Retifism and Fetishism

Xcite Books Awards 2012

2012-01-02T01:21:00.000-08:00

Xcite erotic books and ebooks celebrates and recognises companies, reviewers, bloggers and sexperts who value and support the erotic fiction market. Press release is here

You can still vote by visiting the Xcite Books Awards 2012 website

As seen through a telescope (1900) and The Gay Shoe Clerk (1903)

2011-11-26T20:05:00.003-08:00

These silent shorts are thought to be the first foot fetish films ever made. As seen through a telescope (aka The Professor and His Field Glass) was a British short silent comedy film made in 1900 and directed by George Albert Smith. The story line concerns an elderly gentleman who is watching a young couple through a telescope. When her shoe lace becomes untied he glimpses her ankle as the boy attempts to tie the shoe. Aware they are being watched the young man knocks the old man’s hat off when they eventually pass the street.

The Gay Shoe Clerk (1903) was filmed by Edwin Stanley Porter (The Great Train Robbery ) at Thomas Edison's company in New York on July 23, 1903. The story tells of an amorous young shoe clerk who takes advantage of his customer when her ankle is exposed during trying a pair of high-heeled slippers. Obviously overcome he kisses the flirtatious girl while her chaperon is temporarily distracted reading a paper. Once the chaperon realises what is happeneing she proceeds to beat the clerk with her umbrella before dragging the girl form the store. The simple storyline demonstrates perfectly it is possible to convey characters' amorous intentions by very simple means, without using explicit material. The audience are also left to ponder was this a chance encounter or a clandestine appointment.The early movie is also notable for its early use of matched shot editing, with a close-up of the customer's ankle and a longer establishing shot used in combination with each other.

David Lynch and Christian Louboutin's Fetsh Exhibition 2007

2011-10-01T03:30:00.000-07:00

In 2007, Christian Louboutin collaborated with the film-maker David Lynch on Fetish, an exhibition of his shoes in Lynch's photographs. The subjects are depicted as erotic sculptural objects including ballet pumps made vertical by an impossible heel, or shoes with heels projecting inches beyond the sole.

God save my shoes

2011-09-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

Director: Julie Benasra

The documentary explores the complex and often fascinating world of women and their relationship to their footwear. The originall idea came from for the film’s producer Thierry Daher ( “Just For Kicks” a history of sneakers through hip hop) who thought a psycho-social profile of woemn and their shoes would also be interesting. Thierry invited Julie to direct it and she travelled the world interviewing shoe lovers, designers and experts (but not me ?). On screen interviews include Elizabeth Semmelhak (curator at the Bata Museum), shoe designer, Christian Louboutin, shoe collector, Beth Shak, and burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, among others. Interesting insight into the shoe psychology.

Gaga on dildo heels

2011-05-21T17:03:00.001-07:00

Lady Gaga wore giant heels recently on American Idol. Nothing unusual there perhaps but on closer scrutiny the heels were shaped like phalic batons. The $4,500 leather and Lucite platforms were made by British label, Void of Course. The shoes are part of the label’s Impossibility of Love collection.

Walk a mile in her shoes ®

2011-05-15T00:31:00.001-07:00

Walk a mile in her shoes ® is a United Gender Movement, dedicated to ending sexualized violence. It was started in 2001 by Frank Baird and has grown to become a world-wide movement with tens of thousands of men raising millions of dollars for local rape crisis centres, domestic violence shelters and other sexualized violence education, prevention and remediation programs. In 2007, Frank formed Venture Humanity, Inc, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation which develops peace, violence prevention and community projects. The mission of Walk a mile in her shoes ® is to create a unique and powerful public experience that educates individuals and communities about the causes of sexualized violence, provides them with prevention and remediation strategies and empowers them to further develop and implement the skills and knowledge interpersonally and politically. The organisation helps inform the world of the valuable contributions men are making to stop sexualized violence.

Funky Foot Fetish

2011-04-29T15:48:00.001-07:00

TJ Wade (lead singer and keyboard player) of Foot Patrol has a foot fetish and embraces it fully through the music of his band. The Austin band are about to release, Pussyfootin'.

Foot Patrol - Pussyfooting by pressjunkiepr

Portuguese Shoes - The sexiest industry in europe

2011-04-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

Erotica and pornography: An expose

2011-03-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Erotica is the preferred term used by those who praise sexual manifestations in art. Pornography is a term used by those perpetually disgusted by all things carnal. In the arts of pictorial representation eroticism has a long association with human beings and takes precedence over the ancient genres of the Sacred and the Political. Only subsequent to the advent of photography has pornography become a social issue with many in society regarding obscene imagery as the source of moral and criminal decay. The author attempts to review the history of the nude in art and photography in an attempt to identify the convention we now recognise as pornography. The purpose of the exercise was to try to delineate between these terms, which have become synonymous in recent writings in order to identify a criteria, which defines pornographic imagery. The essay relates to images only. The baseline assumption, which underpins this informed inquiry, was human beings have used the human body to gauge the universe. For the purpose of brevity the author has restricted comparison between erotica and soft porn. For the benefits of the reader soft porn was defined as pin-up-style pictures of semi-naked or naked women and men, close up pictures of female genitalia, oral and genital sex up to including ejaculation (Thompson, 1994, p.2). Depiction of minority sexual practices, such as sodomy, bestiality or paedophilia is termed hard-core porn and does not form part of this discussion.

The Nude in Art
Robson (1995) claimed the term nude become synonymous with female nude because over time the latter has been most common. This may be because most artists were men. Agreed by experts the consistent theme running through the nude in art of all ages is sexuality and for centuries the nude was an inspiration of artistic creativity in Western art. The human body provided the visual embodiment of ideas and views about the most basic human concern, love, whether earthly or sacred. See Table i. A brief history of the nude.

Table i. A brief history of the nude
Greco-Latin
Classic Period The nude to the Ancient Greece depicted deity whereas real people were clothed. Nude figures in both Greek and Roman period were mainly male and embodied human idealism celebrating the strength and beauty of muscularity.

Early Christian Art
1st — 3rd Century AD In the book of Genesis, it stated God created man in His own image and likeness. The Judo-Christian belief the Devine was the source of perfection meant images of humans, made in the image of their maker, were idealised. Early examples depicted acts of procreation in the innocent faith. By the fourth century, a fig leaf mentality prevailed and meant the naked body represented temptation and sin. Many of the early Christian paintings were destroyed or covered up and only a few early erotic images remain.

The Renaissance (14th - 16th Century AD)
The classic ideals of the perfect body were rediscovered during this period. Artists like Vasaclus developed a new movement where the characteristics of the classic were combined with the Christian ideal to present the natural beauty, with guiltlessness and innocence. Botocelli was another artist in the same movement but was also aware of the sinful qualities of the nude and frequently played with perspective to incorporate phallic symbolism into his religious works. Joso d’ Bondeni began to paint nudes imbibed with human characteristics including expressions of emotion and sexuality. When Michelangelo created David he not only reintroduced the male nude but incorporated the classic with ordered proportion. No longer idealised the figure looked outward, challenging the viewer. In his religious paintings Michelangelo began to his own sexuality within the compositions. What Michelangelo did for the male nude Titian did for the female, with Venus of Albino (1538). The subject was inspiration for many painters capturing the reclining nude, eyes engaging the viewer as if they were voyeurs. Her hands covering her genitals in both innocent and suggestive way, with the recline and surrounding furniture as if something has just happened or likely to happen. In short, woman as a Goddess and sexual being. Only when the church allowed dissection did artists like, Leonardo d’ Vinci begin to represent true anatomical nakedness. This coincided with a greater acceptance among artisans that humans were not necessarily sinful and man not God become the image to be depicted in all its glory. During this time economic and the aesthetic were paired in grandiose style.

Baroque to Enlightenment After the Reformation, the Catholic Church supported a new art movement called Baroque which celebrated absolutism and the supremacy of the monarchy. Painters like Reuben’s were commissioned to paint the monarchy ascending to heaven heavily decorated with nude figures. Artists following the Enlightenment movement challenged this and featured the individual, the citizen, as the central feature of art. They politicized the nude, which became a figure of equality before God. Now based on scientific dissection, nudes came to represent vulnerability of the human condition. Early in the nineteenth century a new movement called Neo Classicism, reworked the classical nude into forms of grandising (larger than life). John Augustus Domincan Am (1862) painted nudes, which were in the neoclassic style but deeply sensual (from a men’s perspective). Until the late 19th century women were not allowed to draw nude figures.

Impressionism to Realism Nude studies declined in popularity in the 18th century as depiction of everyday subjects became vogue. A century later the Impressionists resurrected the nude but it was the next movement, called Realism, which portrayed the nude, au natural. Rodan became the champion of the 19th century controversial movement.
No coincidence perhaps this school of art mirrored the Victorian’s preoccupation with the new phenomenon called photography. Art had moved from Venus rising from the waves to Nini rising from her bed. Artists took shocking subjects and made them as beautiful as possible. A constant symbolism was women were essentially diabolic and their tempting charms were a gift of the devil The body of the artist’s model was frequently depicted as tempting Jezebels or "gorgeous exotic flowers with a deadly tarantula lurking at its heart”. Until now nudes had been the prerogative of the aristocracy but developing technologies meant these were freely available to the masses. Celebration of the sexual human body was more apparent at this time, which coincided with the new science of sexology. Perhaps this movement may have been related to existentialism, a philosophy, God was dead. In any event fractionalisation of the human body (fetishism) was apparent. Realist, bohemian and radical, Gustave Courbet took the nude to gynaecological heights when he painted L’ Origine du monde (1866).

The Modern and Post Modern Nude
The Modern movement started with Manet’s Olympia (1863). The reclining nude in classical pose now engaged her viewers both confidently and shamelessly. To good and sometimes controversial effect, Manet incorporated many qualities of the new photographic genre, including Tableaux Vivants (living pictures). The modern nude came to represent issues of contemporary society such as prostitution. After the First World War (1914-18) major changes arose in the nude. During the 20s grotesque females, many prostitutes, featured prominently in nude art works (Bohm-Duchen, 1992). How much this was influenced by the photographic images of the Great War atrocities is not clear but painters, such as Otto Dix and George Grosz, depicted deformed bodies with a potent mix of relish and disgust. This was also mirrored with high society’s preoccupation with S & M. and "dirty pictures". Although the nude continued to be a theme of post modern art, new print technologies diversified the market and appeal for the nude.

The Nudes of Cubism,Fauvism and Pop Art
The impact of photographic techniques continued to influence the styles of nude painting and Picasso and Matisse used multi perspectives in their nude studies This led to Cubism, and Fauvism respectively. The godless view of existential Europe, torn by the Holocaust may explain why nudes post World War II became more abstract with the observer left to interact by completing the image. In the print mode fantasy became a popular genre incorporating sado-masochism, staged to promote viewer reaction. Whether this popular phenomenon was in the spirit of zeitgeist, a cognitive reaction to the stresses caused by global conflict remains unknown. From the 50s onwards the male nude became more apparent within the genre and women painters added considerably to female nude studies. By the 60s the influence of mass media became an inspiration for a new movement called

Pop Art.
Tom Wesselman and Alan Jones both depicted stereotype women existing solely for the sexual gratification of men. The same direction was also obvious in the growing market for soft porn.

Erotica
Art has been defined as representation of symbolic behaviour, with no obvious utilitarian purpose and cannot be understood without reference to the cultural context within which it takes place. Pictorial images require a structured convention, which provide the means to discriminate between pornography and erotica. According to Bishop & Osthelder (2001) human coital positions have been depicted for thousands of years with the earliest dating between 3200BC and 300 BC. Cave drawings; in France (circa 4000BC) clearly show a crouching woman with a man approaching her from behind. In these wall depictions men are clearly shown with their penis visible. The cultures of India, China and Japan featured erotic images as part of their art. Chinese figures depicting erotic positions date from 1st Ð3rd centuries. Later Chinese brides in The Han Dynasty had their dowries paid in Spring Coins. These had pressed on one-side words of good omen and on the other, copulating deity. Erotic sculptures were found in Hindu temples, (circa. 9th and 13th centuries AD in the North; and 6th to 16th centuries AD in the South). African and South American cultures of antiquity also have examples of erotica with clear evidence found in both Greek and Roman artefacts. The celebration of human union by this means arose not in the full knowledge of sex for procreation, but instead as human pleasure to be enjoyed for its own sake.

The Medium
Until the nineteenth century the medium of paint was unsurpassed. Without limit in colour and style even the most sensuous qualities of the human body had been portrayed in any hue or shadow. Rich patrons commissioned erotic paintings and many well-known painters’ works were held in private collections. New printing technology meant crude depiction from woodcuts was dramatically improved with the invention of metal plate engraving. Lithography, then chalcography became very popular because the new medium supported dozens of bright colours providing unseen ornate designs. Chromolithography followed and overprinting with silver and gold inks widened the range of colour and design. These were expensive and erotic prints retained the patronage of the wealthy but as production costs dropped chromolithography prints became more affordable. By the 1880s, the process was widely used for magazines and advertising. A contemporary development however involved photographic processes, which would eventually become the most compelling medium of the modern age.

Photography
From the beginning of the 20th century, the production of nude photographs became a veritable industry and was matched by erotic literature. Nude photography developed early with Frenchman, Lerebours considered the first in 1840. Techniques of the time meant live subjects needed to be able to hold a pose for up to ten minutes. Hence professional models were used for pragmatic reasons as well as aesthetic. Many of these conventions still remain in today’s pornography images, albeit developments in cinematography and now digital enhancement, allow greater latitude. The introduction of photography metamorphosed nude studies with greater emphasis on fantasy. This was encouraged by inventions such as the Verascope, which allowed people to view and take two photographs, simultaneously. Catalogues of stereoscopic images were common and the stereoscopic nude broke new barriers. Improved camera equipment was less constraining on the photographer and they moved out of the confines of their studio to more exotic settings. At a time when the body became a cult among the west, the illusion of reality, i.e. Tableaux Vivants (living pictures) satisfied the demands of the increasingly fashionable trend for voyeurism and fantasy. Nudes started to appear on postcards from 1896 onwards. Sexploitation of children took place and according to Thompson (1994, p.27) as many as 30% of pornographic catalogues contained "green fruit" i.e. pre pubescent children. Presence of sexually transmitted diseases meant virgins were not likely to carry infection and hence the attraction to younger children. This by itself would not confirm existence of paedophilia, as we understand it today.

Pornography
According to Bishop & Osthelder (2001, p. 330) the word pornography entered the English language during the nineteenth century. It was made up from the Greek porne, meaning street prostitute; and graphos writing. The word was used to describe the salacious literature and postcards, which were avidly consumed by a growing Victorian middle class. Subsequently the term came to mean many things but mostly pictures and printed material, which were sexually explicit and referred to, or visually, depicted male and female (genital) anatomy cited Itzin (1992) referring to Dworking & MacKinnon (1988). All sexual behaviour implied took place out with the social context of love and marriage. For some, anything, which caused anxiety by stirring sex, was considered pornographic (Faust 1980, p.10). Pornography became a metaphor for genital sexuality, whether the actual sexual acts were depicted, simulated or displaced. In the ensuing years interpretation of an aesthetic genre that presents a variety of sexual material by emphasising content at the expense of all other considerations, has been the cause of many legal debates, which required specific interpretations not always clear to the lay public. Whilst Check (1992, p.350) described sexually explicit material into three groups. These were sexually violent pornography; non-violent dehumanizing pornography; and erotica. The absence of precise definitions has meant the community remains divided on sexual values and attitudes; this has not stopped speculative extrapolation on the functions and effects of pornography. In the UK it took until the Obscene Publications Act 1959 (UK) for parliamentarians to finally established the existence of "pornography" which was obscene, and "art" which was not. Pornography had no artistic merit; art on the other hand, as a collective, was in the public good. Needless to say a major stumbling block arose in UK legislation when nude pictures were sold as art studies. The Act did not clearly say and juries became very confused. Despite Amendments in 1964, no clear mandate was established. (Thompson 1994, p.21-22).

Pornography was divided between soft core, i.e. legal, girlie magazines where the penis remained limp and nothing entered an orifice; and hardcore, illegal material which depicted sexual arousal with lewd and lascivious display of the genitals. Hard core pornography frequently depicted sadistic forms of rape (Bergen, 1996; Finkelhor & Yllo, 1985).

Anti pornographic debates were dominated by two main viewpoints. Moral conservatives, who found sex distasteful and civil libertarians who were unwilling to accept some forms of pornography may cause psychological damage and give rise to wider social problems, (Flood & Hamilton, 2003). The main arguments again pornography are discussed in Table ii.

Table ii. The main arguments against pornography

The Feminist Argument According to Curtis (1997) the feminist community remain divided on the matter of pornography. Libertarian feminists distinguish erotica as themes of healthy consensual sexuality, and pornography as material that combines the "graphic sexually explicit" with depictions which are "actively subordinating, treating unequally, as less than human, on the basis of sex. Protectionist feminists, such as Andrea Working, do not to make such a distinction and view virtually all sexually orientated material as exploitative and pornographic. Working, argued unopposed pornography was an incitement to institutional violence against women. Under this circumstance "pornography was the theory, (and) rape the practice."

Gay Debate Vehement opposition to the anti-pornography ordinance has more recently come from the gay community. This is because standard gay literature, in the wake of sexual repression in the media, now contravenes censorship laws originally supported to curtail pornography.

The Moral Crusaders Christians considered ‘original sin’, or sex out of marriage, was an affront to the family forms the basis for the crusade against pornography. This combined with the "sin of sight" or scopophilia (aka voyeurism) meant seeing sinful activities carried the same condemnation as participating in them.

"anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart." (Matthew 5: 27-28)

All Christians, no matter how devout, have a duty to alert the faithless to the dangers of their lifestyles. (The Book of Ezekiel). The Ezekiel Factor links private morality and the collective public good where salvation cannot be a private concern and needs to be a public collective. This, according to Thompson (1994) appears to be the reason why crusades have lasted so long despite situational factors or justification. In his assessment the author believes 20th century campaigns revolved around sophisticated theologies about God’s design for sex. (Thompson, 1994, p 31). These applied theories were often tautological in nature with no actual independent corroboration to support them. Thompson hypothesised Christians believed human sexuality was made by God and was good only when used according to God’s design.

"Increase and multiply and fill the earth".

Provided sex was used within the context of marriage it was something sacred. By emphasising the physical pleasure of sex, pornography, like all other instrumental desires which do not conform to God’s design, promoted lust.

