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50 Kinks and Fetishes - An A-to-Z List of Kinks and Fetishes You Should Know About - Glamour
50 Kinks and Fetishes - An A-to-Z List of Kinks and Fetishes You Should Know About - Glamour
GOOD SEX
May 9, 2024
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Kinks and fetishes can feel taboo no matter how much sex positivity exists online.
Secretly scouring the internet for a list of kinks to try with your partner can often feel
subversive and, frankly, a little uncomfortable. But the thing is, sex is entirely
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subjective and people often are curious to try things that they think they might enjoy,
so there's no shame in familiarizing yourself with what's out there.
“The first thing I like to tell people to do is to get curious,” says Goddess Amina, a
certified somatic sexologist and a guest expert on Netflix's Sex, Love & Goop. “Just let
curiosity guide you…and then see what develops from that.”
For the uninitiated, learning about kinks and fetishes might feel intimidating, so first
things first: understanding what a kink is and what constitutes a fetish. A kink is
defined as a sexual activity that falls outside of sex that society traditionally considers
“acceptable.” This can include everything from role playing to experimenting with
bondage or whips. A fetish technically refers to an attraction to an inanimate object,
including body parts, such as feet (like a foot fetish). So a fetish is a type of kink.
READ MORE
No matter what you’re into, kinky sex is about consent, communication, and
compromise. Before trying any new sex act, obtaining enthusiastic, continuous
consent from all parties involved is a must. Your kinks may not perfectly align with
your partner’s, and that’s okay. “Just because you want it doesn’t mean that someone
has to do it,” says sex educator Tina Horn, host of the podcast Why Are People Into
That?! As you explore, what you’re okay with and what you’re not will likely change,
so it’s important to keep a running dialogue about your personal limits (for more on
that, see L on the below list).
After all, discussing what types of kinks interest you with your partner can be part of
the foreplay. “I recommend couples to create a list of five things they'd like to do that
they consider to be kinky,” says Dr. Shamyra Howard, a certified sex therapist and the
sexologist at We-Vibe. “For some, that could be sexting because that's less pressure.
For others, it could be listening to audio erotica together or bringing a toy to the
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bedroom. Just make a list of things that you want to enjoy with each other. And then
create a yes, no, maybe list from there.”
To better orient yourself in the world of kinks and fetishes, check out this list of
Glamour created—one for each letter of the alphabet. Who knows? Maybe one (or
more!) of them will be something you want to explore at any stage of your sexual life.
Age play is a form of role play in which one or both partners pretend to be (and get
off on being) an age other than their own. Chances are you’ve already experienced
what could be considered ultra-lite age play if you’ve ever called a partner “baby” in
bed. Another common example is the “daddy dominant–baby girl” setup. If you’re
calling someone “daddy” in bed, you’re engaging in light age play. A more extreme
and less common example of age play is full-on role playing wherein one partner is
turned on by wearing a diaper and acting like a baby. Calling someone “baby” or
dressing up like one is totally okay if everyone involved is into it. “It involves consent
of all involved,” explains sex therapist David Ortmann, author of Sexual Outsiders:
Understanding BDSM Sexualities and Communities. If age play turns you on, start
out slow by using words like baby or daddy next time you and your partner are
getting frisky.
A Is for Anilingus
No shame in this game: Anilingus is a sex act that focuses on stimulating your
partner's anus via licking, penetrating with the tongue, kissing, or any other type of
oral stimulation.
A Is for Abrasion
A BDSM subcategory, this involves becoming sexually aroused from harsh or scratchy
surfaces such as sandpaper or steel wool.
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A Is for Actirasty
There are a number of fetishes that revolve around the weather. There’s brontophilia,
the sexual arousal from thunderstorms, chionophilia, the sexual arousal from snow,
and actirasty, the sexual arousal from rays of sunlight. While you might feel an
intense amount of joy after a particularly long winter, when the sun makes its much-
anticipated reappearance, actirasty is a fetish that involves a person being aroused
through direct exposure to sunlight. In practice, this can tie into another kink—
public and outdoor sex—but it crosses over into actirasty when the warming
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sensation of the sunlight leads to physical pleasure in the parts of the body it reaches.
Depending on the person and the preference, this can lead to orgasm.
