With sincere apologies to Dr. Suess I begin this article (I just couldn't help myself). But seriously now folks, fetishes are probably one of the most confused areas of sex around today. What exactly is a fetish? According to World Book psychiatrists see a fetish as an abnormal sexual attachment for a lifeless object. Attachment yes, abnormal? that's in the eye of the beholder. Fetishes are so widely varied that it would probably take an entire web site & then some to cover them all so we'll attempt to cover some of the more common ones here. Not being psychiatrists here we will not delve into what makes people become so vitally attached to these fetishes but hope that others would learn to accept these people & their fetishes without judgment. Like I always say, "Whatever makes your boat float".

A Galaxy of Fetishes

Fetishes can run the entire gamut, from the mundane to the bizarre. Basically a person who has such a fetish requires that object, or item, to be included in their sexual play to become aroused or have an orgasm. One very common fetish is men who will wear women's underwear, both during "normal" hours & then during their sexual play. Unlike the man who has a curiosity about women's underwear & will dabble with their use, a person who has an advanced fetish must have these items present to become sexually aroused. This should also not be confused with a transvestite, although many transvestites do have a women's clothing fetish. Possessing a fetish for these frilly items in no way makes any man less of a lover, or man for that fact. Other fetishes included in the clothing department are rubber, leather & vinyl. The person with a fetish of this type usually truly enjoys the feel (or look) of these particular items & derives great sexual stimulation from their use.

Another very common fetish is the foot fetish. Shoe salesman jokes aside, a person with such a fetish will become highly aroused when confronted with what they would consider a "good looking pair of feet". We have even found clubs devoted to foot worship. Although most fetishes are not very specific we have heard of one person in this category who has taken the foot fetish to the infinite. He requires a female foot with a minimum of 1" long nails dressed in a Greek sandal. Hey if your going to do, do it all the way. In conjunction with the foot fetish are variations & off shoots. One such fetish is called Trampling. This involves a willing recipient to be walked on with bare feet or even a set of spiked heels! Kind of sounds like the Japanese massages you see in the movies! Another offshoot of the foot fetish is what is known as Shrimping. Shrimping is the act of licking between ones toes & nibbling on their toes. Personally I don't mind doing this myself & I never really considered myself as someone who had a fetish. Other variations of this foot fetish can include things such as spiked heels (we've seen photos of up to 12" ones) or any other type of specific foot covering.

One fetish that has very much come "out of the closet" in today's society is what is called Body Modification. Simply put these people enjoy either, or both, the act of tattooing & body piercing. There was a time when these practices were more or less keep quite, but as we all know, this has become very popular & very public. Unless you have been living in a cave for the past several years, you have probably heard of or seen someone with VERY private parts of their bodies pierced including nipples, the penis, the vulva & yes we have even seen a woman with her clitoris pierced! Many say this piercing heightens the sensations of intercourse. We recently saw a TV show about a couple very much involved in this. His penis had several piercings & was adorned with several rings. When the interviewer asked the woman if it hurt her during intercourse she smiled & said, "it's the best sex I've ever had."

Discussing any such fetish should be met by the partner with great compassion & understanding. A person willing to admit to a fetish of any nature to their lover requires them to basically bare their soul to them. Understanding that these fetishes are usually not harmful in any way must be kept in mind while discussing a lovers fetish.

Even though many people use the term to describe things they like as a fetish, fetishes go much deeper. Some deep psychological needs must to be filled before the person can enjoy sex. Some of these fetishes are harmless and can be dealt with within the bounds of normal life, however some may represent deeper problems. A partner to someone with a fetish must judge for themselves if they can cope with such a fetish. As with anything else in an open sexual relationship either partner should have the right to refuse something that deeply bothers them.