Pornographic material degraded and dehumanised the state of grace of the human figure made in the image of God. By this logic all non-marital sex was a crime against God and therefore pornography promoted ‘sex crimes.’ In Christian ethos sex crimes became a metaphor for immorality; sexploitation a metaphor for lust; and avoiding offending femininity, a metaphor for spirituality. (Thompson, 1994, p. 33). Faced with the prospect of decriminalisation of pornography in the late fifties, campaigners promoted the mistaken idea perverts were turning their attentions to child pornography. Despite their being no independent evidence to support these claims (Thompson, 1994, p. 26), the call gained credibility.

The idea soft core led on to hard core with more sexual deviations being committed as a result was promulgated, again with no independent justification other than fertile imagination. The chain of these events in the minds of moral campaigners led to more violence, murder and child pornography. (Thompson 1994, p, 30).

Christian groups were arguably attempting to apply Biblical standards to contemporary society, while individually they were merely promoting values and beliefs that had been taught to them.

The Communist Manifesto
Lenin was against "free love" and considered it the decadent behaviour of the petty bourgeois or anarchistic. Stalinism and Maoism aimed at liquidation social and cultural diversity and banned pornography in Russia and China respectively.

The convention of pornography
According to Faust (1980, p.19) the authenticity of the sex on view is guaranteed by pornographic conventions. Although these vary from one medium to another, many were governed by early photographic techniques. It is these very criteria, which render it, artless and banal. Pornographic sex is usually unreal but not unrealisable. Since early stag films, pornography has concentrated on intrusive angles and close up shots, revealing more of the genitals than the participants themselves would be able to see. The protagonists have neither personalities, nor private history, and serve only as smooth functioning sexual bodies. Pornographic episodes are usually anonymous with the aim to record rather than understand or interpret human relationships. Events take place in a staged environment convenient and appropriate to the action. There is always a suspension of reality similar to Hollywood movies. Characters play out stereotypical roles, where both female and male are willing partners in lustful endeavours. These conventions are similar in both heterosexual and homosexual pornography. The erect penis is rarely shown in full penetration. To give a degree of realism ejaculation is usually shown over a person (e.g. the money or cum shot). In both flagellation and bondage pornography material fetishes and fetishist activity overshadow the genitals and genital activity. Stimulated sex organs are absent and concentration is given instead to the accessories such as gags, harnesses, chains and exaggerated contortions of the limbs. Women appear victims or initiator of bondage with breasts and buttocks often emphasised.

Censorship
The first recorded attempt to outlaw publications about sex was in 1580, when the UK Obscenity Bill sought to outlaw licentious 'posies, books, pamphlets, ditties, songs, and other works'. Later during the Reformation publications were controlled by the Stationer’s Company, which licensed printing presses. During the 18th century most licentious literature was non-English, expensive and restricted to high society. Between 1728 and 1757 there was a clamp down on sexual books and Societies for the Reformation of Manners mainly by outraged Christian groups. The devout took exception to contemporary medical opinion of the day, which promoted healthy sexual exercise, and in at least one reported case where a physician advocated the use of lascivious prints to arouse the passions. Toward the end of the eighteenth century several new forms of sex literature appeared and William Wilberforce formed the Proclamation Society with the aim to suppress all loose and licentious prints, books, and publications, dispersing poison to the minds of the young and unwary, and to punish the publishers and vendors. Later this became the Society for the Suppression of Vice in 1789. By 1802 it was known as the Vice Society and was very active in its moral crusade against printers, distributors, writers and artists behind the cheep broadsheets, ballads, literature and prints. These were more readily available because of new technologies and falling prices. The Vice Society was convinced erotica incited and encouraged indecent practice but the courts did not always agree. Towards the end of the nineteenth century influential Christian groups convinced themselves sexual impurity rather than greed was the major sin of the age. Systematically moral crusades were orchestrated against obscenity and took on national and international political dimension. Coincidently this came at a time when being excessively successful in business became part of the Christian ethic. Photography and printing technologies were improving and also corresponded to the height of xenophobia as witnessed by the influx of sexually explicit books from overseas. The Victorians idea of censorship arose from the habit of housing excavated erotica in sealed rooms. These were available for inspection men of high moral fibre. As Bishop & Osthelder (2001, p.330) noted, this equated to gentlemen of wealth, education and influence who were considered incorruptible. The weak and fragile i.e. the working classes, were in danger of being depraved by scenes or descriptions of sexual content. The erotic was something the culture would savour whereas pornography was something the vulgar would abuse. There is no legislation against pornography; instead there is legislation against obscenity and indecency (Itzin, 1992, p. 402).

Obscenity
The 1824 Vagrancy Act outlawed obscene displays and bookshop selling obscene materials. The 1857 Obscene Publications Bill eventually codified a definition of obscenity in law.

"something offensive to modesty or decency or expressing or suggesting unchaste or lustful ideas or being impure, indecent or lewd."

Despite assurances the law would only apply "exclusively to works written for the single purpose of corruption of youth, and of 'a nature calculated to shock the common feelings of decency in a well regulated mind.' The Vice Society used it to prosecute anything they did not like. (Thompson 1994, p.14). Further they promulgated the myth licentious literature encouraged aristocrats to seduce working class women, who were then forced into prostitution. According to Thompson (1994, p.15) the seduction myth reflected a bizarre theological marriage between the Protestant evangelical’s fear of sexual arousal and the Anglo Catholics’ sensibilities regarding Madonna, which turned Eve from the Genesis temptress into a helpless victim of debauched male lust. The activities of the Vice Society had without doubt detrimental effects upon the public's perceptions of women's sexuality. One major downside to the Acts of 1824 and 1857 was the lack of birth control and sex education. Thompson argued instead of the saving souls, the prohibition of pornography had added further challenges to woman of the time.

The combined activities of the crusaders left the legacy called 'Victorianism', the facade of moral consensus behind which many people hid their real proclivities and habits, but which many felt compelled to adopt for fear of public shame. Despite the label this phase in British history existed only between 1920 and the mid 1950s. This represents the time where previous moral crusading had had the desired effect and skewed attitudes to sex, obscenity and morality became the norm. This also corresponded to the time where the state took over responsibility for obscenity prosecutions (Thompson 1994, p17). Sex was harnessed for the benefit of race and nation rather than pleasure, and the masses would have to do what the law permitted. Women, teenagers, and members of the working classes were not supposed to think about sex as leisure. Absence of sex education meant women were stigmatised and single mothers cruelly punished. Immoral women who dared to enjoy sex, even within the confines of marriage, were branded nymphomaniacs (a designated mental disease) (Thompson, 1994 p 20). Prostitution was criminalized in many countries.

Effects of pornography
Concerns, minors may be shocked and disturbed at the site of depictions of sexual behaviour are overtaken with the collective fear children may become more accepting of non-mainstream sexual behaviour by being exposed to pornography. There was little direct research evidence to support the effects of exposure to pornography on children’s attitudes, values and behaviours (Flood & Hamilton, 2003). This is in part due to the ethical difficulties associated with research on exposure to explicit sexual material among individuals below adult age. However research methods and results in any age group differ so much that it is impossible to say with confidence the effects of pornography (Thompson 1994, p. 116). Poorly presented studies have often led to misrepresentation of findings and improper extrapolation, evidenced in support many anti-porn debates. (Thompson 1994, p. 121). In vitro and in vivo problems exist and friendly journals ignore honest reporting in preference to biased interpretation. Repetition of research methodologies are rare and when available reveal contradictory data. Small samples often hinder objectivity and there are more reviews of previous reported works than actual new research into related topics. The US States Commission on Obscenity and Pornography reported in by Thompson (1994) concluded that explicit materials did not contribute to crime or delinquency. It claimed the effects were trivial and transitory: people who viewed pornography were more willing to discuss sex, couples had intercourse more often, and although individuals masturbated more, tough minded attitudes to women were softened. Most of these effects wore off quickly. In the author’s review of the effects of exposure to pornography he reported studies comparing heavy viewers and desensitisation to violence remained ambiguous. Exposure to soft porn did not cause abnormal behaviour but instead was shown to decrease aggression. There was no evidence to support sex offenders universally utilize soft porn in preparation and commission of their crimes. Co relational studies did not demonstrate a relationship between soft core pornography consumption and rape rates. Rate myths were seldom, if ever associated with soft porn. Thompson was of the opinion from available the research that it was unlikely soft or hard porn triggered violent crimes. (Thompson, 1994 p. 151)

Discussion
From the literature reviewed, it appears there has been a long fascination with the nude. From early cave drawings to today's computer enhanced graphics the body beautiful remains supreme. Throughout the history of Western Art, the nude has been used to represent all that is glorious as well as those traits that make humans vulnerable, spiritually as well as physically. Until the nineteenth century, paint was unsurpassed as a medium to depict the sensuous qualities of the human body. All that changed with the invention of photography and availability with cheap printing. The nude, no longer the prerogative of those in society who could commission works, became the focus for moral crusades as the introduction of pornography was viewed as criminal decay. Censorship has been around for centuries and suppression of libertine ideas was not restricted to print materials. Through obscenity laws came working definitions of pornography but these has proven as complex as to require legal interpretation. Subsequent campaigns to alienate pornographic material by aligning it to lewd and depraved behaviour have little foundation among the scientific community. In summary pornography, as we understand it today, represents the practice of sex discrimination, which sexualizes the subordination of women and which erotices dominance and submission of women. Erotica, on the other hand, has been defined as sexually explicit materials premised on equality. Many of the conventions, which help define pornographic images, such as: participants have no personality; there is no previous social history to the scene; the figures present as smooth functioning bodies; no attempt is made to interpret human relationships; episodes take place in an artificial environment; characters play stereotypical roles; and women appear victims or imitators of sexual behave, can also be found in everyday works of art. This begs the question whilst it would be uncivilised to censor artistic expression, if these images devalue fellow human beings, then how morally defensible has the nude become in today's society.

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Flood, M. & Hamilton, C. (2003). Youth and pornography in Australia: Evidence on the extent of exposure and likely effects Australian Institute Discussion Paper Number 52 February. Retrieved 14th Itzin, C. (1992). A legal definition of pornography In C. Itizin (Ed.), Pornography: Woman, violence and civil liberties (pp. 435-455). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Marshall, W. (1988). Use of sexuality explicit stimuli by rapists, chil molesters and non-offenders Journal of Sex Research 267.
Neret, G. (2001). Erotica: 19th Century Koln: Taschen.
Thompson, B. (1994). Soft core: Moral crusades against pornography in Britain and America London: Cassell. 116-151.

Foot fetishist faces time

2011-03-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

Michael Fells, 28, is possibly the first known serial foot molester. He convinced women that he was taking some massage and reflexology courses and needed subjects to practice on. Fells would then tell these women, who ranged from 30 to 50-years-old, that he needed to put a blanket over them as part of the process. Despite the blanket and foot calluses, many were able to recognize that Fells was incorporating his penis as a massage tool. However, most of his victims didn’t come forward until after he was arrested. He never threatened them or used violence, and many thought the crime too absurd or embarrassing to report. Fells eventually called the police to save himself from two of his accusers’ boyfriends. Police found him cowering under a porch. If convicted, this will be the second time Fells serves time for molesting women’s feet.

Flamenco Dance

2011-03-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

Pleasure Bound: Victorian Sex Rebels and the New Eroticism

2011-02-26T04:17:00.001-08:00

"Pleasure Bound: Victorian Sex Rebels and the New Eroticism ," by Deborah Lutz
Fab new book all about the seedier side of 19th century London. Prostitution was legal during the Victorian period and many of the main cities were full of brothels of all different kinds. Straight and gay sex with S&M was all catered for. According to Lutz, 50 percent of the pornography of the time was flagellation pornography. The author explores the reasons why masochistic eroticism was so prevalent. Many of the heroes of the time such as explorer Richard Burton, Pre-Raphaelite painters Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Simeon Solomon, poet Christina Rossetti and poet Algernon Charles Swinburne were breaking taboos and challenging sexual mores both through their work and, sometimes, their personal exploits. For example Swinburne was a confirmed atheist and felt very angry about restraining of sexual expression by Christianity. In one poem, he compared the Virgin Mary to a kind of sadistic sexual dominatrix. The painter Rossetti was raised in a high church household but became a rebel and bohemian. His Christian belief began to bleed into eroticism and linked spirituality to sexuality. He believed there were ways to celebrate the sensual joys of the earth in a spiritual way. As a young painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti painted half naked beautiful women, but as he got older his paintings became more masculinized. The author attempts to explain why the Victorians were so preoccupied with kinky sex and reasons middle class artisans befriended prostitutes. A must read book.

Sex Day USA 3/03/11

2011-02-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

Sex Day USA

Subo Attacked By Man With Foot Fetish!

2011-02-19T05:21:00.000-08:00

Subo Attacked By Man With Foot Fetish!

Grey Ant x Teva Stiletto: The heel with appeal?

2011-02-04T02:42:00.000-08:00

Grey Ant in collaboration with Teva have just announced a new spike based sandal . The Grey Ant x Teva Stiletto is a marriage of a Teva sandal with a stiletto heel. Selling for approx $330 (US).

Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encylopaedia : Great resource

2010-12-20T02:57:00.001-08:00

Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encyclopedia. by Margo DeMello is a fascinating read and must for all interested in feet and shoes. It is an exhaustive A-Z cultural encyclopedia covering all aspects of the human foot. A wide range of international and multicul- tural topics are covered, including foot binding, fetishes, diseases of the foot, customs and beliefs related to the foot, shoe construction, myths and folktales featuring feet or shoes, the history of footwear, iconic brands and types of shoes, important celebrities associated with shoes, and the types of footwear worn around the world.

Dr Margo DEMello is an anthropologist/sociologist who teaches at Central New Mexico Community College has also written Bodies of Inscription: A Cultural History of the Modern Tattoo Community.

Shoe polish

2010-11-27T14:55:00.001-08:00

By the nineteenth century, leather shoes and boots became more affordable to the masses. To ensure the leather looked its best shoe polish became an essential accessory. The world’s best known shoe polish (Kiwi) was first made in Melbourne Australia in 1906. The polish was developed by William Ramsay (Scotsman) who named it Kiwi after the flightless bird endemic to New Zealand, the home country of his wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay. Initially it was sold to local farmers but eventually caught on in the towns and cities. Shoe polish gave both a shoe shine as well as preserving shoe leather. Later in 1908 the product incorporated agents that added suppleness and water resistance to the leather. The market was fiercely competitive with many rival brands most used fictional figures or historical characters to advertise their products. Cobra Boot Polish was made in Sydney and advertised in The Sydney Bulletin (1909 -1920). The cartoon character used was "Chunder Loo of Akim Foo." (Chunder Loo was rhyming slang for and spew or sick). Drawn by Norman Lindsay (later by hs brother Lionel Lindsay) the adverts usually had a short poem which dealt with topical issues. As a result the adverts were very popular ensuring the Australianism, “chunder” became common use. Much later the term became forever associated with Barry Humphries’ Australian abroad, character, Barry McKenzie.

At the outbreak of World War I (1914) a gigantic demand for army boots followed and these needed to be polished easily, quickly, and efficiently. Sales in boot polish rocketed and very quickly Kiwi shoe polish became the Commonwealth troops’ favorite. A second sales peak arose with the Second World War and it was even noted by a US war correspondent at the siege of Tobruk (1941), trenches in were filled with old tins of Kiwi polish and empty bottles of Chianti. Even after hostilities the benefits of well polished boots swung advantage in the minds of Japanese women who during the Allied occupation of the country preferred boys with a shine on their boots. Despite their designer uniforms US rank and file were not dab hands with the shoe brush but once they realized there was a superior Australian boot polish, the commodity became a prize black market item. US soldiers returning from the war continued to use the product, leading to a further surge in its popularity. Kiwi shoe polish stayed Australian based for nearly 70 years.

Good read: Dead like you

2010-10-29T02:57:00.001-07:00

Dead like you by Peter James

Amazon.co.uk Review

Peter James is taking over the world -- or at least the crime fiction part of it. Dead Like You, the latest instalment in his increasingly popular series featuring Brighton detective Roy Grace, has sold even more spectacularly than its predecessors, keeping crime heavyweights James Patterson and John Grisham from the number one slot in the UK bestseller lists. And after lengthy delays, the long-awaited television series is to be made -- a series that will no doubt make Grace's stamping ground of Brighton as familiar as Inspector Morse's Oxford. So what is the secret of the James/Grace success? It's simple: over many years and many books, James has refined his storytelling skills to the nth degree and has the full measure of the classic police procedural narrative. In the new book, Brighton's Metropole Hotel is the scene of an unpleasant incident: a woman is savagely raped when she enters a room. Some days later, another woman is similarly assaulted -- both have their shoes stolen by the offender. Assigned to the case, Detective Superintendent Grace becomes aware that these two incidents have disturbing echoes of a sequence of crimes that shook Brighton in 1997. The rapist (who had been described as ‘Shoe Man’) claimed five victims, the last of which he had murdered before disappearing. Grace is faced with two unpleasant possibilities; that the original Shoe Man who cheated justice 10 years ago has returned to wreak havoc again, or -- equally disturbingly -- there is a copycat at work.

The growing army of admirers for James’ Grace books will be well aware of the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the detective’s wife, Sandy -- a disappearance that James has allowed to remain enigmatic. The narrative of Dead Like You plays on that intriguing plot strand, as Grace is obliged to travel back mentally to a time when he was happily married in order to discover how he can defeat a monster in the present. This is one of Peter James’s longest books, weighing in at nearly 600 pages, but aficionados will find that it is not a page too long. --Barry Forshaw

Miniature Shoes

2010-10-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

Giving miniature shoes is an age old custom. In antiquity funereal jars were made in the shape of boots and were kept as keep-sakes in memory of the dearly departed.

By the late 18th century in England, Prince Frederick Augustus (Duke of York) got engaged to Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherina (1767-1820). The lady had dainty feet which captivated the Prince who wanted her to have special bridal shoes. The royal shoe maker was consulted and six new pairs of tiny shoes were promptly made. At the time newspapers were unable to comment upon the beauty of the royal person so instead heaped praised upon the charm of her "neatness" and petite shoes. Frederica was no raving beauty and had rotting teeth by all accounts. However as a result of the media interest copies of her purple leather shoes (13.97 centimetres long), sold in their hundreds and miniature replicas became a must to have. Miniature shoes were made of silver and porcelain and many were used as pin cushions. The popularity of all things oriental saw miniature porcelain lotus shoes as keep sake in many European houses. The gift of a miniature shoe would generally well meaning and the sign of real friendship.

