The world is a beautiful place. Everything we do has a purpose, meaning, and an intention behind it. However, things take a crazy turn when our actions are viewed as unconventional just because it contradicts the ordinary or the societal norms. The world and the various systems do not take long to categorize things as normal or abnormal. One can think of several instances from their lives where our actions become the basis of other people’s judgment about us. One such instance is kinks and fetishism, which the world fears despite the fact they have been long-existing. Any kinky sexuality and associated sexual behavior is understood as being pathological and perverse. It is the misunderstandings that perpetuates stigma and taboo associated with the kinky community. “Historically, engagement in unconventional sexual behaviors and lifestyles, especially non heteronormative, non monogamous, or otherwise non missionary sexual acts, was (and still is in certain places) outlawed and regarded as inappropriate or perverse” (Hillier, 2019). Traditional psychoanalytic theory identified such unconventional sexual behaviors as being pathological and rooted in traumatic experiences from childhood.
Fetish is one such thing, or a concept, that the society actively tries to dismiss and suppress. Perhaps, it is our conditioning and other cultural underpinnings that makes us do so. Anything that contradicts the normative standards of the society is perceived as unconventional. One can only feel belonged if they conform to societal norms. “Cultures define and describe what is normal and what is deviant. These definitions of normality vary across cultures and are influenced by a number of factors, such as religion. Cultures have been described in various ways, including sex-positive where the sexual act itself is seen as important for pleasure, or sex negative where the sexual act is seen only as for procreative purposes” (Bhugra, et al. 2010). We live in a world and time when one must recognise and acknowledge the existence of fetish and kinks rather than dismissing it and actively suppressing it.
As one might be aware, to define a concept in the field of psychology is a tough nut to crack due to several contentions and criticisms surrounding it. Thus, the most common way of defining something is to identify certain universal features. Fetishism originated from a Portuguese word feitico which in its literal translation means “obsessive fascination”. Fetishism is mostly associated with particular non-genital bodily features which individuals find attractive.
What we must acknowledge is that fetishmism is a normal feature of sexuality. It is when our fetishistic arousal interferes with our normal sexual and social functioning that it becomes a problem or when sexual arousal is impossible to achieve without the fetish object. This problem manifests itself in the form of fetishistic disorder which is defined by an intense or extreme sexual attraction to either inanimate, non-living objects or certain body parts which is viewed as being non-conventional by the society to derive pleasure. It causes ‘clinically significant’ distress or impairment.
What differentiates a fetishistic disorder from a general act is the significant distress or impairment it causes in daily functioning. “Impairment can manifest itself in various ways. Sexual dysfunction might occur in romantic relationships – some individuals might not be receptive to their partner’s fetish. There are also instances where individuals with fetishistic disorder may prefer solitary sexual activity associated with their fetishistic preference(s) even if they are currently in a happy and fulfilling relationship”. Fetishes could be nonclinical manifestations of a normal spectrum of eroticization or clinical disorders causing significant interpersonal difficulties.
Fetishism was formerly operationally defined as persistent preference sexual arousal in association with non-living things, an overly broad attention on bodily parts such as hands or feet, and body secretions (American Psychiatric Association, 1987). DSM-II defined fetishistic disorder as “sexual interests which are primarily directed toward objects other than people of the opposite sex, toward sexual acts not usually associated with coitus, or toward coitus performed under bizarre circumstances as in necrophilia, pedophilia, sexual sadism, and fetishism”. Even though many find their practices distasteful, they remain unable to substitute normal sexual behavior for them. This diagnosis is not appropriate for individuals who perform deviant sexual acts because normal sexual objects are not available to them.
DSM-III on the other hand, defined fetishistic disorder as the use of non-living objects (fetishes) is a repeatedly preferred or exclusive method of achieving sexual excitement. Furthermore, as per the model, fetishes are not limited to articles of female clothing used in cross-dressing or the objects designed to be used for the purpose of sexual stimulation. DSM-IV added to the pre-existing definition and symptoms by stating that symptoms of fetishistic disorder last over a period of at least 6 months and are recurrent in nature. It involves intense and sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving the use of non-living object which causes clinically significant distress and socio-occupational impairment. In addition to this, as per DSM-V, diagnosis for fetishistic disorder is given only if there is an accompanying personal distress or impairment in social and occupational, among other, important areas of everyday functioning and when sexual arousal is impossible without the fetish object.
Work Cited:
- Bhugra, D., Popelyuk, D., & McMullen, I. (2010). Paraphilias Across Cultures: Contexts and Controversies. The Journal of Sex Research, 47(2/3), 242-256. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25676452
- Hillier, K. (2019) The Impact of Childhood Trauma and Personality on Kinkiness in Adulthood. Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection, https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/217233885.pdf
- Kafka, M.P. (2010) The DSM Diagnostic Criteria for Fetishism. Arch Sex Behav 39, 357-362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-009-9558-7
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