B Is for Bondage
Bondage is a form of restraint. It’s a sex act that falls within the BDSM umbrella,
which is an acronym for “bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadism
and masochism” and a group of common sexual fantasies. Some people enjoy being
tied up, while some enjoy tying up their partner, and others like both. Someone who
enjoys both the dominant and submissive role is referred to as a switch. Typically
bondage uses kinky sex toys such as handcuffs or rope, but it can also be as tame as
you using a scarf, a tie, or a T-shirt to restrain your partner's wrists when you're
getting it on. To get into it, you can tie someone up to a bed frame using a tie or scarf
or, if your bed frame isn’t kink-compatible, you could start by simply binding the
arms together. To up the ante, you can purchase shackle mounts or suspension bars.
Dr. Howard says she often directs people to Lovehoney's bondage kit as a good place
to start. “It's a weekend kit that comes with blindfolds and all the kinds of stuff that
engages different types of sense,” she explains. “It's one way for people to get into and
explore this kink.”
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Blindfold sex, also known as amaurophilia, is a gateway to more BDSM play. The
kink involves a preference for being blindfolded during sex, having sex with someone
who is blindfolded, or even having sex in complete darkness. Blindfold sex can involve
a silk tie or satin blindfold placed over the eyes, one which is close-fitting, but not
overly tight. This practice can be super arousing for some, as it necessitates an
element of surrender—you need to have built trust with the partner who is not
blindfolded. “At its core, you're giving up control to another person and allowing
them to take control,” says Gigi Engle, ACS, a certified sex educator and resident
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intimacy expert at 3Fun, an app for open and polyamorous couples. Plus the element
of sensory deprivation can help a person’s senses, aside from sight, to be magnified.
“When you’re blindfolded, all of your other senses become enhanced. You feel your
partner’s touch on your skin more acutely, smells become more vibrant, and orgasms
can even be more intense.” Blindfold sex can also be a popular kink among people
who struggle with anxiety during sex, with the blindfold offering comfort and a sense
of escapism.
C Is for Cuckolding
C Is for Claustrophilia
While a number of kinks are tied to having sex in public, open spaces, claustrophilia
is the opposite. Claustrophilia involves the sexual arousal produced by being confined
to a tight, enclosed space. The sensation of being physically trapped can lead to sexual
gratification for some. “There can be a cocoon-like feeling to being in tight, confined
spaces,” says Engle. “Some may also enjoy the fear element of being closed in. Fear has
been shown to produce a sexual response in some, which is why people sometimes get
horny after scary movies or roller coasters.” Claustrophilia can simply involve sex in
wardrobes or airplane restrooms or, as some progress deeper into the kink, there are
tools that can be purchased, including cages, coffins, confinement rooms, or vacuum
beds (where an individual is adhered to a frame using a latex envelope).
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D Is for Dominance
Dominance is one half of BDSM, the DS part (dominance and submission), and is all
about a consensual power exchange. With this particular kink, the dominant partner
derives sexual pleasure from taking control. The submissive partner allows their
dominant partner to, well, dominate them à la 50 Shades of Grey. Important note:
Though the books and movies did help make BDSM kinks more mainstream, they’re
not totally accurate. Despite what the movie would have you believe, there’s no
research that suggests dominants enjoy DS activities, such as spanking their partner,
due to childhood trauma. And nope, you do not have to sign any sort of contract—all
you need is enthusiastic consent from all parties involved.
The act of creating DIY porn is closely tied to exhibitionism and voyeurism, where
one person is aroused by being watched and the other is aroused by watching. DIY
porn is a way to cater to both kinks and take it to the next level by capturing the act
on camera. Both the process of creating the homemade porn and playing it back is all
part of the fun. Because of the recording element, consent is a must, as is trust. Those
creating DIY porn will want to discuss and establish certain boundaries before
engaging, including whether they consent to their face being shown, and how and
where the footage will be stored.
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E Is for Electrostimulation
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Erotic asphyxiation, also known as breath play, is a fetish that involves limiting the
supply of oxygen to the brain during sex in order to heighten arousal and
intensify orgasms. Depending on whether it is performed on a partner or on oneself
(autoerotic asphyxiation), erotic asphyxiation is a type of sadistic and masochistic
fetish. During the act, some people find pleasure in the exchange of power. “The turn
on has deep psychological implications that can give opportunity to explore different
roles during sex,” says Engle. “Choking highlights the giving and receiving of control.