After George du Maurier (1834 – 1896) published the novel Trilby (1894 ) it had enormous success. The story involved an Irish girl who goes to Paris during the Belle Époque. There she falls under the control of Svengali (evil hypnotist). One of Trilby’s eccentricities was to flash her bare feet in public. At the time this was considered as rude as baring bear bosoms or flashing a bare bottom. The popularity of Trilby (novel and play) became international and caused public riots whereever the play was performed (because of the barefoot flashing). This caused the fashion for foot and shoe shaped objects such as snuff containers and hip flasks to become a gentleman’s must have accessory. By this time the miniature shoes had taken on a more risqué meaning. Miniature tight laced ladies boots or even a full leg were also popular. Foot shaped sausages and ice creams became a real novelty which attracted much attention among those familiar with the book and play. It is reasonable to assume the same population were familiar with Freud’s Castration Theory.

The tradition of giving a shoe to mark the completion of a business deal dates to Biblical times and supplies the origin to the custom of the bride’s father passing a shoe of his daughter to the groom. This marks the exchange of fiscal responsibility. In the past brides were considered property. Today the custom is still followed more usually in the form of a miniature shoe . As gifts these are good luck charms.

Finally there is a superstition to not give shoes to friends at Christmas time. The belief is the friend would walk away from you. The origins are unknown but in less enlightened times it was understood whatever station you were born into was your destiny and helping people rise above this was not the right thing to do. The belief may have come from the wealthy classes who lived in abject fear of being overtaken by the lower classes.

For the best dressed feet: foot undeez®

2010-09-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

In Australia thongs are sandals which might be known as flip flops elsewhere or jandals in New Zealand. Just to complicate matters the minimalist foot boards with the tantalising toe loops (thongs) are frequently referred to as the “G string of the foot.” Elsewhere ‘thongs describe G string underwear, confused , you may well be and all the more so when I tell you can now buy underwear for your feet. Capezio have produced foot undeez® or sexy footwear designed to support the feet. The novelty foot lingerie is available with Rhinestone accents as well as a wide variety of styles and provides added comfort with padding for the balls of your feet. Well it would , would it not?

The range is for men and women.

Miss Kilmansegg and Her Precious Leg

2010-08-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

Thomas Hood (1799 – 1845) was a Scottish humorist and poet. Although born in London he lived and worked in Dundee for many years contributing humorous and poetical articles to the provincial newspapers and magazines. As an engraver he illustrated many of his own humours and fancies with quaint devices. After he became a sub-editor (of sorts) at the London Magazine he mixed with the literary society of the time. Best known as a humorist, his serious poetry was almost entirely ignored. He had a keen sense of humour and edited the lightly satirical Comic Annual, (dating from 1830) for many years. Hood was master of the pun and sensitive to the social deprevation which surrounded him. He put this talent to good use with the poem "Song of the Shirt." (1843). The lament told of a poor London seamstress who sold shirts belonging to her employer to feed her child. It became a popular song and was later dramatised by Mark Lemon (founding editor of Punch and the Field ) as The Sempstress. Hood’s poem was inspiration to many social activists in defense of laboring women, living in abject poverty despite their constant industriousness. Hood also wrote humorously on other contemporary issues including grave robbing and selling of corpses to anatomists.

Don’t go to weep upon my grave,

And think that there I be.

They haven’t left an atom there

Of my anatomie

Recently another poem by Thomas Hood, "Miss Kilmansegg and Her Precious Leg" (first published in 1840 in the 'New Monthly Magazine'), was dramatized for the BBC by Martin Wade. The famous poem is a timeless satire about the corrupting power of money. Miss Kilmansegg is the daughter of a rich banker and when she loses a leg after an accident, she insists in having a prosthesis made of gold. Now the talk of the town the amputee becomes pray to a scheming, ruthless cad who marries her and squanders her fortune. However once the money goes the bounder does something dastardly with the unfortunate girls golden leg.

Online "Foot Fetish" Shoe Auction

2010-06-26T04:52:00.000-07:00

Barefoot Wine has asked some of the top US drag performers to donate their most glamorous, dazzling and coveted shoes for an online auction . Those going barefoot for the cause are: Jackie Beat, Hedda Lettuce, Sherry Vine, Mimi Imfurst, Sweetie, Miss Understood, Gusty Winds, Pandora Boxx, Edie, Dallas Dubois, Britney Houston, Shequida, Linda Simpson, Sister Myotis, Logan Slaughter, Donna Sachet and Epiphany. The autographed shoes are listed on eBay's Giving Works. The charity auction began at 8:00 PM EDT on Wednesday, June 23 and end on Saturday, July 3 at 8:00 PM EDT.

View the collection and bids at the Barefoot Wine "Foot Fetish" Shoe Auction. The proceeds of the Barefoot Wine "Foot Fetish" Shoe Auction. benefit the Heritage of Pride. The Heritage of Pride was founded in 1984and organizes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Pride events in New York City to commemorate and celebrate the Stonewall riots.
For additional information, visit nyc pride.

Coolest gadget:High Heeled Speakers

2010-06-16T02:54:00.000-07:00

Cool or what? High Heeled Speakers

Four Inches - the nearest I've got

2010-04-28T22:42:00.001-07:00

Blast just tried to buy a copy of Four Inches by Tamara Mellon on Amizon but they will not ship it to Australia for some reason. Drat! The book contains a collection of naked photographs of supermodels and celebs wearing only their Jimmy Coo high heels and Cartier diamonds . At the book launch several years ago Jimmy Choo was the host and auctioned the original plates to raise money for Sir Elton John's AIDS foundation. A pair of Ellen von Unwerth's shots of Elle Macpherson raised $76,000, while the Kate Moss photo by Sam Taylor Wood went for $57,000. While neither model could make the party, their fellow posers Rebecca Romijn, Rachel Hunter and Minnie Driver were there to chase up the bids. Sadly Paris Hilton had no luck – her picture failed to sell despite her promise to kiss the winning bidder. Mellon had the idea for the book because she loves coffee table books and wanted one of her own. Pity she could not get me one too.

Foot Massage (from Pulp Fiction)

2010-04-11T22:00:00.001-07:00

Pierre Molinier

2010-04-11T21:57:00.001-07:00

"Here lies
Pierre MOLINIER

Born on 13 April 1900 died around 1950

He was a man without morals

He was proud of it and gloried in it

No need to pray for him."

Pierre Molinier was a French artist born in Agen in 1900 the son of a house painter and decorator. At the age of 13, he began working as an apprentice painter to his father and took evening courses in drawing. He was deeply in love with his younger sister and profoundly affected by her premature death. Aged 18 he took photographs of his dead sister and as an artist wrestled with erotic phantasm and androgynous identity, which became recurring themes throughout his life and work. He started exhibiting his works of figurative or fauve landscapes and portraits in 1927. Circa 1936 the artist experimented with abstract but by the end of the Second World War turned towards esoterism and then fetishistic eroticism. His preoccupation with androgyny took the unusual form of himself adorned in female clothing as he identified himself with his elder sister, his daughter and a few other emblematic women. Molinier worked with green and reddish tones ("glacis" made of pigments symbolically mixed with his own sperm) in his painstaking technical and ideological compositions giving a unique and rare visual experience. In 1956 and now very much in the surrealist school André Breton organised a Paris exhibition of Molinier’s works. The artist’s preoccupation with sexual matters and blasphemy shocked the art world. By now the Bordeaux based artist had switched to photography he used self-made props (dolls, prosthetic limbs, high heels, black-net stockings, masks, and dildos etc.) to build a fantasy world. His photographs and photomontages were often portraits of himself as a woman. By cutting and reassembling body elements, he invented new fantastic creatures and gave them movement, although he had very primitive photographic equipment (bellows camera, wooden frames, no enlarger, home kitchen as a darkroom). He was essentially a leg fetishist but considered himself as a shaman, facetious and provocative, anti-bourgeois and anti-religious. His bazaar but fascinating photographs were an inspiration for many other European and North American body artists (Art corporal) in the early 70s. Pierre Molinier committed suicide aged 76.

Apotemnophilia and body dysmorphic disorder

2010-04-01T04:27:00.000-07:00

Apotemnophilia is a rare psychotic disorder in which the person has a compulsion to have an amputation of one limb or part there off. It was first described in 1977 and relates not to a sadistic nor masochistic intention, but instead to the idea of self-fulfilment brought about by being an amputee. The compulsion is similar to the angst suffered by transgender people who may be relieved only when transgender relocation is complete by surgical intervention.

Apotemnophilia can be distinguished from "acrotomophilia" which is a sexual attraction to amputees. Acrotomophilia is a paraphilia of the stigmatic/eligibilic type in which sexuerotic arousal and facilitation or attainment of orgasm is dependent only upon being with an amputee (humps in stumps), or an attraction to the idea of being an amputee (a wannabe). Apotemnophilia is not a sexual disorder but a major fixation on carrying out a self-contrived amputation, or obtaining one in a hospital. The cause of both conditions remains a mystery and although treatment involving counselling and pharmaceutical management is prescribed it frequently fails to relieve severe anxiety associated with apotemnophilia.

The condition often goes undiagnosed and more importantly untreated. Frustration and desperation drives many to self amputation with tragic consequences. Orthopaedic surgeons have on rare occasions amputated healthy limbs at the request of their patients. This procedure is not without controversy and will only be considered when all other forms of treatment have been exhausted.

As with gender relocation surgery protocols are strict and patients screened very carefully. Opposition to this type of cosmetic surgery is fierce and centres where these procedures are undertaken are few and far between in the world. Experts believe a recent increase of apotemnophilia may be due to the internet and networks of would-be self-amputators sharing their experience.

Body dysmorphic disorder is more common than apotemnophilia and this describes a condition where people are convinced they have a defect in their appearance. Believing they have a misshapen, smelly, or otherwise defective body part they will submit themself to all manner of cosmetic surgical procedures including going to the orthopaedic surgeon or surgical podiatrist to have a toe amputated (or part thereof). Others may suffer Munchhausen syndrome, a condition where people deliberately fain illness or induce symptoms, to seek care as a means of attention seeking. This can be so severe they will undergo needless operations including amputation. The important difference between apotemnophiliacs and people with Munchhausen syndrome is apotemnophiliacs are usually satisfied with one operation.

Body awareness is a major preoccupation with people of the 21st century as the rise in cosmetic surgery will attest. Not only do we have the technology we also have cues of people waiting to have expensive elective procedures done and this might include shortening the length of toes or surgically filleting them. Modern primitives (Urban primitives) is a term used to describe people in Western Society with tattoos, body piercing, scarification and the like and many have turned their attention to foot embellishments, such as foot rings, tattoos and decorative implants, branding and cutting. The motivation for engaging in these varied practices may be personal growth, rite of passage, or spiritual or sexual curiosity. Foot binding is also used by some to reduce the size of feet and ‘sculpting’ (self amputation of a toe - or parts thereof) is on the increase.

Footnote
In fifteenth century Spain, the male peacock fashion was to wear a broad fitting shoe that measured 12 inches across the ball of the foot. Called the Bears Paw each shoe had individual compartment for all ten toes. Previously the style had been to wear long pointed shoes (poulaines) but that came to an abrupt end. Costume in these days rarely changed so quickly unless there were good medical reasons (i.e. borne out by plagues etc.). The prince regent in Spain was born with polydactilism (six toes) and as it was more risky to amputate the sixth toe they decided to change the shoe fashion instead from long and thin to short and broad. The moon shoe footwear style caught on across the European Courts almost instantly. The reason being there was a syphilis epidemic which left many rich and powerful men with painful feet.

Antique wooden dildos sold

2010-04-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

At an auction last week at Brentwood Antiques, Essex two 18th century sex toys sold for £3,600. The wooden dildos, one 10in (25cm) in length and the other 11in (28cm), are thought to be French. They came with their own kid leather-lined Treen case and strap with fleurs-de-lis decoration. The rare ‘Travel Godermiche’ were bought by an anonymous bidder.

Cat Burglar Barbie

2009-12-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Barbie, plastic icon has been transformed into a fierce fashionista, complete with glossy auburn locks. The first of three limited edition models is dressed in a skin-tight leather-look catsuit, the French designer, Christian Louboutin has remodelled his Mattel Inc muse as a bad girl Cat Burglar. The doll comes with four pairs of mini red-soled shoes, which are exact teeny tiny replicas of real-life models. And, like any serious stylista, Barbie can house all of her shoes away safely when she's not wearing them, as each pair comes with it's own mini shoe box.
Cat Burglar Barbie by Christian Louboutin can be yours this Christmas from between £100 - 150. Definitely a collector’s item but what does it say about a society willing to expose children to sexualisation and all in the name of an idefatigable obsession with footwear?

I think I might prefer the thong wearing an Australian Girl.

Canvas boots of a different kind

2009-11-11T06:54:00.001-08:00

Nice set of paintings for sale Information passed on in good faith.

Sex advice from podiatrists

2009-09-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

Taken from the Nerve.com is this article Sex advice from podiatrists

The curious origins of foot kissing

2009-04-05T04:45:00.000-07:00

Proskunew describes a Persian custom which involved kneeling and putting the face to the ground. This sometimes involved kissing the ground. Taken as the act of submission, respect, gratitude, supplication, neediness, and humility. This was used on all sorts of occasions. Thought to have originated as a non-verbal greeting where men of equal rank would kiss each other on the lips. An inferior kissed his superior on the cheeks, and where one was much less noble rank than the other, he fell to the ground in homage. Considered to have become ritualized at the oriental courts, depending on rank, visitors would prostrate themselves, kneel in front of, bow for, or blow a kiss to the king. There may have been practical reasons for blowing a kiss as halitosis was thought to be common. Magicians would use the same technique in order to prevent contamination of the sacred fire. Alexander the Great (327) spread his empire to incorporate others and naturally took Iranians to serve at his court. To win his or her respect and support he had to act like a Persian king, and ordered everybody to behave according to the oriental court ritual. The court custom, caused consternation amongst the Greeks as prostration, bowing or kneeling, to anyone other than the Gods was unacceptable. Despite violent opposition it is not clear whether Alexander the Great's attempt at cultural infliction, succeeded. However, proskynesis was commonly practiced at the courts of his successors and remnants remain today occidentals, still bow for kings and queens. By the time of the Old Testament the custom had passed in judicial behaviour and when an accused was brought before the judge, he lay prostrate. If found guilty, the judge would place his foot on their neck. If innocent the judge would stoop over and lift their face with his hand. Lifting the face was a Hebrew concept, which equalled a declaration of innocence in a judicial, proceeding. When Muslims bow towards Mecca this is another reference to proskynesis and by contrast the posture of early Christian worship. was standing. According to Brasch (1989), kissing the feet was a gesture of homage and deference, far removed from its erotic roots. Millions of pilgrims with loving pressure have worn down the feet of the statue of Saint Paul in Rome with their lips. At the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire it was the custom for the faithful to kiss the right hand of the Papal Father. In the eighth century, a rather passionate woman took liberties and according to legend, the Pope cut off his hand in disgust. The custom of kissing the Pope's right foot was adapted as more appropriate. Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) had kings and churchmen kiss his feet. Today the act of homage involves kissing the Pontiff's right shoe. Lips are aimed at the cross-depicted on the shoe and the act is either taken as a tribute to his authority or the simulation of servitude.

Foot and shoe fetish

2009-03-27T06:25:00.001-07:00

Foot fetish is considered the most common fetish. Hands and feet are tactile and supplied with thousands of nerves, which makes them very useful for finding things in the dark. The sensory nerve supply to feet originates in the same part of the brain as the nerves which go to the pelvic area and in some people (not all) there is neural print through, which means touching the sole of their feet would be the same as tickling their fancy. Some people have an attraction to parts of the body and or clothing which includes feet, stockings/pantyhose/socks, or shoes. Rarely are all involved but whatever the fetish is it will play an important role in pre-coital behaviour. These partialisms are usually innocuous and considered normal. No one yet knows how people develop fetishes although preferred sexual behaviours are most certainly in part at least governed by biological factors but likely to be the product of history, environment and nature. Men are more likely to have a fetish and no one is entirely sure why this is so. Sigmund Freud first described fetishism as compensation behaviour when performance anxiety arose in males. He called this the Castration Theory and how it could be overcame in the presence of fetishistic objects like shoes, feet or pantyhose. Performance anxiety is a male fear and this may explain why fetishism is almost always a male behaviour. The anxiety neurosis can manifest in a continuum of behaviour with intensity and range which varies from a partial liking of the object to a complete sexual obsession with it. Abnormal fetishism is called paraphilia and describes established anti-social behaviour. Fetishistic objects may be either inanimate (e.g. a shoe); or animate (e.g. a foot). Inanimate object fetish is sub-divided into form and media. Form fetish refers to the shape of the object e.g. lady’s shoe; and media fetish relates to the material the item is made from e.g. leather or fur or rubber. Animate fetish describes parts of the (female) body such as feet, legs and ankles. Fetishists require some specific attraction in the object which may include colours, shape and or smell. Without these features then no attraction will take place. In the majority of cases, low level fetishism poses no danger to others and individuals usually pursue their use of the fetish object in private or with other consenting adults. Retifists (shoe fetishists) collect women's shoes (sometimes by stealing them) to have sex with the shoe. Retifists usually have exquisite taste for elegant styles with specific form and media determining their preferences. Pedal lovemaking is usually combined with elaborate games which involve trampling (walking over a person) or seeing woman wearing high heels stomping on the balloons; crush fetishists who revel in using their feet to crush things including small animals; messy fetishists who get kicks from wet shoes e.g. golden showers or patent leather shoes. There are enormous variations which include tickling, bondage, licking and shrimping (i.e. toe sucking). It is quite impossible to know how many foot and shoe fetishists there are simply because fetishists usually keep their preferences a closely guarded secret. As a group they maintain a close network where they function comfortably within a culture of clubs, websites and magazines to support special interests. On the World Wide Web there are well over a million websites which deal with foot fetishism alone. Fetishists are found in every level of society with the number of low to mid level fetishists in Australia enough to fill the Subiaco Oval.
A significant spike in interest in foot sex arose during the 80s after the identification of HIV. Similar patterns have been recorded in history when plagues of sexually transmitted disease arose. This would support foot sex is associated with safe sex practice.

