Fetishes - so What's the Story?

Sexual fetishes have been around for a long time. Are they something to be ashamed of? Should they be kept secret? Do you hope to find a partner who shares your fetish? Inquiring minds want to know.

A sexual fetish is a profound erotic desire for an object or a body part. Those with fetishes are called fetishists and are usually men. Some examples of fetishes are foot fetishes, breast fetishes, and latex fetishes. There are also fetishes for activities such as spanking or being spanked, being tied up, or at the extreme end, even torture. In many instances, the desire for the object or body part can become so strong that it is required to be present for the fetishist to achieve sexual arousal/satisfaction. When the object or body part becomes more sexually stimulating than the actual partner, the world of sexual fetishes has been entered.

Where do fetishes come from is a question that not all agree on. Perhaps they stem from something seen or undergone in childhood. Perhaps they are acquired as an adult. I dated a guy who had a foot fetish. When I asked him how it started, he said he remembered that as a kid his babysitter would bounce him on her foot and thought that might be it, but he wasn't sure.

As long as a sexual fetish is not causing harm to anyone, it's probably not necessary to seek help. Whether a fetish is shared with a partner is up to the fetishist. Whatever the object of desire is for the fetishist, it certainly is advantageous to let the partner in on the secret so that it can be played out. For instance, if the fetish is about the desire to be spanked, there's probably a higher chance of that happening if the partner is let in on the desire. Sometimes fetishes are associated with deviant sexual behavior, but "deviant" is in the eyes of the beholder. If a man feels the need to see a woman in high heel shoes in order for him to achieve sexual satisfaction and if the woman is willing and enjoys it, there's nothing odd about it. A problem may arise over time when the partner of the fetishist doesn't understand why the same object is necessary during every sexual encounter. But unless there is unwanted bodily harm involved, fetishes may be strange, but sexual desires don't fit into a box where one size fits all.

Click here to read an article about a guy with a foot fetish.