If you don\u2019t know the difference, don\u2019t be embarrassed\u2026 it\u2019s an easy mistake to make. And after going through our article, you may realize your own personal taste and sexual interests.<\/p>\n
A kink is basically anything that can be categorized as a non-conventional sex act. Basically, it\u2019s the opposite of vanilla<\/a>\u2026 but this too is a loose definition. How so? Because a kink is one of those things that can be unique and personal to each individual person or couple. Confused? We\u2019ll circle back in a moment.<\/span><\/p>\n A fetish is in the same realm as a kink, but is more so an abnormal desire for something, like an object, part of the body (usually non-genital), a certain type of material etc. In fact, almost anything can be fetishized. For example, <\/span>a growing fetish<\/span> is that of a <\/span>foot fetish<\/span><\/a>. This is an abnormal intrigue and sometimes arousal caused by someone\u2019s feet.<\/span><\/p>\n So while the light bulb may have already gone off, here\u2019s the biggest difference between a kink and a fetish. Let\u2019s look at an example, shall we? There\u2019s a guy, let\u2019s name him Bob. Bob is a big <\/span>fan of BDSM<\/span><\/a> and he and his partner enjoy cheeky play time together with props such as whips<\/a>, handcuffs<\/a>, spreader bars, etc. Bob and his lady friend also adore role playing and dressing up in various sexually-charged outfits. In this case, Bob and the Mrs are simply <\/span>two kinky people<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Then let\u2019s look at a different example. There\u2019s a guy, let\u2019s call him Billy. Billy finds himself totally enthralled and completely aroused by the idea of experiencing cock and ball torture. For Billy, this is his primary source of pleasure, and he doesn\u2019t really find anything close to the sexual stimulation that he feels whilst enjoying a bit of CBT.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n See the difference?<\/span><\/p>\n But then here is one other term that you may not have heard of\u2026\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Paraphilia is when one has abnormal sexual desires that are often categorized as extreme or dangerous. Some examples of paraphilia would be necrophilia (sexual acts with a corpse), scat play (defecation or sexual obsession with faeces), and zoophilia (a sexual desire for animals).<\/span><\/p>\n So while a kink and a fetish are two different things, both could fall under the term \u2018paraphilia\u2019 if the kink or fetish is extreme or dangerous.<\/span><\/p>\n We don\u2019t want to be those people who say yes, despite the fact that the terms \u2018kink\u2019 and \u2018fetish\u2019 are almost always used in the sense of sexuality.<\/span><\/p>\n It is important to note however, that some people don\u2019t necessarily act on or get aroused\/climax because of their specific kink or fetish, but merely enjoy the sound, taste, sensation of it in a non-sexual way. And then there are those that identify as asexual, who too can form kinks and non-sexual fetishes.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not as easy as presenting an A-Z list of <\/span>kinks and fetishes<\/span>. In fact, it would be simply impossible to know or educate others on every single kink and fetish that exists, because it is unique to every individual.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To further prove this point, <\/span>Jessical O\u2019Reilly, Ph.D<\/span>, says:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSexual fantasy is highly varied across the spectrum, so fetishes might simply be one element of our diversity in terms of sexual interest and arousal. That means we\u2019ll have different tastes just like we do in food.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n But, here are a few of the <\/span>most common kinks<\/span> and fetishes:<\/span><\/p>\n They are\u2026 and they aren\u2019t. You see, it all depends on the severity and choice of fetish when it comes to them being harmless or not.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For example, it\u2019s been shown that many who are <\/span>active in BDSM<\/span>, a <\/span>lifestyle loaded with kinks<\/span> and possible fetishes, actually have higher levels of socioeconomic functioning, are very intelligent, and are very in-tune with themselves. In this way, a kink or fetish could have a positive connotation.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, there is such a thing as fetishistic disorder. This is when there is an intense sexual attraction to something (like an inanimate object or body part) that\u2019s coupled with clinically significant personal distress or impairment (such as social, occupational, or other).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Interesting fact: <\/b>Fetishistic disorder is exceedingly more prominent in males as opposed to females. So much so, in fact, that the <\/span>DSM-5<\/span><\/a> (basically the holy scripture when it comes to mental disorders) says that this disorder is almost exclusively found in males.