Shoes: Wet look and nude

2009-03-18T18:03:00.001-07:00

The new fad for ladies in the coming season is patent leather nude coloured shoes with 3 inch stacked heels. The ‘nudies’ retails at approx $300 (US) per pair. Obviously wardrobe malfunctions and shoe damage need to be avoided as all fashionista know and care is necessary negotiating uneven sidewalks and steps. This aside nude is the trendiest colour for shoes. In fashion-speak, "nude" refers to a kind of pink-beige-coffee blend but in the interests of political correctness (PC) the nude range covers pale ivory to deep chocolate. Shoes matching skin tone gives the leg the appearance of extra length and where the perfect match is not possible, spray tan is recommended. Nude shoe aside it is patent leather which history has shown is very risqué and was much cause for concern when conservative groups discovered the mirror like surface allowed boys to see up girls’ skirts when they wore patent leather shoes. The up skirter shoes predate electronic cameras by at least a century and only go to prove nothing changes when it comes to sex. Such concern was expressed in the early 20th century patent leather shoes were banned in some States of the US. In the sixties when “The Wet Look” prevailed so called experts feared a plague of undinism (sexual arousal from urine) was abroad. Patent leather which describes the gloss finish on the leather as opposed to a type of hide wasdeveloped in 1818. The leather protection ensured dressier looking footwear which could easily be kept clean with a cloth. It was invented in Newark, New Jersey by Seth Boyden and invloved coating the leather with linseed oil. Now the process involves plastic coating which makes the mass production of patent leather cheaper.

The strange world of shoes

2009-03-09T04:27:00.000-07:00

shudoo.co.uk have complied a top 50 list of memorable shoe stories. Simply a must to surf.

Candy Feet: Sweet Toe

2009-03-06T02:45:00.000-08:00

Toe-Food Chocolates & Candy was started by Mark Wolpa (a podiatrist) who came up with the idea of sending a chocolate foot to referring doctors as a unique holiday gift. He then offered the products to other podiatrists who he thought would also like the concept. The idea was such a hit that he decided to start the business as a part-time endeavor, which soon developed into a full-time commitment. The company dispenses orders from people who want life-size chocolate feet to send to a business or prospective employer with a note that says ‘Thanks for letting me get my foot in the door.’ The company enjoy helping customers develop clever taglines tailored to their needs such as ‘A toe-ken of my appreciation for your time.’ Toe-Food Chocolates & Candy supply all manner of customers including: personnel agencies, medical equipment companies, freight lines, as well as those unemployed looking for jobs. The company love helping customers develop taglines tailored to their client’s needs, such as ‘A toe-ken of my appreciation for your time.’ Every year the company develops a new product and has over 25 trademarked items, including: Mistle Toes(R), Valentoes(R), and Happy Feet(R). Seven years ago they introduced a kid’s candy dubbed Stinky Feet(R) and this year there are plans to introduce Green Footprints(R). Part of the company’s sales goes to local food banks as well as the Fund for Podiatric Medical Education. Toe-Food Chocolates & Candy has increased its sales 100% in the last financial quarter and the hope is this will continue. Needless to say footman, Mark Wolpa is delighted his unique products have found a way to try to help stimulate the depressed business climate. Dr. Wolpa is Chief of the Podiatry Dept. at Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Berkeley and has authored books and articles, including a children’s book, Tommy’s Toe-rific Adventures. He has patented a sports innersole, has a medical device that is patent pending, and is one of the first doctors to offer a new laser technology to treat fungal toenails.

Vamps and scamps: The Influence of Hollywood

2009-01-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

According to Bredemeier & Toby (cited in Roach & Eicher, 1965) Hollywood did not invent acceptable appearance but was probably responsible for narrowing its range of acceptable variation and exhibited them to millions of people every week. The Depression helped create an enormous boom in the entertainment industry Panati (1991). Shoes made a stealthy entrance into the world of cinema as a minor element but they soon demonstrated they were able to characterise not only an epoch but also a personality. Shoes became an extension of the character and created in the audience the desire to imitate and make them more important by wearing the same shoes as their screen idols. Mass production meant clothing was more affordable and fashion much less formal. Gradually the glamour sense became more sophisticated for all and not just the privileged few. The popular cinema influenced the main design of fashion (Cassin-Scott 1997 p.175: Baynes & Baynes, 1979) Screen fashions began to influence the couture houses of Paris (Pattison & Cawthorne, 1997) as the movie stars of Hollywood became role models for millions. Elements of escapism and flights of fantasy crept into every fashion. When skirt lengths came down to mid calf, Hollywood had to re-shoot entire movies to include them. Improved manufacturing techniques meant clothing became more affordable and as a result fashion became less formal and fashion sense for all became more sophisticated. Repeal of the Prohibition Laws in the US in 1933 gave good reason to celebrate and every reason to dress up. Italian, Salvatore Ferragamo moved to Hollywood in 1923 where he created shoes for biblical epics of Cecil B de Mille's (i.e. The Ten Commandments and The King of Kings). Soon he was taking commissions for all the top studios, making shoes for John Barrymore, Lillian Gish and Rudolph Valentino, Pola Negri, Mary Pickford, among many others. At first female characters were often portrayed in over-simplistic forms. The good heroines played by Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish were pure, innocent and sugary sweet. Mary Pickford had tiny feet (Baynes & Baynes, 1979), and both she and her sister had their shoes made by Ferragamo. Lilian Gish preferred to wear multicoloured satin, slippers style sandals. Bad girls were like Pola Negi were darkly melodramatic and wicked temptresses. They were dressed to emphasise these characteristics. The vampish Negi bought her shoes by the dozen and preferred to buy white satin shoes, which she dyed to suit her outfits. She detested dirty shoes and also hated cleaning them so, was in the habit of throwing five or six pairs out each month. The idea of dying shoes caught on and many women dyed their white satin shoes to match their frocks often with contrasting heels. Hollywood cleverly adapted the period style of their historic dramas to suit the filmstar's contemporary looks and appearance. Clara Bow (The It Girl) was far more extrovert and epitomised the bold newly emancipated North American woman. She was full of pep and get up and go. Bouncy bobbed hair with frankly made up face and jokey sailor pants or girlish dresses with pleated skirts became her trademark. In keeping with her character, Clara Bow wore strappy, tap style shoes. Greta Garbo appeared as the mysterious European with the haunting beauty and chiselled features. Dressed in dipping brim hats, turned up collars, top coats, and evening dresses discretely dotted with glitter she represented a willing partner to seduction in her strappy sandals. Off screen, Garbo bought her shoes in bulk. Gloria Swanson had beautiful feet and liked to show them off by wearing highly decorated heels on her shoes. Delores Del Rio had a pair of rainbow evening shoes with gold ankle straps and tall gold heels. Esther Ralston had a pair of shoes, which were serpent shaped which were black and gold with high heels. On the vamp of each shoe was a snake head, and a sleek flexible gold body with painted scales writhed halfway up each leg. She was supposed to wear them in a jungle scene as a totem to scare off wild animals; instead she wore them to Hollywood night clubs and scared the life out of her fellow revellers. Claudette Colbert wore a pair of multicoloured pave wedge sandals with tubular straps in Cleopatra (1934). The shoes were made by David Evins. Mae West accentuated her hourglass figure and perfected hip-circling sway on 8 inch high platforms. Gloria Swanson was a self confessed altocalciphlie (heel fetish) and had many expensive high heeled shoes made for her. She preferred her heels to be decorated with rhinestones and imitation pearls. The style soon caught on. Fans adored them and worshipped their idols as demi-gods. Hairstyles and clothing were copied slavishly. According to Bond (1992) the influence of Hollywood was immense and far outstretched the dress designers, fashion magazines and newspapers of the time. All this came at a time when the rag trade was manufacturing for a mass market. Of all the Hollywood stars, Shirley Temple generated the greatest national mania and enormous marketing profits. From 1934-38 she registered the country's number one box office success. Entire industries sprang up marketing Shirley Temple clothes including shoes. This was the beginning of fashion shoes for children. In the ensuing years directors became obsessed with the correctness of clothing in period drama and Frederick Fellini had perfect replicas made of 18th century shoes for his film, Casanova. The shoes were most uncomfortable and pinched actor, Donald Sutherland feet forcing him to mince in the same manner as Casanova would in real life.

Bibliography
Baynes K & Baynes K 1979 The shoe show: British shoes since 1790 London :Crafts Council.
Bredemeier HC & Toby J Aesthetic patterns In Roach ME & Eicher JB (eds) 1965 Dress adornment and social order New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Bond D 1992 Glamour in fashion Enfield:Guinness Publishing.
Cassin-Scott J 1997 The illustrated encyclopaedia of costume and fashion from 1066 to the present London: Studio Vista.
Panati C 1991 Panati's parade of fads, follies and manias: The origin of our most cherished obsessions New York: Harper Perennial.
Pattison A & Cawthorne N 1997 A century of shoes: Icons of style in the 20th century Australia: Universal International.

Feet and the seeing being

2009-01-17T21:09:00.001-08:00

Frugal (1930) held the opinion clothing had an important social significance, which, if known, told much about the personality of the wearer. With the exception of hands and faces, clothing provides important signal from which humans can react. Out attire provides the safest distance to judge a stranger and the more intimate relationship then the more important finer features and speech play. Clothes serve three main purposes: decoration, modesty and protection. Whilst the latter may appear the most logical it is not supported by history (both ancient and modern). Fig leaf mentality may explain why we have covered up, but by far the major reason for clothing is decoration. The essential purpose of decoration is to beautify bodily appearance, so as to attract admiring glances from others and fortify self-esteem. Modesty, on the other hand, makes us hide bodily excellence in an attempt to refrain from drawing attention of others. When decoration and modesty are pitted together this can provide a psychological conflict or neurosis. The degree of harmony or compromise between conflicting interests may be clearly seen in shoes. Feet are not secondary sexual characteristics, albeit they have been sexualised. Sigment Freud, was convinced upright stance led to the frontal display of both primary and secondary sex organs and argued humans had no need to develop other senses when greatest benefit was gained by perfecting sight. Further as bipeds our feet separate us from all other beings because unlike them we have a weightbearing heel, and inside arch, and big toe for ground leverage. Their significance is humans were able to develop an upright stance and the two million years of evolution between Homo rectus and Homo sapian meant the human brain became far more complex. Anthropologists believe weightbearing feet influenced the form and function of buttocks, bosoms; the legs and thighs, tummies, hips and even genitalia. The pedal extremities are well supplied by nerve pathways which transmit messages to multiple and diverse areas of the brain, including the sensory parietal lobe. Not by coincidence then the sensory centre for feet lies in close proximity to sensory nerves of the genitalia. This may explain, why for some people neural print-through causes their feet to become sexually expressive. However for the vast majority feet remain sensual objects. In any event we are the only beings on the planet to be able to make love standing up, face to face.

Victorians and their fascination with feet

2009-01-14T15:28:00.001-08:00

By the reign of Queen Victoria well bred women could not be acknowledged as possessing anything as potentially carnal as legs. So the term lower limb was used to describe the leg which is still a convention in medicine. Ironically, crinoline was incredibly seductive and the steel hoops that buoyed the skirt kept it in a permanent state of motion The slightest pressure at one point raised it correspondingly at the opposite side, often revealing a titillating and tantalising glimpse of the forbidden flesh. Ankles and feet became a focus for sexual allure and anything and everything which covered them all the more attractive. Simple court pumps disappeared and were replaced with the ankle boot. Partly worn as a fashion in honour of Wellington and Queen Victoria, the boot complemented the crinoline dresses and provided a foot corset enjoyed by men and understood by women. As trade and travel took on international dimensions in the 19th century, the prized fabrics of the orient joined the French fashion world. The eastern look was dignified and exotic, symbolic of a sophisticated understanding of the world. Shoes styles had names like the Empress. With the cotton trade came delicate gauze or layers of sheer fabrics for dresses. Shoes needed to match and were decorated with pearl buttons, or bead buttons and rhinestones. Repression and prudery generated new outlets for sexual expression. The fashion to conceal the female leg under floor length skirts and boots was so successful that the mere glimpse of a women's ankle was a cause for arousal. Women's ankles and by extension their shoes and boots became symbols of more hidden body parts, and lusting after their feet or footwear was deemed strictly taboo. Not surprisingly, by 1850 with the introduction of photography an underground market for pornography and shoes with 6 inch heels flourished in London. Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, from which the word masochism comes, freely wrote of his experiences where he allowed his mistresses to whip and walk on him. He was delighted to kiss the shoes that performed the action. Well over a century later, shoe fetishism flourishes although it remains a social taboo because of its association with cross dressing and Algolagnia or S&M. The fetish shoe often incorporates locks, chains and high heels. The locks represent the idea the feet are precious and owned by the admirer. Chains restrict movement, which reinforce the power game being played out between "slave and master". According to some anatomists wearing high heels changes the distribution of mass around the body and, and tilts the pelvis into a precoital position. Fetish shoes are often black or red, made in patent leather, and fit the foot like a corset. Boots are often extended to knee or thigh and have platform soles to extend the length of the leg. In today's society, cross-dressing is still viewed with great suspicion however many people are specifically attracted to style associated with the opposite sex because of their allure. Naturally they wish to explore the full ensemble. As Rossi so eruditely puts it "fashion is the artisan of mascarade." Erotic symbolism is not expressed in all footwear in the same way and the sex appeal features in shoe design must comply with the psychosocial personality of the individual. Eroticism often infers dominance of one partner over another popular foreplay with foot fetishists and algophiles is tickling. Tramping describes walking over your partner. A little more uncomfortable than tickling but still relatively harmless. Crushing describes standing on your partner with stiletto heels. Definitely not for the fainthearted and more than likely to cause perforation of the skin. The bazaar practice is more for the discerning s&m user.

Madam's shoes were designed to do maximum damage

Oh your feets too big

2009-01-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

"Oh your feets too big
Don't want you cause your feet's too big
Mad at you cause your feet's too big
I hate you cause your feet's too big
Oh your pedal extremities are colossal"

Fats Waller

The singer is clearly displaying his symbiotic and erotic anxieties vis a vis, women. These anxieties of intimacy with his companion become focused on her pedal extremities. Shocked at the sight of them he affirms the foot role as a symbol of all that is truly feminine and defensively denies those characteristics of women that are abhorrent to him. Perhaps the idea of a huge phallus in the form of her feet may also evoke corresponding homosexual anxieties.

The possible origins of high heeled shoes

2009-01-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

Some historians believe the fashion for high heeled shoes arose as a modification of the chopine (the original platform). Shoe makers carved out the forefoot section of the platform and created a heel. This made the elevated shoe easier and safer to walk in. Elevated shoes had been known from early Hellenic times however this phase of fashion was the first time shoes were associated with the female sex. The true heel as we know it today was not introduced until the middle of the twentieth century when technology and design fashioned the stiletto heel. In the sixteenth century, height challenged Catherine de Medici wore heeled mules when she married the King of France. She had moved from Florence, the centre of fashion and flair to Paris, and as was the custom took with her the costumes and customs of her heritage. Heeled shoes became an instant success and the fashion remained in vogue throughout her lifetime. Many experts believe this was the true beginning of fashion because it was the first time ever a costume had lasted the life time of an individual. After her death heeled shoes for ladies became passé but high-heeled shoes became popular with men as well as a trademark of sex workers of the time. Prior to the French Revolution contemporary medical reports described the changes in posture associated with wearing high heels. ‘Medical gaze' was firmly transfixed to women and ignored men completely. Women of distinction no longer wore heeled shoes preferring the new style of heel-less pumps and some authorities believe this was a veiled attempt to moralize by misogynists. High heels for men were considered in vogue during the 17 & 18th century. Louis XIV became fanatical about them and banned anyone other than the privileged classes from wearing them on penalty of death. The Sun King was of short stature and may have preferred the borrowed height heels could give him. The heels of men's shoes often were painted with miniature rustic or romantic scenes. Different shapes were experimented with including hourglass heels. Also during this time men's shoes were ornamented with silver buckles. The Louis Heel was invented by Louis XV (1715-1774) was splayed at the base with a wasted section, which is still used in modern female fashion. He also introduced the white shoe to match his hose but red heels survived until 1760. The term "down on your heels" is thought to relate to the habit of the rich towering over the poor. Late in the 16th century rounded toe shoes were popular but heels for women's shoes were not introduced until the beginning of the seventeenth century. Instead wedge shaped soles were popular; these thrust the foot forward like a heel. Most shoes of the period were leather or heavy velvet and were made in a number of different colours, Most were simple slip-ons but some fastened with a lace, or buckle at the instep. Thigh length boots were fashionable and were sometimes heavily decorated at the thigh and attached to the doublet by suspenders. (Anderson Black J Garland M, 1970). Until 1615 shoes might have had their uppers slashed to show the stockings or linings. After this date decoration was chiefly concentrated on ribbon ties and shoe roses. After 1680 the instep fastening was usually a strap and buckle. After the French Revolution heel heights lowered. The new socialist government was short of money and many shoe buckles were donated to the cause. Ladies in the early part of the nineteenth century wore low-heeled satin shoes but as the twentieth century approached high-heeled boots for women became vogue. Stylish shoes were low cut and worn with silk stockings. Worker women wore lace ups. Women began by the 30’s to wear square-toed shoes. Men’s became progressively narrower and were worn by the dandies of the day. Both men and women wore striped socks and stockings respectively with women wearing lace up boots. By 1884 ladies wore shoes of fancy leather and pointed toes. These were highly decorated with rosettes and heels, one and a half to two inches high. In the first decade of the twentieth century court shoes with lacing and T straps were popular. Women sometimes wore high heeled calf length buttoned or laced boots with shorter and wider skirts. As the decade progressed however boots fell from fashion. Men started to wear light coloured socks and laced shoes. Women wore high heeled court shoes trimmed with decorative buckles; spats by 1924 had become passé. After the Depression walking shoes with low heels were fashionable. Evening wear included court shoes with Louis heels. Toe cleavage was seen with peekaboo cutaways. This fashion appeared in 1936. By the forties most of fashion for women’s shoes had become heavy and practical and by the end of rationing platform shoes were reintroduced. In the fifties, shoes became lighter in appearance and were worn with stiletto high heels and pointed toes.

Bibliography
Anderson-Black J. Garland M. 1975 A history of fashion London: Orbis Publishing.

Taken from History of Shoes Blog

Brief but detailed history of the vibrator

2009-01-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

A dildo (alternative spelling: dildoe. Synonym: godmichè) is a penis-shaped device intended for bodily interaction during masturbation or sexual intercourse. Archaeological finds support, dildos were present both in pre-history as well as ancient civilisations. Controversy reigns as to who invented the modern vibrator, some authorities consider it was an UK invention whereas others claim the efficacious appliance came from the USA. There is no doubt the vibrator appeared in the late 1800s, when genital massage was a standard treatment for hysteria. Induced "hysterical paroxysm" (clitoral orgasm) was physically demanding and required highly developed manual dexterity. As a labour and time saving initiative, nineteenth century physicians (males) were delighted when vibrating machines then later portable vibrators became available.