Giving someone permission to choke you, or visa versa, is allowing you to take on
dominant and submissive roles in bed. This is something many of us long for: a
release from control or the power to take it.” But the risks outweigh the pleasure of
this kind of release. Erotic asphyxiation can result in an irregular heart rate, cardiac
arrest, brain damage, and even death. There is no truly safe way to perform erotic
asphyxiation; instead, those interested might try light choking, after carefully
communicating consent and clear physical boundaries, but even that comes with risk.
“It's important to address that choking during sex is extremely dangerous and should
be done with caution,” says Engle. "There are many risks. Just because you saw
choking in porn or are interested in it does not mean you should run off and choke
your partner. This play needs to be done with extreme caution and care.”
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This is one of the most common fetishes out there, especially for heterosexual men.
Someone with a foot fetish is literally turned on by feet—thinking about them,
touching them, seeing them—and could potentially get off on everything feet. They
often want to engage in foot worship, in which they treat their partner’s foot like a
holy object: kissing, caressing, and massaging it. So even if you don’t have a foot
fetish, having a partner with one can be extremely enjoyable as it means there could
be foot massages galore in store for you. But like all kinks, foot fetishes exist on a
spectrum. Humiliation can also play a strong role in a foot fetish: The fetishist may
want feet shoved in their face and mouth, or to have their partner walk all over them,
touting how filthy their feet are and how pathetic the fetishist is to enjoy such an
activity. Other foot fetish activities include giving pedicures and smelling the feet or
shoes that said feet reside in throughout the day.
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Food play, also known as sitophilia, refers to a kind of fetish in which individuals are
turned on by food in an erotic setting. Fruits and vegetables shaped like penises can
be incorporated into food play, with zucchinis, cucumbers, and bananas being used
for vaginal or anal penetration, but the fetish can involve a more sensual, aromatic
incorporation of food. This can include drizzling melted chocolate or whipped cream
over the body and licking it off or using frozen fruits like cherries or strawberries to
create cooling sensations along the neck, breasts, or thighs. This play can be arousing
in the way they heighten the senses of smell, taste, and feel. Says Lyndsey Murray, a
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certified sex therapist and the owner of Relationship Matters Therapy, a practice that
helps individuals and couples improve their relationships and sex lives, “Usually I find
there is a link between a certain food and particular memories or fantasies someone
may have that are associated with that food. The link between the food and the
eroticism could be imagery, sounds, and even smells.” When it comes to food play, be
prepared. To minimize clean-up, lay down a protective layer over the bed or perhaps
take matters to a floor that can be easily wiped down. To avoid potentially irritating
or uncomfortable physical sensations, steer clear of spicy ingredients or foods with a
rough texture.
G Is for Gagging
Gagging refers to lightly choking on an object to the point of making gagging sounds.
Often people with penises will get off on their partner gagging on them—and the
knowledge that they’re big enough to induce gagging noises. Likewise, the partner
going downtown may enjoy having something thrust far enough down their throat
that they start to gag. It doesn’t necessarily take a giant object to induce gagging—
something smaller can do the trick too. However, if gagging becomes uncomfortable
or if you feel like you’re going to throw up (if that’s not something you want to do),
you should stop at any point you feel even a little bit off. Remember, kink is all about
continuous consent and what makes you feel your sexiest.
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G Is for Gerontophilia
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towards people who are older than them—for example, a twenty-something woman
might be attracted to a man in his late forties—this is not gerontophilia because older
does not always equal “elderly.” Gerontophiles are attracted to people aged 65 years
and older, while not being part of or close to that age group. Gerontophilia doesn’t
accurately describe all extreme age-gap relationships—with some people choosing
elderly partners for other reasons besides sexual arousal—because it involves a
genuine physical attraction to features that are considered elderly, such as sagging
skin, wrinkles, gray or white hair, or age spots. While there isn’t much research into
gerontophilia, the kink is suggested to arise when a person had their first or formative
sexual experience with an elderly person.
