Fetish (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what a fetish is in various areas. Also, differences with fantasy, paraphilia and examples of sexual fetish.

What is a fetish?

The word fetish is understood, first of all, to an idol or divine representation to which supernatural powers are attributed especially in the primitive cults of ancestral societies. These objects are usually carried as an amulet or protection against evil, or as objects of power, and their religious veneration is called fetishism.

This term was taken from the Portuguese feitiço (“spell”) by the French scholar Charles de Brosses, around 1757, and formed part of the language of nascent anthropology. From there, however, it was adopted by other disciplines and intended for other references, always related to the idea of the venerated object.

Thus, for example, the German philosopher Karl Marx (1818-1883) used it in the 19th century, as part of his theory of capitalism, to construct the concept of commodity fetishism (Warenfetischismus). This concept consists of the perception of the economic value of the merchandise as something intrinsic, that is, something that arises from itself, and is alien to the set of interpersonal relationships that produce it and that really give it its value.

In the 20th century, another German philosopher took up the concept of fetish for a different, but still valid, use that has to do with psychoanalysis. We refer to Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and his notion of sexual fetishism, that is, a form of paraphilia (atypical sexual behavior) in which a part of the person's body is taken as an object of love, attraction and sexual excitement. : feet, for example, or underwear, etc.

sexual fetishism

Sexual fetishism, as we said before, It was first described by psychiatrist Sigmund Freud and is currently considered among the most harmless paraphilias (atypical sexual patterns or behaviors) that exist.

In a broad sense, fetishism consists of obtain erotic excitement and sexual pleasure from contact with a specific object and specific, often a part of a person's body or a piece of clothing, or objects of another nature. The sexual pleasure obtained by coming into contact with the object (touching it, smelling it, feeling it against the skin, etc.) can even cause orgasm without the need for intercourse of any kind to occur.

Fetishism is classified as a disease in psychiatry manuals when it is a recurring behavior that is essential for sexual arousal, capable of harmfully affecting the social or work life of the individual. Otherwise, it is considered simply another manifestation of your sexuality.

Fetish, fantasy and paraphilia

In the sexual sphere, fetishes are, as we have said, objects that arouse sexual excitement and that can, by themselves, bring the fetishist individual to orgasm, replacing traditional intercourse. Nowadays, however, fetishism (objects) is usually distinguished from partialism (body parts), both considered different paraphilias.

In that sense, fetishism is considered among paraphilias, which are atypical sexual behaviors ; but there is no consensus regarding where to draw the line between an original or simply creative sexuality, and a “deviation” (a term currently out of use). Typical cases of paraphilias are considered to be zoophilia, pedophilia or necrophilia, all three of which are highly frowned upon socially and some are even punishable by law.

Examples of sexual fetishes

Some of the most common sexual fetishes are:

Retifism the fetishistic interest in shoes, possibly as an even more deviant form of attraction for the feet, which takes the object as part of the body and the latter as the entire body. Its name comes from the French writer Nicolás Edme Restiff de la Bretonne (1734-1806), one of the first to describe this paraphilia.
underwear fetish usually feminine and generally used. It is a very common fetish, which includes both bras and panties. In some countries, such as Japan, there is even a thriving trade in used panties for fetish use.
latex fetish specifically clothing made of this material, or interaction with people dressed in them. It is a form of PVC (plastic) fetishism, close to fetishism for leather clothing, and is often called “rubberism.” rubber“rubber”).
Coprophilia sexual arousal in the face of feces and excrement, generally from the desired person or from some specific source, in different appearances and contexts.
Dendrophilia the fetishistic interest in trees, plants and plant life in general, whether complete plants or fruits, many of them with a phallic shape (similar to the penis), or also the use of flowers to caress the body with sexual purposes.

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