Phallic Batons

Phallic batons have been around for many thousands of years and were depicted in Upper Palaeolithic art (circa 40,000 years ago). The dimension matches the size range of modern dildo vibrators, but whilst it is easy to recognise their symbolism, it is quite impossible to gauge their potential utility. Archaeologists have been reluctant to associate the carved batons with dildos, preferring to seek a more ritualistic association for ‘batons de commandment’. One ritual found in many societies is defloration of virgins, if these artefacts were used for that purpose, then it could also be used for vaginal, anal, or oral stimulation. Some authorities associate the phallic baton with the beginning of paternity and monogamy in early society. With the men away, their women will play.

Pussy Foot

Many experts consider artificial penii were used in Babylonian times, with the earliest sex toys fashioned from dried, camel dung. These dildos were coated with a resin to prevent the device from crumbling. Siberian woman were known to masturbate using the calf muscle of reindeer and in other parts of the world cat’s paw were also used for clitoral stimulation. Certainly gives a meaningful grounding to the term ‘pussy foot”? Only dildos made of stone, and pottery have survived but evidence exits to conform wooden and leather phallic barons were also used in antiquity.

Phallic Worship

As Mediterranean civilisation changed to trade, female deities became less important as male dominated societies developed. Emphasis on the penis and its worship was evident in Egyptian artefacts depicting female dancers gyrating nearly naked, carrying a sculpture of an oversized erect penis to honour the god, Osiris. This male fascination filtered through the centuries until it reached its peak with the Roman God of fertility, Pryapus.

Olisbos

In 500 BC, the dildoe was called 'olisbos' and the Greek seaport, Miletus became famous as the source of quality wooden and leather dildos. These were sold across the Mediterranean, and popular with whom lubricated them with olive oil for comfort. Female masturbation is well documented in Greek literature. Aristophanes’ play Lysistrata was first performed in 413 BC. The plot involves a sex strike by Athenian women tired with the Peloponnesian war. A large leather phallus features prominently in the comedy. In the third century BC. a young woman named Metro calls on her friend Coritto to borrow her olisbo when her husband is away. Sadly the friend has lent the precious phallic baton to another lonely maiden. Metro departs crestfallen. Another Greek comedy finds a woman complaining her dildo resembles the real thing as the moon does the sun. They are both similar in appearance, but her dildo has no heat!

Priapus

In Roman Times brides at their wedding would observe a custom known as Lactantius and Arnobius. This involved offer up her virginity to Priapus (Roman God of fertility), by placing her sexual parts against the end of a dildo, sometimes this involved introducing the phallus and tearing the hymen. The ceremony was thought to conciliate the favour of the god, and to avert sterility. Similar customs were still found in other parts of the world from India to Japan and the islands of the Pacific. According to some experts therapeutic clitoral stimulation was undertaken from the first century A.D. and physicians would manually massaged women to orgasm, in the anticipation of purging them of mysterious illness. Galen, a well-respected Roman physician, described massaging a woman’s genitals until "she emitted turbid and abundant sperm" and was "free of all the evil she felt".

Dark Ages

Cylindrical devices fitted over the erect penis to make them look larger, were first mentioned in the Kama Sutra and were crafted from wood, leather, buffalo horn, copper, silver, ivory or gold. In Europe eighth century nuns were known to use artificial phalli. At fist this was part of religious custom (probably pagan) but once it lost its religious significance clitoral stimulation degenerated into a mere indulgence of passion.

The Dildo

In 12th and 13th century China, dildos were made of ivory and wood. Stand-alone or strapped to the body many ingenious devices were available. The double olishos accommodated two women at the same time. The movement of one woman created pleasure for the other. There were also dildos that could be manipulated by either moving the heel of the foot of the head and neck. Vegetables were also used and in 14th century Chinese women used a plant called So-Young. This was similar to a pointed bamboo shoot but has a scaly texture when placed in the vagina the plant absorbed the vaginal fluids causing it to expand. In the 16th century, St Fountin was worshiped throughout France. When in 1585, Protestant armies sacked the French town of Embrun they found the statue of Saint Foutin with its phallus head stained red from wine. St. Foutin was the first bishop of Lyons, and was attributed the distinguishing attributes of Priapus given to him by his parishioners. His statue had a large phallus of wood, which was an object of reverence to barren women. The faithful either took shavings of the wooden phallus and made an infusion for their husbands to drink, or poured wine over the phallus and kept the run off in containers until it soured i.e. sainte vinaigre. Documentary evidence is scant what the women employed it for. A much larger phallus of wood, covered with leather, was an object of worship in the church of St. Eutropius at Orange. Other phallic saints were worshipped under the names of St. Guerlichon, or Greluchon, at Bourg-Dieu in the diocese of Bourges, of St. Gilles in the Cotentin in Brittany, of St. Rene in Anjou, of St. Regnaud in Burgundy, of St. Arnaud, and above all of St. Guignolé near Brest and at the village of La Chatelette in Berri. Many of these were still in existence and their worship in full practice in the last century; in some of them, the wooden phallus is described as being much worn down by the continual process of scraping, while in others the loss sustained by scraping was always restored by a miracle. The reason was less Godly that believers thought because priests continued to secretly hammer out the wooden extension.
In the case of some of the priapic saints mentioned above, women sought a remedy for barrenness by kissing the end of the phallus; sometimes they appeared to have placed a part of their body naked against the image of the saint, or to have sat upon it. This latter trait was perhaps too bold an adoption of the indecencies of pagan worship to last long, or to be practiced openly; but it appears to have been more innocently represented by lying upon the body of the saint, or sitting upon a stone, understood to represent him without the presence of the energetic member. In a corner in the church of the village of St. Fiacre, near Mouceaux in France, there is a stone called the chair of St. Fiacre, which confers fecundity upon women who sit upon it; but it is necessary that nothing should intervene between their bare skin and the stone. In the church of Orcival in Auvergne, there was a pillar which barren women kissed for the same purpose, and which had perhaps replaced some less equivocal object.

Many traditions were known and a common custom for girls on the point of marriage was to offer their last maiden robe to that saint. This superstition prevailed to such an extent that it became proverbial. A story is told of a young bride who, on the wedding night, sought to deceive her husband on the question of her previous chastity, although, as the writer expressed it, "she had long ago deposited the robe of her virginity on the altar of St. Foutin."
During the Renaissance Italy, the olisbo became known as the "dildo". The origins of the name are thought to come from the Latin dilatare, to open wide, or perhaps from the Italian diletto, to delight. Renaissance Italian dildos were made of wood or leather and required liberal lubrication with olive oil for comfortable use. In the harems of Constantinople during the 16th century, cucumbers were expressly forbidden. Only sliced cucumber was allowed.

Signor Dildo

The 17th century Italy becomes the country associated with the manufacture of quality phallic batons. Hence the term ‘Signor Dildo’ became popular among occidental libertines. A famous poem (circa 1673) was first published in 1703 extolling the virtues of Senior Dildo.
In the orient, Mr Horn appeared in the late Manchu dynasty (Qing Dynasty 1644-1911) this was a phallic shaped rubber hot water bottle, which strapped to the waist and could be used as a dildo. During the Edo period (17th Century) in Japan, the Iwami Kagura Masks were worn for traditional dance. Originally made from wood then paper, these highly decorative artefacts were commonly hung on house walls as good luck talisman. One particular favourite was the goblin, Tengu, who had a very large nose. This was detachable and used frequently as a dildo. Medically induced paroxysms using the doctor’s fingers were documented at this time.

18th Century

By the 18th century French dildos were in vogue. In 18th century Japan, woman used harigata, phallic baton made from leather, wood, buffalo horn, porcelain or tortoise shell. Apparently the ladies strung cords around their necks and through the dildos. By moving their backs and shoulders, the phallic baton would move inside their bodies, leaving their hands to caress other parts of their bodies.

19th Century

In the nineteenth century when the industrial process known as vulcanised rubber became established this give new life to phallic batons. Now stronger and more flexible, the rubber dildo was introduced circa 1850. Electric vibrators first appeared soon after electricity became widely available in the late 19th century. There is controversy as to whether it was an Englishman or an American who first invented the dildo vibrator but George Taylor, American physician, did introduce a large, cumbersome steam-driven vibrator in 1869. Taylor’s vibrator was recommended as a time saving device for physicians when treating "female hysteria." A common belief in Victorian times was females suffered psychiatric disorders, which were directly related to uteral disturbance. The symptoms of this disease were based on the Greek idea of a “wandering womb” and were varied and all-encompassing. Anxiety, irritability, sexual fantasies, and shortness of breath were prime symptoms of the disease. This was often accompanied by pelvic heaviness and vaginal lubrication. Today some of these symptoms might best be described as ‘Pre-Menstrual Tension’ (PMT). Hysteria, was regarded as a serious and recalcitrant disorder, which required ongoing treatments.

Hysteria was the second most diagnosed disease behind fever and generated a market, for new medical instruments. It was reported “pelvic massage treatments” comprised more than half of medics’ business. Medical treatment involved massage of the vulva with fragrant oils. Whilst Victorian Society frowned upon masturbation, "paroxysm" (orgasm), through clitoral stimulation did not involve penetration. Therefore was not considered androcentric ‘sex’ and provided it was conducted by a medically trained professional there was no stigma attached. This was imminently more palatable then being committed to a metal institution and or have a clitorotomy. Both barbaric actions were commonly undertaken at the time. At first medical vibrators did not look phallic and were instead heavy pieces of equipment weighing in at between 5 - 15lb' depending on the size of their engine.

During the 1860s, health spas offered higher-tech alternatives to manual therapy with gravity fed systems that sent powerful water jets into bathing pools and steam-powered and other vibrating devices. While not specifically developed for female genital massage, surviving accounts hint that some women spent considerable time leaning into water-jet spouts. The first battery powered vibrator appeared in 1880, and was invented by a UK physician. Dr. Joseph Mortimer Granville recognised the therapeutic benefits of micro-massage and developed a battery-powered vibrator for the treatment of muscular strains. Vibrators came into widespread medical use in the 1890s, when there was an “epidemic” of hysteria among Western women.

Maines suggests that hysteria was simply the result of female sexual frustration in an age where women were supposed to orgasm through penetration, and masturbation was discouraged.

Hand held Vibrators

Clarence Richwood patented the first handheld vibrator in 1907. His dildo was not battery powered but worked on water pressure, which meant the operator had to be near a water source which obviously limited its use. Early AC electro-mechanical vibes were smaller and less cumbersome freeing the therapist to vary the vibratory sensations the device produced. Hand crank vibrators such as Dr Johansen’s Auto Vibrator were popular in the early twentieth century because of their lower cost and lack for power source. Air powered vibrators were also available at the turn of the century.

By the 1900s dry cell battery operated vibrators were sold through mail order. By the 20s, belief in the medical myth of ‘female hysteria’ was less strong and adverts for vibrators with a variety of attachments appeared in magazines and sales catalogues aimed directly at women as home appliances. The vibrator was only the fifth household device to be electrified, after the sewing machine, fan, teakettle and toaster.

The first advertisement for a home electric vibrator, the Vibratile, appeared in the US magazine ‘McClure’. It was portrayed as therapeutic agent suitable to cure headaches, wrinkles, and neuralgia. Soon they were openly sold to the public as self-treatment for hysteria. Vibrators were advertised as body massagers, recommended for all body parts but discretely omitting the erogenous zones. Not to offend public morality advertising copy was written in coy and oblique language but the point was not missed with double-entendres like, “all the pleasure of youth ... will throb within you" or "tingle with the joy of living." "Delicious, thrilling, health-restoring sensation called vibration" or for the more pragmatic consumer, “perfect for those hard-to-reach places." As electricity became widely available, plug-in home vibrators were one of the first electrified home appliances. These adverts appeared in many popular women’s magazines, including Needlecraft, Home Needlework Journal and Woman's Home Companion. The 1918 Sears Roebuck catalogue sold one vibrator as a "very satisfactory...aid every woman appreciates." In male magazines young men were urged to buy the devices for their wives as Christmas gifts to keep them "young and pretty" and free from the scourge of hysteria (Heart Magazine, 1921).

Mail order was a standard method of marketing vibrators up until 1920.
After the Great War, the influence of Hollywood was immense, the popularity for adult Stag Films (Blue Movies) was no less than today and the quest for erotic material incorporated graphic depiction of sexually explicit use of the vibrator. Most of the films were shot in Buenos Aires, Argentina and like the Tango, shocked public morality of mainstream Europe and North America. In any event the marketing of vibrators moved underground. In The Widow's Delight, showed a well-dressed matron at her front door bidding good night to her equally dashing suitor. After rejecting a kiss, she races off to her bedroom, where she strips down to her underwear, grabs her vibrator and finishes off her evening.

When stricter censorship followed in the thirties, vibrators were no longer openly advertised. During the War years, rationing and lack of advertising opportunity meant falling sales. Some of the most artistic dildos came from Japan and these were brought back to the US as soldier’s souvenirs. This increased their popularity in post war USA and when vibrating, rubber battons were enhanced with steel spring spines for stiffness this enabled better twist, thrust, and rotation. By 1949, a sex manual entitled ‘The enjoyment of love in marriage’, activately promoted the use of vibrators. Four years later hysteria, the female disorder, was no longer officially recognised and removed as a disease classification from the American Psychiatric Association.

In the 1950's, vibrators were advertised as massagers, zit removers and effective weight loss appliances but Kinsey’s research had indicated the locus for female stimulation was the clitoris, and not the vagina. The use of vibrators for recreation first featured in sex manuals in 1959 and 1960, and by the time, Masters and Johnson, well known sex therapists published their researches into sexuality in the late 60s, the use of vibrators was well established. In 1966, John H Travel designed the cordless torpedo shaped vibrator which ran on batteries. This became the most popular sex toy of the flower power generation. Soon, PVC dildos with a softer PVC filler, became popular. Most of the inexpensive dildos sold today are made this way although chrome-plated steel dildos are also available. Penis-shaped vibrators began to sell in sex shops and via mail order, but they retained a steadfastly seedy reputation during this time. Androcentric sex therapists prescribed vibrators for orgasmic dysfunction and the 70s feminist writer, Betty Dodson encouraged women to explore their sexuality through electric vibrators and promoted the use of the vibrator through her workshops. Dodson’s booklet Liberating Masturbation (later renamed Sex for One) was self published in 1974 and distributed through mail order. The author considered herself to be influential in reviving the mail-order vibrator business. In 1976, Joani Blank wrote Good Vibrations: The Complete Guide to Vibrators which remains a milestone on the subject. As greater sexual freedom for woman prevailed vibrators sold as 'Sex Toys'. Changing attitudes to sexual liberation and the appearance of Adult Sex Shops in the sixties gave the vibrator, now called a massager and sold as a beauty item, a new lease of life.

By the 1990s, silicone rubber dildos were introduced and although initially expensive but prices soon fell. More recently, dildos are available made of borosilicate glass (Pyrex). There are double dildos, with different-sized shafts pointing in the same direction, used by women to accomplish both anal and vaginal penetration at once. There are dildos designed to be worn in a harness, sometimes called a strap-on harness or strap-on dildo, or to be worn inside, sometimes with vibrating devices attached externally. Japan continues to manufacture a quality product.

The Rabbit

Candida Royalle, best known for her feminist porn films, has created the Natural Contours vibrator, a curved device designed to mould itself to the shape of the vulva. The Japanese, always fabulous with technology, have given us the ubiquitous rotating pearl vibrators which have become some of the most popular sex toys on the market today. A more recent development is the Fukuoku 9000, a tiny vibrator that fits over the tip of the finger. Powered by watch batteries, it is considered to be the easiest vibrator to use during sex. Another recent addition to the market is the Eroscillator. This electrically-powered device oscillates from side to side, instead of vibrating up and down, and comes with attachments designed specifically for the clitoris.

The sex police

In 1998, the US state of Alabama passed a law, banning vibrators. It was deemed obscene to sell or manufacture a sexual device which was considered to be “harmful”. The penalities were harsh with 1 year hard labour or a $10,000 fine if found guilty. The law was similar to those in 5 other states, including Texas and Georgia. Outraged, six women and their Civil Liberties Lawyers took their case to court, saying the law invaded their privacy. They also pointed out that Viagra, a device which could be purchased to obtain an orgasm, was on sale in that state. A year later, a judge struck down the law, saying it denied therapy for people with sexual dysfunction, although he refused to guarantee the right to privacy when it came to sex toys. The law still stands in the other states.

Discussion

The vibrator has not really changed in 100 years. The vibrator was a handy household device long before the electric frypan and the iron. Their efforts helped transform society's view of sexuality into something more natural and wholesome, compared to the rigid rules with which they were raised. By selling, buying and using sex toys to enrich their lives, the strident women of the seventies paved the way for their grateful offspring to do the same. Modern dildo vibrators are made for vaginal and anal penetration, however according to Bishop and Osthelder (2001), many women prefer clitoral stimulation. Some vibes are designed specifically for clitoral stimulation. Others are dual-stimulators that touch the clitoris and also have a shaft for insertion. Some vibes are designed for G-spot stimulation whilst others have multiple uses. Each product description tells you exactly what areas the toy will stimulate, with tips and tricks on how to make the most of your new toy.

Bibliography
Bishop C & Osthelder X 2001 Sexualia: From prehistory to cyberspace Cologne: Konemann.
Castelman M The History of Sex Toys Sexual Solutions.
Danielou A 1995 The phallus: Sacred symbol of male creative power
Rochester: Inner Traditions (translated by Graham J.)
Davis C M, Blank J L, Lin H, & Bonillas C. 1996 Characteristics of vibrator use among women The Journal of Sex Research 33:4 313-341.
Levins H 1996 American sex machines: The hidden history of sex at the US patent office Massachusetts: Adams Media Corporation.
Maines R 1989 Socially camouflaged technologies: The case of the Electromechanical Vibrator" IEEE Technology and Society Magazine Vol 8: 2
Maines R 1999 The technology of the orgasm: ‘Hysteria’ the vibrator, and women’s sexual satisfaction Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.
Rancier L 1998 The sex chronicles: Strange but true tales from around the world Santa Monica: General Publishing Group.
Rilly C Great moments in sex NY: Three Rivers Press.
Sears Roebuck Company 1927 Edition of The Sears Roebuck Catalogue USA/Canada:Crown Publishers, 1970.
Scott GR 1996 Phallic worship : A history of sex and sexual rites London: Senate
Taylor T 1997 The prehistory of sex: Four million years of human sexual culture NY: Bantam Books.

Interesting Links
Antique Vibrator and Quack Medical Museum

Antique vibrator museum
Betty Dodson

How many fetishists are there?

