Pandora's Paraphilias Recap : Part 3
Photo courtesy of Tumblr
Paraphilia Of The Day: Transvestism/Autogynephilia
Roots: Transvest (Donning clothing of opposite sex) - Ism (Relates to/classifies the noun) - Auto (Self) - Gyne (Female) - Philia (Friendship/Love)
Definition: Transvestism is defined as the achievement of sexual gratification by physically presenting oneself as another gender, typically through a practice known as cross-dressing. Right off the bat, an important distinction must be made between transvestism, non-sexual cross-dressing, and transgenderism. Transvestism is an innately sexual approach to cross-dressing, which can otherwise be accomplished by public performers or those who do so recreationally; in other words, cross-dressing is not always a sexual act. Transgenderism, which refers to someone who consistently and genuinely identifies with a gender that differs from the one they were assigned at birth, is both not a form of cross-dressing nor a sexual dynamic, instead being an integral factor of one’s identity. When discussing transvestism, conversation turns primarily towards autogynephilia, which specifies a male individual cross-dressing as a woman for sexual purposes. This is because autogynephilia is far more common than its female-to-male counterpart, autoandrophilia, for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, women’s clothing tends to be more readily defined within the female gender identity than mens’ clothing, which has evolved in recent years to be seen as more gender-neutral. Thus, it is more easily accepted that women mix masculine elements into their physical presentations than for men to mix feminine elements into theirs, which removes much of the excitement or allure that autoandrophilia had built up around itself until recent decades. Practitioners of transvestism often choose to dress-up in private, and can engage in such activities with or without a partner. Men who choose to cross-dress with a sexual intent may want to more deeply explore their own feminine characteristics, but may also assign a degree of shame with being caught in women’s clothing. Most likely as a result of internalized misogyny, some men may find it shameful to be accused of being too feminine or presenting as a woman, and find sexual gratification in said humiliation. Whatever the case, though, one should keep in mind that gender is far too diverse a spectrum to be easily quantified within one, singular identity, and any experience the members of our generation can get in exploring said spectrum by no means hurts them or our society.
Paraphilia Of The Day: Agalmatophilia
Roots: Agalmato (Statue/Doll) - Philia (Friendship/Love)
Definition: Agalmatophilia is defined as the sexual attraction to inanimate objects that assume the form of another human being, typically statues, dolls, and/or mannequins. While most may only be familiar with the concept of agalmatophilia from The Umbrella Academy’s featuring of the relationship between Five Hargreeves and his mannequin lover, Dolores, the idea of forming connections with inanimate objects is actually far more common than most people would believe. In past iterations of this series we have covered topics such as objectophilia and mechanophilia (the sexual attraction to innaimate objects and machinery respectively), in which we touched on the notion that humans are capable of developing a romantic attraction to objects coinciding with or independently of their potential sexual attraction to them. Thus, it makes sense that similar connections could be formed in something that presents as human-like. In this idea lies the concept of animism, the belief that some or all inanimate objects possess a soul of their own, thus enabling them to form spiritual connections with tangible, living partners. Whether that’s true or not is irrelevant to those who practice any of the above paraphilias, however, as these people have developed genuine, meaningful connections that benefit them emotionally, an accomplishment regardless of the circumstances. Interestingly enough, agalmatophilic tendencies exist beyond direct engagement with the paraphilia itself, as objects such as sex dolls or body pillows are readily sold across the world. While consumers of such products may not actively engage with agalmatophilia, the capability of humans to form attractions and connections with non-living entities is well-documented, and, most importantly, totally normal.