H Is for Humiliation
Not all BDSM acts are physical. “Intense language as a use of force can be just as
intense, or even more intense, as consensually degrading physical sensations, such as
impact play,” Horn says. A common example of humiliation is name-calling and
verbal abuse. One of the most common misconceptions about humiliation play is
that it’s antifeminist. But the truth is, many feminists enjoy being called names such
as “bitch,” “slut,” or “whore” in bed—your kinks are not your values. In a patriarchal
world where women have long been told sex is not for pleasure, addressing what gets
you off, especially if it’s nontraditional like humiliation, and then engaging it can be a
powerful way to take control of your sexuality. As always, discuss humiliation
beforehand and keep it consensual. Your partner may be okay with being called a
“slut” but not a “bitch,” so be sure to define your boundaries.
Impact play refers to the use of hands, paddles, whips, or whatever you have around
your house (spatulas work great) to hit the body. If you’ve ever playfully spanked
your partner during sex, that’s impact play. More than anything else, impact play
requires consent and communication. A good rule to keep in mind: If you’re the one
providing the impact, stick to areas that are fatty, such as the side of the butt or
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thighs, and avoid anywhere organs reside, such as the kidneys (lower back) or rib cage.
As with any new kink, start small, start slow, and choose a safeword. Impact play can
be done alone yet also pairs well with other kinks, such as name-calling and age play.
If you’re new to the idea, start with your hands and some good old-fashioned
spanking before spending money on more heavy-duty whips and floggers. If anything
becomes uncomfortable (and not in a good way), implement your safeword
immediately.
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Interrogation play is a form of role play with a BDSM edge. People who are into the
kink will take on either the role of the dominant, the person in charge of the
interrogation, or the submissive, who is held captive and is withholding a secret.
“With interrogation role play, people often choose a dominant or submissive identity
because it is like an alternate reality from their real life,” says Murray. “Someone who
doesn't have a lot of authority in the day-to-day may find it erotic to have that in the
bedroom, and someone who does have a lot of responsibility may find it pleasurable
to submit to their partner at home.” The specifics of the interrogation are down to
the individual and their imagination, but a few hypothetical situations can involve a
detective interviewing a lead suspect in a criminal case or a villain torturing a secret
agent. To gain information or power, the dominant will test the submissive
using BDSM toys and tools including restraints, floggers, or sensory deprivation
devices like hoods or blindfolds. As the play continues, each “torture tactic”
intensifies. Costumes may also be involved to add to the realism of the role play.
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Japanese bondage is one variety of bondage that is typically done with rope. Kinbaku
translates to “the beauty of tight binding” and shibari, which is a bit more
mainstream, translates to “decoratively tie.” Decoratively is right: Japanese bondage
such as shibari is an art form in addition to a form of bondage (there’s even an entire
shibari section on Etsy). Some of the best shibari artists, such as Garth Knight, hold
high-art showcases in which their subjects are tied up and transformed into trees. If
you’re interested in exploring Japanese bondage, More Shibari You Can Use:
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Passionate Rope Bondage and Intimate Connection by Lee Harrington and Rigger Jay
is perfect for beginners.
But as Goddess Amina reminds us, safety is incredibly important when engaging in
certain kinks. “It's important that folks have safe words, because there is a lot of
danger in being tied up,” she says. And don’t forget your safety shears!
$11 $10
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AMAZON
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LOVEHONEY
K Is for Klismaphilia
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K Is for Katoptronophilia
L Is for Limits
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other. Along with implementing limits, it’s important to choose a safeword that is
not no or stop, because some couples use such language as a part of their role play.
Your hard and soft limits will likely evolve the more you explore, so it’s important to
keep having these conversations with your partner.
M Is for Masochism
“Masochism is deriving pleasure from the high sensation most often referred to as
pain, be that physical or emotional,” Ortmann says. So if you enjoy being spanked,
humiliated, or spit on, you might be a masochist. The term is named for Leopold von
Sacher-Masoch, a 19th-century Austrian author who wrote the book Venus in Furs,
which details what’s now considered a typical BDSM “master-slave” relationship (he
allegedly was the “slave” in his own such arrangement with his mistress). The flip side
of masochism is sadism (named after an 18th-century French nobleman), in which
someone derives pleasure from inflicting pain of a physical or emotional nature.
M Is for Melolagnia
Melolagnia is a fetish that involves being turned on by music. This doesn’t simply
mean having a go-to Spotify playlist when you have sex, but rather experiencing
strong sexual reactions in response to music and also fantasizing about certain songs
or genres. The arousal can derive from a combination of the musical elements
including the singer’s voice, beat, repetition, or even the quality of the composition,
all of which can lead to physical sensations like goosebumps, a faster heartbeat, or
even more natural sexual lubrication.