2009-01-09T21:18:00.001-08:00

Men are unlikely to go to their doctor complaining of getting an erection at the sight of a shoe or foot and hence it is difficult to estimate how many foot and shoe fetishists there are in the population. Some attempts have been made to analyse internet discussion groups and feet and shoes were found to be the most common subjects. In 2006 data was mistakenly released into the public domain and contained 20 million search keywords for over 650,000 users over a three month period. Sixty-four (64) percent of the sampled population demonstrated a preference for an object associated with the body had a preference for shoes, boots, and other footwear. The ethical implications of using this data for research are still under debate but the finding do concur with other attempts to demonstrate the fetish demographic.

Ball and Chain Shackle

2009-01-07T02:35:00.000-08:00

The Oregon Boot (or Gardner Shackle) was the modern equivalent of the medieval ball and chain shackle. The purpose of the Oregon Boot was to restrict quick movements and was used on prisoners during outside work duty from the mid nineteenth century. J.C. Gardner was the warden at the Oregon Penitentiary and patented his invention in 1866. The Oregon Boot consisted of a heavy iron leg cuff secured about the ankle and held in place by a stirrup like attachment passing under the heel of the boot and on the end of the chain was a heavy metal ball. The Oregon Boot was attached to one leg only and caused the prisoner to drag their foot. Wearing the shackle for extended periods of time caused extreme physical damage and many prisoners ended up bedridden in extreme pain. The boot was used regularly up until 1878 then it seemed to be used as a punishment only with the last recorded use in 1939. J.C Gardner was keen to ensure receipt of his royalties. The term Chain Gang was used to describe prisoners tethered together with chains.

Foot torture: painful ways to gain a confession

2009-01-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

Indigenous Americans used a two pieces of wood carved to resemble a domestic lemon squeezer. Sensitive parts of the body including the feet were squeezed between two plates until the victim could bare it no more. When applied to the foot, the executioner would stand on the upper board or heap heavy stones leaving the victim for hours to bare the pain. Torture by the kittee usually left the victim crippled. A bizarre torture practised in Medieval France called for the victim to be tied to a bench and their feet bathed in salt water. A goat was brought to the poor unfortunate prisoner and allowed to lick their feet. The rough tongue against the sensitive soles plus the fear of being bitten soon brought a confession. Tablillas were pillories used by the Spanish Inquisition and immobilised the toes when the victim was bound to the rack. Sharp wedges were hammered head-on into the toes one by one to obliterate the phalanx. A favourite torture of criminal is toe cutting. This involved the painful removal of the digits or in some cases the complete foot. This was used to inflict pain on a fellow criminal to confess to where they hid the loot for a robbery. Few victims ever inform the authorities since what was taken had been illegally acquired in the first place. An infamous toe cutter was "Jimmie the Pom” and his gang operated in the Sydney area during the seventies. They preyed on fellow criminals threatening bodily harm, till they disclosed the whereabouts of their ill gotten gains. Their modus operandi was to cut people's toes off, with bolt cutters. By day, the leader of the extortionists ran a dress shop. He immigrated to Australia in 1967 and claimed to be a member of the notorious Kray Brothers Gang from East London where he picked up the idea. His technique seemed to work because over the years it is reputed the Toe Cutter Gang was able to amass considerable loot from their fiendish toe fetish. Less adept copycats used blowtorches applied to the soles of the feet to achieve the same end. Historically the Irish were not a nation known to use torture and apart from a brief flirtation with the Irish Boot they left torture to their Celtic cousins, the Scots or their nemesis the English. However in more recent years Irish terrorists have been associated with knee capping, i.e. shooting the victim through the knee. Because this was so commonplace and Belfast orthopaedic surgeons had perfected new reconstructive techniques and combined with the world’s best rehabilitation the victim's chances of walking without a limp improved. Hence the agents of terror changed their modus operandi and shot their victims through the foot.

Flagellation

2009-01-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

Flagellation is the oldest form of punishment and there are two forms of foot whipping i.e. falanga and bastinado. Although foot whipping was not always the same as torture, individuals did use it to this effect. At one time or another many types of whips rods and cudgels were used to beat the soles of the feet. Falanga (and bastinado) describe a form of foot torture where victims were bound with their feet raised and their soles beaten with sticks. In more recent times cables or metal implements might be used. It is thought falanga had its origins in Turkey but was also recorded in the Far East. Persians (now Iran) favoured bastinado, where the victim was gently and rhythmically beaten with a lightweight stick or bamboo on the soles of the feet. Continued bastinado resulted in uncontrollable hysteria and eventual mental collapse. In the Middle Ages, falanga was a punishment often used on traders who were dishonest. For some reason, bakers were particularly singled and this sent shock waves across Europe. In England, bakers attempted to avoid such official scrutiny by making a good will gesture to their customers and supplying a thirteenth role with every dozen purchased. This is the origins of the bakers dozen. A common misunderstanding was the thirteen, represented the twelve disciples plus Jesus. Falanga is still used today as torture, partly because the effects are difficult to identify medically. Blows are sometimes direct to bare feet or through shoes. In severe cases, casualties may be forced to walk on glass; or jump, on the spot carrying a heavy weight. The immediate effects are pains, with bleeding and tissue swelling but permanent damaged is dependent on posttraumatic oedema (or swelling). Torturers might limit this, as part of the ordeal, by cooling the feet or forcing the victim to put their shoes on after a beating. Smashing the heel and ball of the foot destroys the natural fatty-fibro padding, which assists shock absorption in normal walking. Depending on the severity of damage this would leave the victim unable to walk without pain. Skin wounds heal by second intention, leaving painful scars. Detachment of the skin at its deeper levels results in damage to proprioception adding considerably to pathological gait. Many victims report aponeuritis where the whole sole of the foot has become painful. Changes in pressure within muscle compartments necessitate a radical change in walking style. The feet are reported as hot and cold and there is an increase in the rate of perspiration. Stability and balance may also be adversely affected due to falanga. In many regions of the world falanga is still practised as a form of corporal punishment in bringing up children.

Bibliography
Abbott G 1997 Rack, rope and hot pincer: a history of torture and its instruments London: Brockhampton Press

Caspi-caws and the Piquet

2009-01-01T15:27:00.000-08:00

Caspicaw, or chasielawis were iron like frames to hold a leg. These were worn as hose and described a form of torture where the victim had their legs socked, wetting the parchment which bound the frame. They were then placed next to a roaring hot fire or braiser. As the fabric shrunk the ensuing pain was agonising. Foot roasting described a particularly nasty torture when the victims legs were immobilized in stocks and the soles of the feet were smeared with fat and boiled over red-hot coals. In the days of the British Empire, the British Army regiments were stationed in the outposts often living in tented camps. Judicial punishments were barbaric judged by today's standards but extremely effective in the field. One form of torment meted out to unruly privates was called piquet or picket. A long post was driven into the ground and the soldier left to stand on a stool beside it. His right hand was attached to a hook at the top of the post. A short length of timber was driven into the ground near the stool, with its upper end rounded to a blunt point. The soldier had to rest one heel on the stake when the stool was removed. Suspended from one wrist his body mass pressed against the spike through his bare heel. His position was changed every fifteen minutes. Although considered a military punishment but there was one case reported in Trinidad (1801) where a young women had to undergo a modified form of picket where her big toe was balanced on a sharp spike in the ground as she was suspended from the wrists. A similar type of torture was used on witches in the 17th and 18th century. The mark of a witch was keenly sought after as proof and could be found anywhere on their body. Prickers were skilled witch hunters who inspected the accused bodies carefully from head to the soles of their feet. When they came across any blemish they would prick them with special brass pins. If no pain was illicit this confirmed the person was a witch. Once this happened a confession was required. Witches in Edinburgh were hung by their thumbs and lighted candles were placed beneath the soles of their feet to gain a confession.

The tortuous brodequin: Crusher boot

2009-01-01T00:46:00.000-08:00

The Scots have never been backward when it comes to ingenuity and invention and were at the forefront of niche torture, inventing the boot (referred to as brodequins or bootkins). The cunning device ensured maximum agony without endangering life in anyway. There were several versions of the boot and all caused excruciating agony. The earlier boot consisted of a wooden frame around the lower leg and foot, similar to those that support young saplings. This was tightly bound in position with a strong rope. The victim was seated and had both legs encased, side by side. In a systematic way tension was increased to the tissues by driving wooden wedges into the framework causing compression of soft tissue, and crushing the legs and feet. Four wedges were used for ordinary torture and eight wedges in extraordinary torture. As the chords bit through the flesh it caused excruciating pain. In much case the bones were fractured. Later the wooden frame was replaced with an iron boot. Wedges were driven downward between the boot and flesh causing, pure agony. Sometimes the boot was heated until red hot during interrogation, a reference to this practice is found in Grimm's fairytales. Torture of the boot was considered by contemporary observers to be most severe and cruel and it was rare for anyone to survive the ordeal without permanent disfigurement. The alarm caused by the idea of the boot was often enough to loosen tongues but the event of the foot crushing was considered so upsetting to witnesses, many official observers would avoid the torture sessions. This created problems since there had to be independent witnesses present to confirm confession. Orders compelling the number of people required to stay were necessary. The Royals frequently visited the torture sessions and considered them as entertainment. The boot was used from sixteenth century onwards and equally applied to men and women. The boot was often reserved for suspected practitioners of the occult with many accused witches and warlocks were forced to endure foot torture. So successful was this torment several versions of the boot began to appear across Europe. In Spain, the Inquisition used the Spanish Boot which was an iron casing for the leg and foot and had a screw attachment for compressing the calf of the leg. Sometimes the leggings were heated whilst on the leg, alternatively they were pre heated then applied to the naked flesh. The advantage of the former method was questions could be asked before applying heat, otherwise damage was so immediate by the latter method, and there was little advantage to the interrogator. This was done only as a last resort. The French version of the boot consisted of high boots made of spongy leather. These were placed on the legs of the victim who was sat in front of a burning fire. Boiling hot water was poured into the watertight boots penetrating the leather; and causing the flesh to coo. The subsequent shrinkage of the leather as it dried out tore mercilessly at the flesh. The Irish customised the boot and modified the French practice by pouring melted resin into the boots. Confessions were swift. The Austria Hungarian Empire used both crusher boots with wedges as well as the iron boot. Later variations on the basic boot theme included shin crushers from Germany and bone crushing tongs from Spain and the Lisbon Inquisition (1704) used the iron slipper. An alternative to the boot was called the foot press, and consisted of a pair of horizontal iron plates lined with spikes. Systematically each foot was squeezed between them. Another fiendish variant was the instep border, a boot like device with a six-inch retractable spike positioned over the instep. The victim was strapped to a chair and the crank was turned to drive the spike into the boot like enclosure, piercing the instep and emerging through the sole of the foot.

Pedal Pumping: Naughty, naughty

2008-12-29T14:58:00.000-08:00

The latest craze for car and foot enthusiasts has arrived. See a well turned ankle and heels deal with the rigours of acceleration. Part of the allure of pedal pumping videos is the ability to view naughty videos in the work space where risqué material may be banned.

First how not to do it.

Now how best to do it in a Ferrari 360 Modena

Chick Races Ferrari On The Autobahn - Watch more Auto Videos

Interesting sites
Pedal Pumping Dreams

Chinese Torture: Foot binding

2008-12-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

Throughout the ages the Chinese have acquired a reputation for torture. Historically it is more than likely the authorised use of torture in China for purposes of confession, or forms of punishment, and execution, were no more than most other civilised countries of the time. Seventeenth century author, Semedo (cited in Scott, 1995) wrote of a foot torment called Kia Quen where three pieces of wood were connected by a rope. The foot of the victim was placed between the bamboos then systematically squeezed until the heel was compressed into the foot. This form of punishment was reserved for male culprits, whereas females would have their fingers crushed in a torture called Tean Zu. Bastinado or beating the sole of the foot was meted out to both genders as a punishment and often inflicted with sufficient vigour as to cause death to the victim. The origins of foot binding remain vague but most authorities believe it was part of Chinese custom since the 11th century. Some hold the opinion foot binding was in existence for a millennium before. The most popular belief, promulgated by early Christian missionaries, was the Empress Taki (11th century) was born with clubfeet, to avoid her humiliation, her father made an edict that all highborn women of China would have their feet bound. Another reason often cited by contemporary Chinese, who have grown up through the Cultural Revolution, was foot binding was a physical means of preventing married women from infidelity by physically restricting their movements. This would seem unlikely since there is no evidence to support restriction of the female gender in higher Chinese culture prior to modern times. It appears historic record would support the father of Empress Taki kept a troupe of erotic dancers with small feet. They used to dance on a floor of lotus leaves (a symbol of the vulva) for his sensual pleasure. This form of erotica became very popular but not all middle class men could afford the upkeep of a dance troupe. Foot binding of family members became established in the middle classes by way of paying respect to the Emperor. The habit plunged hundreds of millions of Chinese men, from highbrow mandarins to lowly peasants into ecstasies of sexual passion for nearly one thousand years. According to Rossi (1993) for genteel lovers the tiny foot provided endless amusement, with often the smell of the unwashed foot having charms for some, who referred to it as a fragrant bed aroma. Dr Chang Hui Shang considered that the alteration in walking due to the smaller foot caused changes in the female genitalia with sensitive folds developing in the labia. Further heightened sensuousness was experienced by the increased curvature of the sole of the foot, which was referred to as a second vagina. The big toe was proportionately large and tactile. A useful extension. Foot kissing and sucking was a common practice with the whole foot being placed in the mouth. Bound or lotus feet were considered the source of magical eroticism. Without doubt the practice of foot binding was as abhorrent to modern society as any ritualistic abuse. However when it was practised it was not as a punishment, albeit it was extremely painful, but instead as a coming of age, right of passage. To not have bound feet was a disgrace for a woman and social suicide. It is not always appreciated but some men had their feet bound. It is well reported within studies of anthropology that primitive tribes used painful rituals for entering adulthood. The ability to endure pain as a prerequisite for marriage was admired. The proof of pain may by itself have been the ultimate display that decoration was an unselfish act and that it was done to give pleasure to others (Bohannan P, cited in Love, 1997) Some tribes used the pain of scarifications to induce passion and thus fertility. Foot binding may have originally served a similar purpose.

Bibliography
Love B. 1995 The encyclopaedia of unusual sex practices London: Greenwich Editions.
Rossi WA. 1993 The sexlife of the foot and shoe Florida:Krieger Publishing Co.
Scott GR. 1995 A history of torture London: Senate.

Pain and Pleasure: The torture's tool

2008-12-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

Pain is caused by the release of chemicals such as bradykinnin , substance P and prostaglandins and can be divided into two types somatic and visceral. Somantic pain most often is in the muscles and skin. This is mild by comparison to visceral pain, which radiates from internal organs causing nausea and weakness. Detection of somatic pain is found by stimulation of the free nerve endings that lie near the surface of the skin. Once activated they transmit a signal to the brain, however not all sensation will be perceived as painful and the message maybe thwarted in several ways. Nerves, which transmit sensations of deep pressure, vibration, heat and cold, can override pain signals. Moods also affect the process, for example pain is sharper when the person is anxious. Once pain has been registered for 20-40 minutes the body will begin to produce opiate like chemicals to reduce pain sensations. The release of chemicals can cause anaesthetic europhoria and trance like qualities. Moderate anxiety increases the response to pain but paradoxically high levels of fear, including terror, decrease the response to pain. This may explain the why tormentors would use techniques to extremes. Authorities saw no need to pamper wrong doers and were determined to make their lives unbearable as possible to sap their resistance. The victims were often kept trussed up for weeks, usually naked and in extreme cold and damp conditions before confessions were secured. The Star Chamber was formed by Henry VII (1485-1509) and the name came from the magnificent room in the palace of Westminster where, the chief justices, pontiffs and members of Privy Council met. Their remit was to pass sentence on those too powerful to be dealt with by an ordinary court or to decide on cases too complex to be understood by the uneducated juries of the day. Frequently the King would preside and pronounce judgment. The Star Chamber was entirely separate from the common law courts of the day. At first the intention was honourable but it soon deteriorated into a means for meeting out punishment. Under Chancellor Wolsey's leadership (1515-29), the Court of Star Chamber became a political weapon, bringing actions against opponents to the decrees and edicts of Henry VIII. Wolsey also encouraged petitioners to use the Court of the Star Chamber as a court of original jurisdiction, not as a last resort after the common law courts had failed. Depositions were taken from witnesses, but no jury was employed in the proceedings. Although its sentences included a wide variety of corporal punishments, including Peine Forte et Dure, those convicted were never sentenced to death. The court remained active through the reigns of James I and Charles I. The Star Chamber became a byword for unfair judicial proceedings but its supreme powers were not questioned until 1628 and it was finally abolished by the Long Parliament in 1641.

Torture: The religious seal of approval

2008-12-24T15:15:00.001-08:00

In 1231, Pope Gregory IX instituted the Papal inquisition for the apprehension and trial of heretics. This was later extended to include witches, diviners, blasphemers, and other sacrilegious persons. The Pope's original intent for the Inquisition was a court of exception to inquire into and glean the beliefs of those differing from Catholic teaching, and to instruct them in the orthodox doctrine. It was hoped that heretics would see the falsity of their opinion and would return to the Roman Catholic Church. In the event of persistence then to protect the Catholic community from infestation on non-believer suspects were handed to civil authorities for punishment. Unfortunately the tribunals were almost entirely free from any authority, including that of the Pope hence it was impossible to eradicate abuse. In 1478, Pope Sixtus IV (1471-84) issued a papal bull allowing a second variety of the Inquisition, known as the Spanish Inquisition. This was at the specific request of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, of Spain. The regents wanted to unite their countrymen and chose Catholicism. The function of the Spanish Inquisition was to root out non-believers thus purifying the people of Spain. The Inquisitions were administered by both civil and church authorities who gave the Inquisition ultimate power. Run by secular governments much of their activities concerned the legitimacy of "conversos". Most were Jews who had converted either under duress or out of social convenience, and were suspected of secretly practising the Jewish faith. Throughout the 15th & 16th centuries the Spanish Inquisition brought about "a reign of terror throughout Europe" which was responsible for the impoverishment, torture, exile, and death of countless people. In 1483 Tomas de Torquemada became the inquisitor-general for most of Spain. He was responsible for establishing the rules of inquisitorial procedure and creating branches of the Inquisition in various cities. He remained the leader of the Spanish Inquisition for fifteen years and was responsible for the execution of thousands of Spaniards. Accused heretics were identified by the general population and brought before the tribunal. They were given a chance to confess their heresy against the Catholic Church and were also encouraged to indict other heretics. If they admitted their wrongs and turned in other aggressors against the church they were either released or sentenced to a prison penalty. If they would not admit their heresy or indict others the accused were publicly introduced in a large ceremony before they were publicly killed or sentenced to a life in prison. One form of torment was called the Spanish Chair and described a heavy iron chair in which the victim was secured by straps around his neck, arms and upper legs. Integral with the end of the chair was a pair of iron socks, in which the bare feet of the heretic were secured. A glowing brazier was placed at the feet and to prevent the extremities from heating up too quickly, the skin surface of each foot was basted with lard or oil. French criminals suffered a similar torture especially in Brittany, where a pan containing the white-hot coals was moved slowly towards their feet until a confession had been extracted. In Italy King Ferdinand VII had a portable chair made of iron and accompanying pan underneath the seat. The Inquisition was eventually "abolished" in 1834 by King Bonaparte in 1834. Pope Paul III established the Roman Inquisition or Congregation of the Inquisition in 1542. Alarm had spread at the number of Protestants. In its first twelve years, the activities of the Roman Inquisition were relatively modest and were restricted almost exclusively to Italy. When Cardinal Carafa became Pope Paul IV in 1555, he immediately urged a vigorous pursuit of "suspects." One of the main areas of interest was subversive literature and first Index of Forbidden Books was compiled in 1559. Succeeding popes tempered the zeal of the Roman Inquisition, but it was this institution that later put Galileo on trial.

