a fetish, is sexual desire characterized by a strong connection between gratification and a specific object, activity, or body part other than sexual organs (Oxford). A deeper definition comes from the Portuguese word feitico, which is defined as the process of projecting a crisis onto a tangible object (Chatterji, 2018). This sense of conflict may be why fetishes are deemed negative.
Some people may even view sexual fetishism as a mental illness.
An associate professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center named Dr. Richard Krueger found that while some individuals engage in fetishes or alternative erotic lifestyles might have mental health issues or a history of trauma, these factors are not necessarily indicative or predictive (Cassata, 2019). While mental illness and trauma can influence individuals to engage in certain behaviors, these factors are not absolute or definitive explanations for such actions in every case. People without any mental illness or trauma can do the same just because they can.
It can also relate to relaxation and stress relief (Cassata, 2019).
Only when diagnosed with paraphilic disorder is when sexual interests are considered a mental disorder. A paraphilic disorder is when repetitive, intense sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors cause distress or impairment to the individual, or when their fulfillment has resulted in personal harm or risk of harm to others. This includes a person feeling distress about their interest, and the sexual desire including those wanting another in distress, injury, death, or unconsensual sex (Lerner & Berlin M.D, 2017).
Ultimately, sexual fetishism is ruled out as a disorder.
A sexuality counselor named Jessica O’Reilly, Ph.D. found that sexual fantasies vary widely, and fetishes represent just one aspect of the diverse range of interests and arousal within the spectrum of human sexuality (Cassata, 2019).
Different fetishes
The most common fetishes revolving body features include: feet, obesity, piercings, and tattoos.
The most common fetishes revolving clothing include: stockings, skirts, footwear, and underwear.
There are also fetishes revolving material, such as, leather or rubber.
More fetishes include:
Body fluid: Urine, feces, and blood
Color: Seeing a certain color of clothing on someone can get them sexually aroused. Like a man seeing a woman in red or blue.
Hair: Seeing a woman have beautiful hair is attractive to men.
Fetishes can also be turned to role play during sex. Role play is dressing up as a different persona. Common role plays are dominatrix, teacher and student, doctor and patient, and much more. Furry animal costumes is also popular. (Collins, 2015)
How do people develop a fetish?
Fetishes can be formed from almost anything. Anything you can imagine (Collins, 2015). In a study conducted in regards to foot fetishes, it was found that 47% of all people with body part fetishes have a thing for feet (Graveris, 2023). 5% of heterosexual women, 18% of heterosexual men, 11% of lesbian and bisexual women, and 21% of gay and bisexual men are likely to have a foot fetish.
Two main theories are apparent.
The theory that explains the development of this fetish is the signals crossing theory. There are mapping senses in the human brain, with specific regions that correlate to different parts of the body. The area of the brain associated with genital stimulation is located near the region mapped to the feet. Some individuals are thought to have overlapping neurons in these areas, implying that the neural boundaries coincide. In essence, this overlapping map can lead to sexual arousal triggered by stimulation of the feet in certain individuals (Grimes, 2019).
Arousal involving:
-looking at
-touching
-smelling
The second theory is early childhood imprinting where childhood experiences carry out into adulthood as a fetish.
Conditioning: stimulus paired with sexual thoughts or behavior
Research indicates that men can devlop erections in response to non-sexual stimuli if these stimuli were initially associated with sexually explicit images.
The study: explicit pictures with a pair of women’s boots and colored geometric figures ; response was erection to the non-sexual stimuli alone
However, results are inconclusive due to “small sample sizes and lack of control conditions”.
Trauma: traumatic childhood/adolescent experiences either emotionally or physically can create a fetish
However, not everyone with trauma develops a fetish. While these theories may play a role in developing a fetish they are not definite reasons, as there are still other factors unknown to how they develop. More research and studies are needed in order to come to a concrete answer.
Problems with fetishes
There is a stigma around fetishes, however, fetishes are not outright bad. Dr. Kruegar says, “How they fulfill their desires determines if it’s healthy behavior or not”(Cassata, 2019). Fetishes are fine as long as the person who has it and their partner both see pleasure in it. People can also fulfill their desires through porn. While this is perfectly fine, some individuals may experience uncontrollable and compulsive use. That is when fetishes can become a problem.
However, there are people who feel like they need to seek help because of their fetishes. They may feel as if their fetish is taking over their life. It can feel so extreme that their fetish can affect them in their work life, as they will do anything they can to fulfill it.
According to those who find their fetishes problematic they say their actions are not engaging, enjoyable, or inherently appealing. It's not merely an exploration of innovative forms of sexual expression. Instead, they display a sense of desperation, compulsion, and at times, their distress is so profound that they contemplate suicide (Collins, 2015).
This can affect their relationship with people as well, as they prefer to be alone with their fetishes. Even people who are in relationships may avoid exploring their fetishes with their partner, and prefer to act them out alone.
How can this problem be treated?
People who feel as if their fetish is a problem can seek therapy with a psychiatrist or counselor as a form of treatment, as well as medication.
Conclusion
Sexual fetishes are a form of sexual desire in regards to an object. While there are many theories to how sexual fetishes develop, the true cause is unknown. This subject is understudied which makes the theories highly debated by doctors. All in all, fetishes are not inherently harmful to society. It is merely an increased sexual interest to objects rather than sexual body parts. Some may have fetishes that play insignificant roles in their lives, while some may find it life controlling. Either way, the same can be said about any interest. Fetishes should be studied more.
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