Fetish

A fetish is a sexual preference or source of arousal in which sexual attraction is focused especially on a particular object, material, body part, item of clothing, role, or specific situation. Examples may include shoes, latex, feet, underwear, certain smells, or power dynamics. The terms fetish and kink overlap; fetish is often used more narrowly when a particular source of arousal is especially central or very important for sexual satisfaction, while kink is a broader term for non-normative sexual preferences.

A fetish is not automatically problematic or pathological. From a professional perspective, a sexual preference is generally considered to require support or treatment mainly when it causes significant distress, severely restricts a person’s life, or involves non-consensual, harmful, or illegal behavior. Fetishes are still often stigmatized or hastily pathologized, even though many people explore their preferences consensually, safely, and without harm.

Consent, clear communication, respect for boundaries, and, where relevant, practical safety and hygiene rules are essential, for example when objects, bodily fluids, breath restriction, pain, or power imbalance are involved. People should not be reduced to a fetish or fetishized without consent, for example because of ethnicity, disability, being trans, or bodily characteristics. Responsible practice means consciously distinguishing between fantasy, preference, and real-life behavior.