Ch. 9: Variations in Sexual Behavior: Kinks, Fetishes, and Paraphilias

kinks

sexual activities and interests that have a specific focus, which are undertaken by oneself or involve consenting adult human partners, which do not cause distress or dysfunction

fetishism

sexual arousal to parts of the body, specific materials, or inanimate objects

paraphilias

specific sexual fantasy, activity, or interest that becomes a focus of intense sexual fantasy or behavior, which causes distress or dysfunction

slash fiction

fan-written fiction portraying romantic and sexual relationships between two fictional male characters who were portrayed as being heterosexual by their creators

BDSM

being sexually aroused by any combination of bondage, domination, sadism, and/or masochism, involving inflicting or receiving pain, humiliation, or restraint from sexual pleasure

safe word

enables a person to stop if uncomfortable

sadism

inflicting of pain or humiliation for sexual pleasure

masochism

deriving sexual pleasure in receiving humiliation, bondage, or pain

dominatrix

woman who takes the role of sadist

gerontophilia

people who are exclusively attracted to the very elderly

transvestism

heterosexual male aroused by wearing women’s clothing

eproctophilia

being aroused by the sound and/or smell of farts

apotemnophilia

rare condition in which a physically healthy person seeks amputation of a functional limb or other part of the body

asphysiophilia/auto erotic asphyxia (AEA)

sexual pleasure from the sensation of being choked/choking oneself

voyeuristic disorder

sexual excitement gained from watching another person without their consent or knowledge, or from the idea of doing this

exhibitionistic disorder

revealing one’s genitalia to another person, without their permission, in public or in an environment where such behavior is inappropriate, or from the idea of doing this

streaking

person runs naked in a public area where everyone else is clothed

naturalists (nudists)

enjoy being in areas without clothes on

frotteuristic disorder

sexual gratification from rubbing up against someone without their permission, or from the idea of doing this

aversion therapy

pairing the stimulus with a vile-smelling chemical or visual stimulus that is disgusting to the person

cognitive behavioral therapy

helping a person to identify and correct cognitive distortions such as denial or rationalization about harm and to learn triggers and cues that precede offending

marital rape laws

laws that once permitted husbands to rape their wives

sexual addiction

an idea in popular culture that problematic sexual behavior resembles addiction to psychoactive substances

Megan’s law

an informal term for laws that require labeling a perpetrator of a sexual offense as a sex offender in a publicly accessible registry