Episode 316: Why Are People Into That? The Truth About Fetishes

People have the potential to develop fetishes for virtually anything. If you can think of it, somebody probably has a fetish for it! However, fetishes remain among the most misunderstood and stigmatized sexual interests. So in today’s show, we’re going to dive into the world of fetishes and dispel some common misconceptions about them. We’ll also discuss a new way of thinking about fetishes, as well as tips for how to communicate about fetish interests with a partner. My guest is Tina Horn, author of the new book Why Are People Into That?: A Cultural Investigation of Kink. This book is based on her long-running podcast of the same name. Tina is also a comic book writer and host of the Wondery phone sex podcast titled Operator. Some of the topics we cover in this episode include: What is the advantage of thinking about fetishes as “something I have a taste for?” Where do fetishes come from? How important is it to know where fetishes come from? Does their origin really matter? Does having a fetish necessarily involve an exclusive attraction to a specific object? How can people incorporate fetishes into their sex lives in a healthy way? You can visit Tina’s website to learn more about her work. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** Thank you to our sponsors! Passionate about building a career in sexuality? Check out the Sexual Health Alliance. With SHA, you’ll connect with world-class experts and join an engaged community of sexuality professionals from around the world. Visit SexualHealthAlliance.com and start building the sexuality career of your dreams today. *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram. Listen and stream all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Google, or Amazon. Subscribe to automatically receive new episodes and please rate and review the podcast! Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.