Torture and why the foot?: Part One

2008-12-21T21:27:00.000-08:00

In earlier times the desire to quell free thought and the need to elicit perceived truth were indistinguishable and achieved, in the main, through the medium of torture. Throughout history the black art of inflicting pain has been ever present but perhaps had its heyday in the Middle Ages. By the sixteenth century plain persuasion by means of pressing usually ended in death. Whilst this solved one problem by removing the deviant, it was less satisfactory in court cases where confessions and names of accomplices were required. Feet provided a most acceptable alternative i.e. being easy to inflict excruciating pain with the added advantage of not causing death. Torture of the foot became well established in civilised societies and continues to exist to this day. The use of torture techniques to obtain information is now against civilised culture and a group called Amnesty International works to obliterate it throughout the world. To find out more please visit Amnesty International (USA) .
According to Scott (1995) torture may be described as a form of cruelty or method of tormenting. The concept of torture is based on two fundamental things, human beings capacity to imagine as well as their susceptibility to pain. The skills of the tormentor required to be highly developed as the turn of a screw could have dire consequence. When sanctioned by the State, it was executed by duly accredited or appointed officials, through judicial authorities. Torture and punishment were the primitive law that provided a means for forcing the individuals to act contrary to their wishes whilst compelling them to accept dictatorial jurisdiction. Repression and prevention of all attempts to rebel against that authority or the tenets of its creed was the sole focus of this form of persecution. Torture provided the most powerful instrument available and was subsequently used by the State to wage war against treason; and the Church, in preventing of heresy. Pain was often so extreme the victim was impelled to confess anything, which his interrogators might wish. The provisions of the Magna Carta represented torture as abhorrent to the principle of English freedom but the Anglo Saxons were a callous and cruel race and whilst torture was never recognised by the common law of England, it was practised with the full authority of the reigning monarchs for 400 years. Torture was used to extract confessions and to obtain evidence but the activities were disguised, euphemised or justified under the name of punishment or as a discipline. It may be the principle of public exhibitions involving torture and cruelty may have been an attempt to lessen the incidence of lust, murders and lynching. However judges and executioners of the Middle Ages were compelled to be continually inventing new and more severe forms of torture. The brutal form of punishment practised in one decade became a commonplace method in the next. Recorded history indicates witches were persecuted from the time of Noah but it was not until the end of the fifteenth century when Pope Innocent VIII issued a bull, which specifically called the faithful to exterminate sorcerers and witches as enemies of the Christian religion. Many brave people tried to put and end to the painful persecution but it took till the nineteenth century to become outlawed. The English renounced judicial torture in 1640 and it was abolished in Scotland in 1708. Frederick the Great abolished torture in Prussia. (1740), the Dutch in 1771. The Italians abolished torture in 1786, the French 1789. In Russia it came to an end 1801, Spain 1812, Germany 1831; and Japan in 1873. Torture continues to be used in many countries around the world, despite official denials.

Reference
Scott GR 1995 A history of torture London: Senate.

A brief history of pin ups

2008-12-15T15:21:00.000-08:00

Illustration of the female form as seen in gentlemen’s magazines from the middle of the nineteenth century has become passé in recent years. Despite the influence on modern graphic aesthetic, ‘Cheesecake’ has been largely ignored within scholarly journals. The author attempts to inform the reader by providing a brief social history and evolution of the ‘pin up’, and their illustrators. Despite the rise of pornography and the controversial debate over its effects on equality within contemporary society there remains little evidence to support the artist rendered nude has contributed. For many males seeing girls with little on was not the demeaning assault on the opposite sex, so often depicted within the anti pornographic debate. Taken within an historical context the popularity of the pin up has coincided with global economic peaks and troughs including two world wars. Technology made available to millions of ordinary young men, forcibly parted from their sweethearts, intimate glimpses of the girls they had left behind. Most consoled themselves with the image of the Varga Girl and many died with her image as their only intimate experience of the female form. The author has restricted this inquiry to artist rendered depiction of young women with the main thrust of the paper directed at Girlie Magazines, Adult Comics and Pulp Fiction dust covers. Other medium have been briefly included but only where they relate directly to the above. Cheesecake had its golden age between the 1920s and 1950s spanning Art Deco to Modern Art. The former featured the female figure as a glamour icon and illustrators took this theme and crossed it over to pin up (Martignette 1996, p. 38). For the benefit of the reader the following definitions may be helpful. The term ‘pin-up’ became synonymous with ‘girlie’ illustrations as and from the beginning of the twentieth century. The origins of the term are unknown but many historians attribute the honour to servicemen during WWII who avidly collected magazines and cut out their favourite pictures to display in lockers, mess rooms and on tanks and aeroplanes. Betty Grable was considered the Queen of the pin ups in the 40s and made a film entitled ‘Pin-up girl’. (Gabor 1996. p.21). According to this author (p.23) a ‘pin up’ is a sexually evocative image reproduced in multiple copies in which either the expression or the attitude of the subject invites the viewer to participate vicariously in or fantasise about a personal involvement with the subject. From 1944 onwards many photographic models became known as ‘pin-up’ models, the popularity of the format meant it could be enjoyed more freely for its own sake and as a valid pictorial form. Aesthetic standards improved and the once tardy picture became an acknowledged high art form. ‘Cheesecake’ was a young woman depicted displaying female comeliness and shapeliness and appeared in magazines. adverts, posters, and cards (Bishop & Osthelder, 2001 p 392). According to Gabor (1996, p.27) the origins of ‘cheescake’ came from a newparer editors’ exclamation at seeing a ‘leggie’ publicity picture of Elivira Amazar (Russian diva) in 1915. The conventional image relies on the notions of teasing and allure, frequently with underlying humour. The classic ‘cheesecake’ shows a curvy woman with her sumptuous breasts exposed (or nearly exposed), posing coquettishly in a predictable stylised setting. (Gabor 1996).

Pin ups were intended to stimulate the voyeur, as an aperitif would prepare the digestive juices for a rich meal.

Archaic antecedents

According to Koetzle and Scheid (1994 p.13) what was classified as pornography in earlier times adorns the covers of today’s magazines. Something considered taboo in one culture might raise few eyebrows in another. Hence it is impossible to link modern cheesecake to images of the past by way of explaining the phenomena, instead, archaic antecedents preceded the modern pin up but may have little relevance to explain them. The first poster featuring a naked lady appeared in the 15th century. (1491), a wood cut to advertise a Belgian edition of Jean d’ Arras’s Histoire de la Belle Melusine. The readership was almost exclusively the clergy and subsequently would not be seen by a wider community (Gabor, 1996 p. 14). It took until the 18th century before William Hogarth (1697-1764) made popular images of ordinary people in contemporary society. This included the seamier side of life and presented Western Society of women as sexual beings. Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827) continued the theme into the next century and
produced engraved caricatures of London’s ‘lowlife’ as well as the decadence of the upper classes. Later, James Gillary (1757-1815) treated sexual subjects with broad humour. Gabor (1996, p.33) credits the invention of the high speed printing press (1850) for the increased incidence of exploitative images as more of the general public were accessed to reading. The word magazine appeared for the first time with the introduction of Gentleman’s Magazine (1731). According to Holland, 1998) this contained a collection of newspaper articles, original writing with some verse. Aimed at the upper and middle classes these publications thrived throughout the 19th century. Almost ¾ of the adult population in the UK were literate due to The Education Act in 1870 and ambitious publishers were eager to capitalise on leisure and recreation. Penny Dreadfuls (UK) and Dime Novels (US) were directed at adult readership, whereas the pulps (25c), were for consumption by pre-pubescent boys. From this a new culture grew and according to Gabour (1996) the pin–up phenomenon was an American innovation. In European publications women had been presented as ornate accessories whereas in the new world woman were seen as sexual objects (Gabor 1996 p.36). This was not without a sense of irony, and the same author noted the young American males may have felt they were missing out on the indulgences of the Belle Époque.

The Illustrators

Until the invention of the camera all artists illustrated. A maxim of the pin-up artist was “Pose, clothes and expression.” Rather than depict the nude, emphasis was placed more on human vulnerability. The human spirit rising about the indignance of serendipity. The origins of the pin up can be traced to the works of Charles Dana Gibson, Howard Chandler Christy and in the early works of Roy Armstrong and Albert Vargas. Between 1930 –1960 the pin up girl permeated every part of life. Hollywood greats like Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth may have filled the film screens and movie magazines but was the pin up girls that decorated the walls, wallets and lockers. Aubrey Beardsley (1872 –1898) was a remarkable English illustrator who developed a perverse and playfully theatrical style partly inspired by Greek vase painting. The artist captured the decadent theme of evil by emasculating woman. These figures were often grotesque but with venomous elegance. Beardsley described these drawings as ‘naughty’ and may have unconsciously given form to the ‘vamp.’ In contrast Charles Dana Gibson was an illustrator for popular magazines which were very influential in Victorian times. The artist inspired Americans through the turn of the 20th century with hopes and ideals expressed though his pen-and-ink drawings in Life Magazine. The Gibson Girl first appeared in from 1887 (Martignette 1996 p.35) and her outstanding characteristic was her dignified self-confidence and her sense of privacy. She was a feisty female uninhibited by males. The antithesis of Victorian conservatism and role model for suffrage. She was tall, spirited and independent, yet altogether feminine. She wore stiff shirtwaist, her soft hair piled into a chignon, topped by a big plumed hat. Her flowing skirt was hiked up in back with just a hint of a bustle. She was poised and patrician. Though always well bred, there often lurked a flash of mischief in her eyes. She was spunky and sentimental, down-to-earth and aristocratic at the same time. And she appeared in drawings that captured with bold craftsmanship such timeless themes as love, money, self-deception, and social climbing. For almost a quarter of a century she became a role model for young modern women and was idolised by millions. (Gabor 1996 p.47). ‘Gibson-mania’ prevailed at the turn of the century and merchandising was on the level of Mickey Mouse or Star Wars. Large size books, china plates and saucers, ashtrays, tablecloths, pillow covers, chair covers, souvenir spoons, screens, fans, umbrella stands all bore the image of Gibson's creations. There was even wallpaper for bachelor apartments, with the lovely Gibson faces in endless array. A popular hobby of pyrography saw people burning the Gibson Girl into leather and wood; and the image was traced and stitched into handkerchiefs. There were plays, songs, and even a movie based on his creation. The greatest honour and most lasting memento of the Gibson Girl was the when the Coca Cola Company patented their bottle containers in the shape of the Gibson Girl. Amid this adulation, the well-bred young ladies of the time came (with their chaperones) to Gibson's studio to pose; later, many of them claimed to have been the "original" Gibson Girl.

Dirty Postcards

A common belief is pin ups first appeared on French Post Cards as an early as 1870s but this is unlikely (Gabor, 1996). The picture post cards, as we understand them, were invented by a French bookseller called Leon Besnardeau and the first pin-ups did not appear until 1895 or 1900. The earliest postcards were bathing beauties, which became popular in England. At first these were artistic depictions of women bathing created by artists. Later with photography the models posed against hand painted beach background. The best-known post card artist was Austrian born Raphael Kirchner (1875-1917). His artistic treatment of women was so unique that his provocative women were referred to as Kirchner Girls. In 1901 he came to Paris and created several series of suggestive postcards. In erotic pictures no accessory was too outré as long as it served to project sexual arousal. (Koetzle &Scheid, 1994 p.14). Curtains, drapes, carpets and small items of furniture all served to recreate the atmosphere of the boudoir but what was considered most shockingly precocious were images of women smoking. Liberal attitudes were sweeping through all phases of society during the Belle Époque ( Martignette, 1996 p 36) and Kirchner included many when he depicted his models cothed or coyly showing their charms. The post card reached its zenith by the First World War and the Kirchner Girl was by far the most popular. US soldiers returning home took the cards with them with two main results. According to Martignette (1996, p 36), straight line fashions shown in Italian postcards, were introduce to the US and became the impetus for the “flapper style” which prevailed throughout the 20s also nostalgia meant the images started to be reproduced in cheesecake colanders. The end of the post card era came in 1925.

True Confessions

The National Police Gazette was established in 1845 (US). The popular broadsheet featured both sports and crime and from 1878 onwards sex pictures and sex advertising appeared regularly. Front covers always flagrantly displayed the main stories and when this involved prostitutes they appeared voluptuous and well fed. According to the editors the function of the National Police Gazette was to protect the innocent with moral editorials to guide the reader, thus was juxtaposed with sensational revelations equivalent to what might be found in the National Enquirer (US) or Sunday Sport (UK). The 1870s presented a changing morality in the US with the influence of burlesque and its preoccupation with exposing parts of woman’s bodies having a massive influence on young Americans. The exploitation of the female figure steadily increased and these images were eagerly replicated in the emerging adult’s magazine. (Gabor, 1996.p 40). From 1878, the New Police Gazette was printed on pink paper and distributed to saloons and cheap hotels. It became the barbershop bible until 1922, when hair bopping became vogue and the barber’s clientele changed to accommodate the female fad. (Gabour, 1997. p. 36). By 1890 the rag featured the stars of Burlesques, especially the leggy lovelies of the girls in tights genre. These acts became incredibly popular at this time and the magazine offered pull out supplements of quality photographs, suitable for display. After the Great War the magazine’s circulation plummeted. By this time newspapers had developed were reporting crime and sports more efficiently. To continue to attract readership, editorial emphasis in the 20s highlighted sensationalism and sex. A more enlightened post war society where everything goes were less impressed with the cheap salaciousness of the magazine and the Police Gazette went bankrupt by the next decade. Playful girlie magazines and confession magazines proliferated at this time and all featured colourful front covers (Gabor, 1996. p.37) Gabor (1996) argues these popular rags were partly responsible for the forging the male view; women were happy go lucky sexual objects. A decade later these journals were writing about a more serious side to women’s sexuality. This also corresponds to the Cinema Noire period of Hollywood. Female characters became more complex and were often depicted as sinister. Most media studies experts believe this was as a reaction to women entering the work force, which triggered a misogynistic backlash. By depicting the lighter aspects of the female character in the pin-up may ironically have been a deliberate attempt to promote gender harmony. Certainly more female illustrators started to show their influence at this time. As pulp fiction took hold more and more dust covers depicted lurid paintings, showing heroines in bondage or mortal danger (Martingnette & Meisel, 1996 p 17). Many of the stories were quite innocuous but the front cover, according to Holland (1993, p.), was given the femme fatale treatment. These were aimed to sell the book and had little to do with the story within. Once the thirties accepted the pin up, publishers moved more to include photographs. (Gabor, 1996 p, 76). Cheap paper made from wood pulp i.e. paperbacks sold in large numbers and between the Wars every niche interest was catered for (Holland, 1993). Rationing during the war years temporarily halted growth but when paper was eventually deregulated, cheap girlie magazines proliferated in the 50s. (Holland, 1993 p.13). Interest in American style crime and Nazi torture meant sex, sadism and drug peddling were topics avidly read about . Many of the Science Fiction and Western paperbacks were spiced up with covers highlighting the promise of smut (Holland 1993 p. 65). The dust covers genre showed alluring ladies dressed in the briefest wisps of lace, often depicted in the bedroom guaranteed to make the heart pound. Low brow stories had sex workers posing for business, the popular gangster cover had buxom dames game for a challenge or frail flowers about to be traumatized (Holland 1993 p. 76).

The domesticated role which had women at home, mother, cook and chief domestic manager may have meant young male American felt they were missing out on the indulgences of La Bell and needed something to spice up their lives. Along with sports, drinking, and gambling, the dance halls helped fill the gap. Burlesque came form England and spicy magazines achieved enormous circulations.

Art Mags

In the evolution of the pin-up , one main assumption was paramount and that was young men preferred to be teased by semi-nude poses than to become instantly acquainted with a woman’s innermost gynaecological organs (Turczyn, 2003). Predating the more graphic pornography of the mid to late 50s were art magazines devoted to the female form. These were sold under the guise of artistic magazines or health publications. The first nude photography magazine was “Camera Works” and was founded in 1902 by Albert Stieglitz. Not all the pictures were nudes but when featured all pubic hairs were airbrushed out which gave the image a surreal quality. From a marketing perspective males were more comfortable buying magazines of artistic expression, but certainly the models were professional and the quality of photography better than most of the later girlie magazines. Frontal nudity was restricted until the laws changed comparatively recently (in the 60s & 70s). Until then skin rags featuring frontal nudity were either illegal or their publishers would use the protective umbrella of ‘art photography to gain as large an audience as possible (Gabor, 1006 p. 65). To avoid the censor’s attention text and captions stressed drawing, painting or photographic techniques but the pictures the subjects the styles and the lack of artistry or creativity in the photography made it evident that serious study of the material for artistic purposes was most unlikely. As part of the same movement from mid 30s until the 50s ‘Mutoscope cards’ or art cards were sold from arcade vending machines. These sold in their millions (Martignette, 1996 p 33)

Skin rags: Gentlemen’s Fair

The Covent Garden Magazine was first erotic periodical in UK and emerged in 1773. The Pearl or Journal of Faceriae and voluptuous reading ran from 1879 to 1886 and contained 36 obscene coloured lithographs. In 1783, The Rambler’s Magazine (alternative title: The annals of gallantry, glee, pleasure and the bon ton: Calculated for the entertainment of the polite world) was another popular read. One of the more respected publishers and celebrated eroticist of the nineteenth century was Mary Wilson who produced a wide variety of material but it was not clear whether these were exclusively for men. It took until the First World War before the pin up appeared in specialised magazines. Until then they were featured in popular reading of general interest. The US was by far the greatest consumer and producer of art magazines, girlie mags and Hollywood fan mags. France came second but well behind North America. French girls had a special allure in the minds of young Americans and they appeared to regard French women as more exotic and sexually sophisticated than their own women. This may have had something to do with the famous French prostitutes in New Orleans. The leading magazine during WWI was Captain Willy’s Whiz Bang, published by Fawcett Publications (NY) priced 25 cents. In 1926 it had a circulation of 425,000. The first girly magazines were intended to be respectable empathically and not pornographic. The Esquire Monthly was published from 1933. It was directed at the fashionable elite male and included in the first issue a pin-up drawn by George Petty (Curtis 1997 p, 83). In the ensuing years the Petty Girl rivalled the Gibson Girl for popularity (Austin, 1997 p. 33). She was always accompanied with a humorous caption and the artist’s themes dealt with marital infidelity, promiscuity, money, and flirtation, to appeal to high-class sophistication and humour. One reason why the paint medium was chosen was to celebrate the femininity of American women (Martignett, 1996, p. 33.) Many of the pin-ups were two-three page foldouts.