Paraphilia Of The Day: Kleptophilia
Roots: Klepto (To steal) - Philia (Friendship/Love)
Definition: Kleptophilia is defined as the capability of becoming aroused during, directly following, or when contemplating on an act of theft. Not much is known about kleptophilia aside from the fact that those who engage in the activity are a specific type of kleptomaniac (people who compulsively steal despite having no need for the often worthless items taken from others). However, as with most taboo paraphilias, it is most likely the rush that comes with committing an illegal act that fuels certain individuals’ attraction to theft. One interesting dynamic of kleptophilia is the unclear way in which the condition was originally classified, as there was some initial confusion as to whether it was the act of theft or the objects stolen that served as the sexual focus of the perpetrator. As terminology has evolved, however, the latter has been reclassified as fetishism; if the stolen objects are what are being lusted after, the paraphilia associated with the dynamic would be fetishism surrounding said objects, while kleptophilia refers specifically to the literal act of stealing. While theft is, of course, illegal, many kleptophiliacs have engineered ways in which they can live out their fantasies without breaking any laws, with some making arrangements with a second party to allow them to perform a mock-break-in of said individual’s home, “stealing” objects inside to be returned after their fantasy has been completed.
Paraphilia Of The Day: Teratophilia
Roots: Terato (Monster) - Philia (Friendship/Love)
Definition: Teratophilia is defined as the distinct sexual attraction to entities (both real and otherwise) that could be considered monstrous, deformed, or abnormal. Those who actively engage with the teratophilia community often cite the idea that discovering and exploring attraction to the abnormal enhances one’s ability to be accepting of all people despite their identifiers. If one can grow to accept and love something that is clearly non-human, it becomes easier to accept and love those around us, to find similarities and form connections despite our differences as people. Teratophilic attraction does not revolve simply around monsters, though, as many are also attracted to humans with physical abnormalities such as burns, birthmarks, or scars. This does not mean that these individuals view the disabled as monstrous, but once again affirms the point that anyone is capable of rising above modern beauty precedents and finding connections with those who might not meet unrealistic standards. Reports from practitioners have also surfaced which indicate that some use the idea of monstrous sexual connections as an escape from reality. A few women who dealt with ongoing sexual trauma after being assaulted by men stated they were unable to sexually fantasize or masturbate without conjuring disturbing images of men or even that of their attacker. Thus, imagining a non-human yet masculine monster allowed them to bypass their trauma and re-explore themselves sexually, deepening their connections to themselves. Teratophilic tropes are also highly popular online, and are actively portrayed on sites such as Tumblr, Reddit, and Wattpad. Any and all monsters can and have been featured in these online stories, with the most popular among them being Bigfoot. So, the next time you find yourself idealizing your dream partner, remember that some people out there are far more interested in the bigger, hairier, and fanged objects of human attraction.
Paraphilia Of The Day: Plushophilia/Autoplushophilia
Roots: Plusho (Toy) - Philia (Friendship/Love) - Auto (Self)
Definition: Plushophilia is defined as the sexual attraction to stuffed animals such as plushies, while autoplushophilia refers specifically to finding sexual enjoyment in imagining oneself as a stuffed animal. While many of us grew up surrounded by stuffed toys and playthings, some individuals were never quite able to put their childhood fascinations away, and continue to engage with them in adult settings today. The topic of attraction to inanimate objects and animism has already been discussed within this mini-series, but, to recap, the attraction and sense of connection to non-living entities is perfectly natural, especially when considering the connotations of dressing up as a stuffed animal. Life is filled with hardships, and, while everyone has their own ways of finding enjoyment in it, some turn to escapism, be it sexual or not, as a means to cope with their struggles. Thus, it’s easy to see how our sex lives, which are often far removed from our stressful work lives, can be used as tools both to soothe troubled adults and reconnect us with simpler times. Many engage with the plushophilia community to explore the inner child that resides within all of us, taking a break from life to enjoy a period of human existence characterized by carefreeness and relative ease. Just as our stuffed animals were a comfort to us as children, plushophiliacs have found a way to once again return to their childhoods, reusing the same tools that once propelled them through their early lives to meet their needs as adults. So, while you may have forsaken your childhood playthings to reside forevermore in the backs of closets, hidden away in boxes or attics, consider taking them out again. Perhaps you too can find comfort and clarity in plushies, even if your needs aren’t exactly sexual.