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N Is for Nylons
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N Is for Nebulophilia
Nebulophilia is a lesser known kink that involves sexual arousal induced by fog,
steam, dry ice, or smoke. There has been very little research into the kink, but
individuals who are nebulophilic might have personal connections to these elements
in their past, perhaps they were turned on by a theater performance with a fog
machine or even an atmospheric, hazy-looking music video. There’s a chance
nebulophilia is linked to one’s perception of risk, wherein the fog or smoke is a sign
of danger which stimulates the fear receptors, sometimes leading to heightened sexual
arousal.
Aside from the fact that orgasms and having sex near a due date may help induce
labor, there are also those with outright pregnancy fetishes: sexual attraction to a
pregnant person. Some partners may indeed discover they have one when their
partner is expecting, but others are attracted to the rotund pregnant belly regardless
of whose body or baby it is. Since, by that same strict definition mentioned before, a
fetish is attraction to an object or body part, pregnancy fetishists go wild for the sight
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of a swollen, round belly. The attraction may also include an interest in lactation, or
other symptoms of pregnancy, but such is not automatically a part of the label.
According to YouGov research, 36% of people in the United States copped to having
sex in a public space. While it might be a one-time thing for some, public sex—also
referred to as agoraphilia—is a fully-fledged kink for others. “Public sex can feel
exciting for some people and can feel worth the risk to be seen,” says Murray. “Doing
something you shouldn't do, with the possibility of legal consequences should you
get caught having sex in public, and getting away with it can create a great rush of
dopamine in our brains and feel like the ultimate reward.” One of the most common
places for people to practice public sex are fields, forests, parks, and gardens.
Considering the public-facing aspect of this kind of sexual play, and the element of
risk, it falls under the umbrella of exhibitionism. “I relate public sex to exhibitionism
where the attraction is in the attention someone gets by having someone watch them
have sex, but it's always important to take into account if you could be violating other
people's consent by participating in public sex, no matter how exciting it might be.”
Praise kink has become so popular thanks to social media, Glamour wrote a whole
explainer on it. “Praise kink allows someone to explicitly ask for the kinds of positive
reinforcement that they crave, in order to feel desire, desired, erotic, sensual, sexual,
and/or aroused,” Jennifer Rehor, a licensed marriage and family therapist, sex
therapist, and the author of a significant study on women and kink, told Glamour.
Some common phrases to use if you're engaging in a praise kink, according to Dr.
Howard: You're doing so good. You're riding me so good. You're a good girl/boy. You
feel so good. “Praise during sex really helps to increase arousal,” she explains. “That's
why it's really popular right now.”
“In pet play, there's a person that is moving into the role of a pet,” says Goddess
Amina. That may involve wearing ears, paws, and/or a whole snout. “They may crawl
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around on all fours, or they may come up against you. It just allows them to be
playful."
Q Is for Quirofilia
Role playing is another common kink, which involves people taking on characters
outside of their day-to-day lives as part of a sex scene. This can be as simple as putting
on a nurse’s outfit or as elaborate as constructing an entire scene complete with
character development. Common examples include doctor and patient (medical role
play), boss and secretary, pool boy and rich housewife, or college student and
professor. While role playing often comes with costumes and is a fabulous excuse to
dress up, an extensive wardrobe is not required. Scenes can be created through dirty
talk and pure imagination.
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We’re living in an age where technology can tend to many of our basic needs. Got to
install that finicky shelf? TaskRabbit. Need feeding? DoorDash. Horny? Well, that
varies. While many of us might turn to any one of the thousands of dating apps to
find a willing partner, 22% of people in the United States would quite like to get their
rocks off with a robot. In fact, some people prefer it. Robot fetishism, sometimes
referred to as robotism, involves individuals who are sexually aroused with robots or
other similar beings such as androids or cyborgs. This attraction can exist in reality,
by having sex with fully-formed sex dolls or robots, or in a more literary sense, for
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example, by reading novels or fanfiction about these beings. Robotism can also
manifest as role play, so having a human partner who dresses up or performs as a
robot during sex.