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now that we know the interesting bits and pieces about kinks and <\/span>fetishes<\/span>, you may be wondering where they actually stem from? Is it a question of nature vs. nurture? Is it an innate trait that we carry with us?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to <\/span>Dr. Richard Krueger of Columbia University Medical Center<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGenerally speaking, a typical case may be somebody happens upon an object by accident or through exposure to leather, or dolls, or part of a human that\u2019s non-sexual, such as a foot or toe, and finds it pleasurable, so they continue using it in a sexual way.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n With that, let\u2019s take a look at what another expert has to say about the development of a kink or fetish\u2026\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Samuel Hughes, a researcher at the University of California<\/span><\/a>, decided to go on a big quest to uncover how and why people develop their kinks and fetishes. He found that those who had one or more kinks or fetishes fell into one or more of these five categories (which was modeled on the Cass model of coming out for gay individuals).<\/span><\/p>\n To end off, it may be interesting to know that a kink or fetish has the ability to transform into something completely mainstream, depending on society and the way in which the world evolves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For example, a study was done by Gary Brooks, author of The Centerfold Syndrome<\/a>, on MBA students at Stanford. He found that 88% of these test subjects \u201cread\u201d the Victoria\u2019s Secret lingerie catalogue, while the classic Playboy magazine has gone basically unnoticed. Why?<\/span><\/p>\n A mere 15 years ago, lingerie was considered a fetish. And those who grew up in the <\/span>Playboy<\/span><\/i> era have perhaps grown up to continue believing that to look at the magazine is a taboo. Today, <\/span>Victoria\u2019s Secret<\/span><\/i> could be considered the equivalent of <\/span>Playboy<\/span><\/i> to an extent, and can be found all over the world. The difference today is, viewing and marketing lingerie is socially acceptable. Interesting!<\/span><\/p>\n Another interesting example of a fetish turning mainstream is that of really big (fake) boobs. Remember <\/span>Baywatch<\/span><\/i>? Pamela Anderson running on the beach in her tight red bathing suit is basically synonymous with the show, partly because it was erotic but also because it was new and exciting. Today, the plastic surgery industry is booming, and seeing cleavage or very large (fake) boobs is almost a common occurrence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And let\u2019s not forget the Victorian Era, when even the sight of bare ankles could send someone over the edge!<\/span><\/p>\n To sum up, it\u2019s evident that it\u2019s pretty darn hard to define what a kink or fetish actually is. This is because it is often a very personal and unique individual experience, and because of how society continuously evolves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Nevertheless, if you find yourself with <\/span>a kink<\/span> or fetish and are feeling quite weird about it, there\u2019s absolutely no need (unless said-kink or fetish causes significant personal distress or impairment).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our advice? When it comes to sexuality, you do you! Because it\u2019s oh so delicious to get your rocks off!<\/span><\/p>\n For related topics, check out:<\/p>\n [carousel_slide id=’43517′]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you don\u2019t know the difference, don\u2019t be embarrassed\u2026 it\u2019s an easy mistake to make. And after going through our article, you may realize your own personal taste and sexual interests. What is a Kink? A kink is basically anything that can be categorized as a non-conventional sex act. Basically, it\u2019s the opposite of vanilla\u2026 but this too is a loose definition. How so? Because a kink is one of those things that can be unique and personal to each […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":28045,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[347,575],"coauthors":[948],"class_list":["post-28044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sex-tips-advice","tag-bdsm","tag-kinky-sex"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is a Fetish?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the Difference Between a Kink and a Fetish?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Paraphilia<\/span><\/h2>\n
Are Kinks and Fetishes Always Sexual?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What Are Some Popular Kinks & Fetishes?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Are Kinks & Fetishes OK to Have?<\/span><\/h2>\n
How Do Kinks & Fetishes Develop Over Time?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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The Shift from Taboo to Typical<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Discover pleasure with:<\/h4>\n