S Is for Spectrophilia
Especially if you’re a straight woman, it’s been a tough year to get into humans.
Those with spectrophilia report a sexual attraction, relationships, or sexual
encounters with ghosts who come and have hot sex with them at night. A succubus is
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a ghost in lady form that, in folklore (or a spectrophilia fantasy), visits her object of
desire at night for some hot human-ghost lovemaking. An incubus is the male variety
(and also that band). Though the actual existence of ghosts is up for debate (and for
excellent Halloween movie marathons), the sexual attraction that spectrophiles report
feeling is as real as any other fetish. Kind of puts a whole new twist on the term
friendly ghost, though, right?
S Is for Stygiophilia
Stygiophilia is a fetish that involves sexual pleasure from the idea of going to hell or
facing eternal punishment. The arousal can stem from the taboo nature of such
thoughts. In some instances, stygiophilia ties into the BDSM concept of pleasurable
punishment and humiliation. There is little research on the kink, but people who had
a particularly religious upbringing—where discussions of hell were common in the
church, school, or home—might be more inclined to enjoy this kink, as their religious
background can make introducing the idea of hell into sexual play feel all the more
forbidden and sexually thrilling.
T Is for Tentacles
First let’s get one thing straight: You can’t have sex with an actual octopus or
octopus-like monster—octopuses are animals and therefore cannot give consent. But
octopus-like monsters totally exist in tentacle porn, which you can absolutely watch
and get off on. It’s hot, not only because it’s so foreign and forbidden but, according
to some experts, because it fulfills some other pretty classic fantasy tropes, like
bondage and multiple penetration. And if your ideal penis is actually a giant blue
tentacle, the sex toy manufacturer Bad Dragon just may help you fulfill your monster
fantasies.
T Is for Trichophilia
Trichophilia, also referred to as hair fetishism, is the erotic attraction to hair. The hair
in question can be human hair—armpit, chest, pubic, head—or even animal fur, but
it is most commonly human head hair. The fetish can involve touching, smelling, or
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looking at hair, wearing another person’s hair, or interacting with hair in different
states—for example, when it is wet, cut, or plucked. It can even involve eating hair, in
rare instances. Those who indulge in this fetish might have a strong preference for the
type of hair that is part of their fantasy or sexual play, whether it’s a preference for red
hair, tight curls, or short, cropped hair.
“Temperature play is a form of kink where people explore with hot and cold
sensations,” says Dr. Howard. She recommends rubbing ice on erogenous zones such
as the neck, nipples, stomach, inner thighs, vulva, ankles, feet, or behind the ears. A
wet towel is another useful tool for this kink: Dr. Howard says you can warm it in the
microwave or freeze it to play with different hot and cold sensations.
U Is for Urophilia
Urophilia is a fancy name for watersports, golden showers, or the more direct name,
pee play. With this kink, people find urination sexually arousing. There are lots of
things you can do with urine, though the most common way to enjoy pee play is to
give or receive golden showers. If you don’t remember the reports of that unverified
dossier alleging that former president Donald Trump engaged in the act, a golden
shower is, well, letting someone shower you (or vice versa) with their pee. If you want
to try it out, start in the actual shower.
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U Is for Underwear
There’s no denying it, there’s a lot of money to be made in used underwear. In recent
years, many people—typically women—have shared their experiences selling their
used underwear to people on Craigslist, Instagram, and eBay. So it may not surprise
you that the sexual obsession with underwear is a common fetish. “A great attraction
to underwear can be due to a combination of our imagination as well as the feel and
smell of underwear,” says Murray. “People can imagine what someone would like in
their underwear, and what it would be like to feel it and touch it while being sexual
with the other person.”
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V Is for Voyeurism
A voyeur is someone who derives sexual pleasure from watching others get it on.
When we speak about voyeurism from a kink perspective, we’re talking about
consensual voyeurism. Very important distinction! Exhibitionists enjoy being
watched, and voyeurs enjoy watching, which makes these two kinks a common item
on the menu at sex parties or kink events. Things become more confusing in everyday
life, because observing someone without their knowledge or consent is absolutely not
okay. If you have voyeuristic fantasies, make sure you’re indulging them consensually
with willing exhibitionists. That way everyone wins (and gets off).
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Lelo Soraya 2
$229 $172
LELO
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$150
LOVEHONEY
V Is for Vicarphilia
With the rise of erotic podcasts and audiobooks, vicarphilia is one kink that seems to
have become fairly mainstream without many of us knowing it. Vicarphilia is
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vicarious arousal, a kink where individuals are intensely aroused by hearing the sexual
experiences, interests, and behaviors of others, namely those who live different—or
usually more thrilling—lives than their own. This can be experienced by listening to a
famous musician explain their sexual history on a podcast, for example, or perhaps by
reading a writer’s recount of their first erotic experience in their autobiography. The
kink is essentially living vicariously through the sex lives of others.
W Is for Whip
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Whip is commonly used as an umbrella term for all impact play tools, though it
technically refers to an item with a thinner body that produces more of a “stingy”
sensation. (You’ll often hear BDSM practitioners refer to sensations as either stingy
or thuddy—the latter describing a toy like a paddle.) The most advanced whip on the
market is the single-tail, which looks like a snake and can create a cracking noise when
used correctly. Single-tails break the skin and can wrap around the body, injuring
areas where organs reside, and should only be used by professional dominatrices with
years of experience. Even some pro dominatrices will use them only for intimidation,
rather than to actually impact their submissive’s body. If you want to try a whip, opt
for a beginner-friendly option.
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Rekink Flogger
$22
AMAZON
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$17
LOVEHONEY
Wet and messy, also known as sploshing, is a fetish where people enjoy being covered
in or surrounded by wet food or beverages. “This can involve cake sitting, being
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covered in frosting, or Jell-O during sex—all that good stuff,” says Engle. “It can also
include non-food substances like shaving cream, large amounts of lube, paint, and
more. It’s when you get a lot of sexual enjoyment from copious amounts of wet
messiness during sexual play, whether you’re having sex or not.” The appeal of
sploshing arises from a number of things but ultimately, it’s down to the individual.
Some of the main reasons for indulging in the wet and messy fetish is sensory
stimulation. “The appeal seems to be the tactile feeling of the substance and in the
case of food, also the tasting of things. It’s really an extreme form of sensory play in
some ways. It’s about being turned on by messiness, slipperiness, and all that other
sloshy goodness. It’s important not to yuck anyone else’s yum. Human sexuality is
complex, and we shouldn’t judge anyone on what they like, as long as everyone
involved is a consenting adult and the play is safe.”
Candlelight is fantastic mood lighting, but you can also use the melted wax for
painfully good sexual pleasure. Of course, playing with fire (and wax) is dangerous, so
it's a good thing the sex toy industry has our backs here. “I tell people to not start off
with the candles that you have at home, but to always begin with candles that are
specifically for erotic stimulation,” Dr. Howard says. There are candles that exist to
burn at a temperature perfect for bodies, so you don’t have to worry about accidental
burns. Massage candles also exist. These come in delightful scents such as bourbon or
dark vanilla. As the candle burns, the wax turns into massage oil. Enjoy.
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$35
LELO
$35 $25
AMAZON
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$30
MAUDE
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A yoni egg is an egg-shaped device worn inside the vagina typically as part of pelvic
floor exercises. A yoni egg is inserted inside the vagina and the pelvic floor muscles
tighten their grip to hold the egg in place. They can be quite beautiful—the sexual
wellness company Chakrubs sells them in crystals such as rose quartz, jade, and black
obsidian. There’s also a spiritual element involved for many yoni egg users,
particularly since they involve crystals. There’s some debate over whether there are
health risks associated, so make sure you read up on whether this is something you
want to incorporate as part of your Kegel routine.
Z Is for Zappers
Z Is for Zentai
Zentai, which stems from the Japanese term zenshin taitsu (full body tights), is a
formfitting suit that covers the entire body, including the head, fingers, and toes. It is
usually bright in color and made from spandex. For those who enjoy zentai, the
arousing factor can derive from the closeness and tightness of the fabric to the skin as
well as the pressure this can place against sensitive regions of the body. As zentai is a
form of sexual bondage, the suit can make the wearer feel trapped and contained,
which is a similar sexual sensation to claustrophilia. For some, the anonymity these
suits offer can also bring a particularly arousing thrill, for those who are shy or enjoy a
little mystery.
Illustrations by Channing Smith
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Read More
GOOD SEX
GOOD SEX
GOOD SEX
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ENTERTAINMENT
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