In 1941 the Memphis Belle (p. 95)

The Petty girl last appeared in Esquire in December 1941 and was replaced by the Varga Girl (drawn by Albeto Vargas). She started to feature from October 1940 and continued until 1946. No longer in cartoon form the drawings were accompanied by humorous verse. Both the Petty Girl and Varga Girl were sex objects, vivid yet unreal, functioning in their own world, and representing the fantasies of men. In accord with the times Varga Girl was patriotic and a film favourite with the enlisted men. Both beauties appeared as ‘nose art” (Martignette 1996 p.43) on planes and tanks as lucky talismen (Gabor 1996 p. 77).

By World War II there were many more girlie mags for the troops including the Reveille (UK). By far the modest famous pin–up during the second world war was Betty Grable and her million dollar legs. The image first appeared in Times overseas edition, 1942) but also was reproduced in Yank, the official GI magazine. She was a` lucky talisman for the men at war. In the late 1940s Alberto Vargas left Esquire and the sophisticated men's magazine tried to find a replacement among the most talented commercial artists of the day. These included such gifted commercial artists as Ward Bennett, Ren Wicks, Robert Patterson, Eddie Chan and Al Moore. However none of their creations reached the pinnacle of the Petty and Varga Girls. By 1958 Esquire had shown its last pin-up collage and Playboy had taken over the mantle. (Gabor, 1996 p.77). Playboy first appeared in 1953 and was a man’s magazine dedicated to the indoor, sophisticated, city dweller. Hugh Hefner, Playboy’s founder, was keen to re-energise the essence of the pin–up days of Esquire with a magazine dedicated to sensuous pleasure. In the first edition, December 1953, Playboy featured articles by Norman Holland and Bob Norman among others including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The ‘Sweatheart of the month’ was Marilyn Monroe (photographed by Tom Kelley) (Playboy magazine archive –1953, 2003). The photo pin-up became progressively bolder yet despite featuring some of the most beautiful women in the world these images were contrived into was an idealised forms with clever ‘touch ups’ and removal of skin blemishes and image editing. In truth the images were no different from the pin up images of Petty and Varga. The term lifelike would be appropriate and the same description may be attributed to computer generated images of, today’s Gibson Girl, Ms Lara Croft. Playboy continued with the popular genre of young vulnerable women in the same tradition of early years. Eg ‘The Adventures of Little Annie Fanny’. History records there was much criticism from the feminist movement at the time, and the ‘Playmates’ was considered to represent the worst features of male chauvinism. The drawings of Alberto Vargas began to appear in Playboy during the 60s and 70s.

The unprecedented popularity of Playboy brought many imitators, the majority of which were inferior quality but several had stand out graphic design and photography. In the UK, Penthouse started in 1965 and was followed by Mayfair (1966), and Men Only (1971). Penthouse was aimed at a more mature readership and contained more risqué pin-ups. Penthouse Pets were less servile and had the independent spirit of the Gibson Girl with an appeal to the young. The magazine was the first to included pubic hair (April edition 1970). When Hustler (US) stripped away the need for pseudo-sophisticated content and romanticised photography, the cheesecake days were numbered. From the 70s onwards the popularity for graphic beauties faded as the need for more photographic exhibits took hold and the traditional pin-up became passé. (Turczyn, C The Gallery of forgotten girlie magazines).

Queen Fetishist

After the Second World War material started to become more raunchy. Between 1942 and 1958, Robert Harrison published a range of cheesecake and humorous photostories. His maxim was ‘girl’s gags and giggles’ (Riemschneider, 2001). Harrison’s crop of girlie magazines included; Beauty Parade: The World’s loveliest girls (1942-1956); Eyeful: Glorifying the American Girl (1943-1955); Titter : Americas Merriest Magazine (1943-1955); Wink: A whirl of girls (1944-1955); and Flirt: A fresh magazine (1947-1955). The successful publisher did not approve of nudity and had his girls caught in slapstick situations with apt captions to match the situation. Only the covers of the magazines were drawn whereas the contents were photographs in black and white. The models were most scantily clad. The eye-catching dust covers were painted by many well known artists including Peter Driben, Earl Morgan, and Billy De Voss. Being formally trained their fresh, tasteful pin up illustrations satisfied all aesthetic standards. Wink followed the formula developed for Beauty Parade but did contain two innovations to set it apart from its rivals, The first was a strong fetish element added to the photo stories. Wink contained girls in chains, whip wielding "wild sirens" and spanking stories. The magazine also ran a reprint of John Willie's "Sweet Gwendoline" comic strip, a double page bondage saga concerning the exploits of Sweet Gwendoline and the dastardly Sir d'Arcy (see picture). For a quarter of a century in the UK, Jane, a comic pin up, appeared in the Daily Mirror (London) (1932 –1959). Many of her comic adventures found her involved in bondage. Eric Stanton was a pioneer in erotic art and founding father of fetish art. Rated alongside, John Willie, both artists featured in magazines produced by publisher Irving Klaw in the 50s. The latter was a photographer whereas Eric Stanton was a graduate of the New York, School of Visual Arts. From 1958 to 1966, he shared a studio with his friend Steve Ditko (creator of Spiderman). They collaborated and Stanton drew the outlines of the comic adventures in India ink and Ditko hand-coloured them. Most of his works were for private commissions but his fame came via mail-order picture stories featuring elaborate, imaginative drawings of plump breasts, tight buns, stiletto heels all incorporated into soft contemporary bondage. According to Hanson (2001), the artist recognised the feminist struggle evoked a strong sexual arousal in men, harbouring guilt for female submission. Among active feminists he was acknowledged as a male feminist in his popular dominance fantasies. By the late sixties and seventies Stanton’s work was featured in transvestite magazines. From the 50s photographers like Elmer Batters had specialised in leg art. The traditional Cheesecake had featured complete body studies but from the late 60s onwards more fetishistic images appeared in the plethora of magazines catering for niche interests. Publications such as Black Silk Stockings, Leg-O-Rama, Nylon Double Take, Sheer Delight, Tip Top and Thigh High all featured Batters’ works. The artist had been very much influenced by Elvgreen’s art of World War II. As a photographer he wanted to create the same allure for legs as had been previously centred on breasts. His favourite subject was Caruska. She had an amply proportioned figure with a cherub type face and according to the artist “ legs from the tip of her toes to the tops of her hose.” Her calves were well formed her feet highly arched with, flexible toes and curved heels. Whilst the eighties witnessed the end of the Cheesecake tease era to be replaced by more explicit pornography there was a bondage-cross over to fashion in the new youth culture of Punk. Inspired by mail order catalogues and fetish magazines of the 40s and 50s, the English painter Alan Jones ironically took the Cheesecake fetishist theme into high art during the Pop Art Movement of the 60s and 70s. Like Stanton he was interested in gender qualities and this became a constant theme throughout his works, often iconically represented by the symbolism of legs, high-heeled shoes and colours. (The pocket library of art: Alan Jones London: Brockhampton Press 1997).

Calenders and Posters

Brown and Bigelow of Saint Paul, Minnesota (USA) became the first and largest calendar company in the world (Reed 1996, p. 16). They company started in 1896 (Martignette, 1996 p 34) and set the glamour art standard for the industry. The first girlie calendar was Colette (1903), taken from a painting by the Italian, Angelo Asti. Sales were sufficient to encourage the company to start a series of pin-up style calendars in 1904. The company were keen to avoid stark nudity and the studies showed provocative but clothed girls in topical, allegorical, or exotic settings. Rolf Armstrong was engaged to draw some of these beauties. In the 20s the artist had become well know as an artist for magazine covers and song sheets with his girls with dazzlingly smiles, flowingly hair and supple limbs. The first nude pin up calendar appeared in 1913, the year the Great War ended. September Morn was inspired by an oil painting by Paul Chabas (1869-1937), entitled Matinee Septembre. It had become a cause cėlèbre when the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice objected to its suggestiveness. The image was pirated, reproduced on calendars and sold in its millions (Gabor 1996 p.22; p.177). By the 40s, Brown and Bigelow were making one image girlie calendars or ‘hangers’ (Martignette, 1996 p. 33), exclusively for a retail market and producing sexier pin-ups aimed at the GI market. Many of these were drawn by Gil Elvgren whose heroines were often caught in humorous but distressing situations. An Elvgren model was never portrayed as a femme fatale rather the girl next door whose charms were revealed in that fleeting instant when she's been caught unaware in what might be an embarrassing situation. The elements conspired in divesting her of her clothing. The artist’s exquisite oils and lush brush stroke, technique made his gorgeous girls appear as glowing wonders. In 1937, Gil began painting calendar pin-ups for Louis F. Dow, another one of America's leading publishing companies. These pin ups were easily recognizable because they were signed with a printed version of Elvgren's name, as opposed to his later cursive signature. When contracted to Brown and Bigelow, he turned out twenty calendar girls each year, ranging from cowgirls of the golden west to sultry sirens of the Riviera. Elvgren looked for models with vitality and personality, and chose young girls who were new to the modelling business. He felt the ideal pin-up was a fifteen-year-old face on a twenty-year-old body, so he combined the two. Alberto Vargas (1896-1982) worked for Esquire magazine and produced the Varga Calender (1941). After Al Moore's three-year solo stint as Esquire calendar artist, the 1952 edition presented the next batch of contenders, including Robert Patterson, Ward Bennett, Ren Wicks and Chiriaka. The ultra-modern, even harsh style of, Mike Ludlow brought the famed calendar series to a close in 1957, by which time Playboy's similar but photographic calendars had made Esquire's painted ladies an anachronism. Even by 1951 photographic pin-ups had became more popular with perhaps the most famous, Marilyn Monroe (1951), published by John Baumgarth Co. (g.p.177). Despite this Brown & Bigelow continued to produce artist rendered pin-ups until 1970s. Throughout the 60s the art reflected the sexual revolution with a much bolder style. Fritz Willis was the last major pin-up artist and was recognised for depicting brazenly sensual '60s women in semi-nude disarray.

By the middle of the nineteenth century posters were used to advertise events. Parisian, Jules Cheret (1836-1932) was a dominant figure and used Japanese woodcut techniques to produce brightly coloured figures of sensuous and careful carousal. His subjects displayed delicate limbs and torsos, beneath gossamer garments. Toulouse Lautrec (1864-1901) was inspired and produced more sensual figures but with less ecstatic allure of his mentor. In the early movement the most popular poster subject was Loie Fuller, an American actress, who starred at the Folies Bergere in Paris (1893). (Gabor, 1996 p. 201) The peak of pin-up poster popularity spanned 1914 to 1960. During the war years, posters took on vitriolic roles and glamorised war but paper shortages meant the poster had less impact. Throughout 20s and 30s posters emphasised less sex appeal with more on good looks, health and cheerfulness as the Western World slavishly followed the body beautiful. The introduction of television had an immense impact and posters they were relegated to ‘lobby art’. (Gabor 1996, p.203). Post 60s, improved printing combined with digitally enhanced photography has given new life to the art form, which appeals to the young.

Censorship

As more fetish type girlie magazines sold in their millions more concerns were expressed as to the effects of obscene publication on social order in 1954 a New York psychiatrist, Fredric Wertham, published a sustained attack on the comic book industry. He convinced many the violent and sadistic contents of comic books would lead to the breakdown of common order and the destruction of ‘Christian civilisation’(Finnane, 1998 p. 49). His works were widely (and wildly) cited to bolster the fight against comics across the western world. From this time onwards the graphic depiction of torture was illegal in comic books. In Australia the ensuing legislation was aimed not just at comics but other forms of mass media including detective novels, romance magazines and the growing number of male-orientated sex magazines (Finnane, 1998 p. 50). According to Shiell (1998) strong censorship laws were such a disincentive there were no examples of Australian cheesecake magazines. Unger (1998 p 69-79) described the works of Kath O’Brien, Australian penman and her creation Wanda the war girl (1942). In the fashion of Jane, she was young, shapely and glamorous and partook in crime and mystery type adventures. In 1949 Moira Bertram was another Australian artist who used a legs, thighs and a glimpse of silk stockings to feminize her villains (Unger, 1998 p.77).

Bibliography
Brown, R. A. Spiry card sets Kitchen Sink Press
Robert A. Brown's two Spiry card
Smilby, F. 1981 Stolen Sweets Playboy Press
The Ilustrated Book of Sexual records 1974,1982,1997-2001 G.L. Simons.
List of magazines can be found at: 1950 –60’s Mens Magazines
http://www.erosarchives.com/fifties.htm 2000.

References
Austin, R. 1997 Petty: The classic pin-up art of George Petty New York
Barker, R. 1977 Sauce London: Hodder & Stoughton
Barker, R. 1979 Gentleman’s relish 1979 London: Hodder & Stoughton
Belle epoque nudes London: Hachette 2000
Bergen, RK 1996 Wife rape: Understanding the response of survivors and service providers Thousand Oaks,CA : Sage.
Bishop, C, Osthelder X. 2001 Sexualia: From prehistory to cyberspace Cologne: Konemann
Bohm-Duchen, M 1992 Themes in art: The nude London: Scala Publications
Bonynge, R 1998 A collector’s guide to theatrical postcards London: Grange Books
Curtis, DG 1997 Perspective on acquaintance Rape http://www.aaets.org/arts/art13.htm The Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.
Elmer Batters Köln: Taschen 1996
Elmer Batters: The Caruska Sittings Köln: Taschen 1996
Finkelhor, D & Yllo, K 1985 Licence to rape: Sexual abuse of wives NY: Rinehart & Winston.
http://www.eroticadrawings.com/unabash/an12en12.txt
Finnane M ‘A moral miasma’ comics and censorship in the 1950s In Shiell A (ed.) 1998 Bonzer : Australian comics 1900s-1990s Redhill South Victoria: Elgua Media. 49-67
Gabor, M. 1996 The pin-up:a modest history Taschen: Köln
Gibson-Girls: Charles Dana Gibson’s elegant drawings captured the spirit of the age http://www.gibson-girls.com
Hanson, D 2001 The fetish king In Schmidt N (ed) Eric Stanton: Renunion in ropes & other stories Köln: Taschen 6-9.
Holland S 1993 The mushroon jungle: A history of postwar paperback publishing Westbury: Zeon Books.
Jones, A. 1979 Sheer magic NY: Congreve Publishing Co.
John Willie’s Bizarre Köln: Taschen 1996
Koetzle M, & Scheid U 1994 Feu d’Amour: Seductive Smoke Köln:Benedikt Taschen
Kroll, E (ed) 1996 Eric Stanton: For the man who knows his place Kőln: Taschen
Martignette C The Great American Pin up In etc p 33
Martignette C G Meisel L K 1996 The great American pin-up Köln: Taschen
Myer, S E America greatest illustrators
Néret, G. 2001 Dessous: Lingerie as erotic weapon Köln: Taschen .
Néret, G. 2001 Erotica: 19th Century : From Courbet to Gauguin Köln: Taschen.
Reed WA 1996 In Martignette & Meisel
Riemschneider, B (Ed.) 2001Pin-ups Köln: Taschen.
Robson, D 1995 The art of the nude NY: Shooting Star Press
The pocket library of art: Alan Jones London: Brockhampton Press 1997
Shiell A (ed.) 1998 Bonzer : Australian comics 1900s-1990s Redhill South Victoria: Elgua Media. Turczyn, C. 2003 The Gallery of Forgotten Girlie Mags http://www.popcultmag.com/oddglimpses/mensmags/mens1.html
WonderClub.com Playboy magazine archive –1953 http://wonderclub.com/magazines/playboy/playboy_magazine_1953.htm

Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Foot

2008-12-12T14:49:00.000-08:00

If you are in Edmonton, Canada or just visiting there is a fab exhibition entitled Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Foot, at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton. The 75-piece collection, courtesy of the Bata Museum, features a 500-year evolution of the high heeled shoe.

More information

Cross Dressing and shoes

2008-12-12T13:53:00.001-08:00

Cross Dressing Foot fetishists are not necessarily sexually motivated and may just enjoy wearing women's shoes (Wise et al, 1991). Terms like feeling sexy, appearing attractive to others, and exuding power in stature are popular reasons for the habit. Some men love the sound high heeled shoes make and others revel in the different materials they are made from. Most wearers insist it is the comfort of the style which draws them to women's shoes and not the idea of the shoe as a sex toy. Wise et al, (1991) described clothing and other objects (fetish) as objects which could be used repeatedly and expediently without any relational costs or commitments.

Bibliography
Wise TN, Fagan PJ, Schmidt CW, Ponticas Y, Costa PY. 1991 Personality and sexual functioning of transvestitic fetishists and other paraphilics Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 179:11 694-698.

Betty Page (1923-2008)

2008-12-12T02:55:00.000-08:00

“She (Betty Page) had a saucy innocence that is both contemporary and provocative, and also nostalgic."
Hugh Hefner

Sadly, Miss Betty Page,iconoclast and one of America's most photographed pin-up girls died from pneumonia in Los Angeles this week. She was 85. Born Bettie Mae Page in Nashville she was one of six children. When her father was sent to jail and her mother could not cope, Betty and two sisters were sent to an orphanage. As a child she was sexually molested by her father. Betty completed an arts degree with Peabody College in Nashville before starting her modelling career in San Francisco then New York. Her combination of girl-next-door freshness and dangerous sensuality made Betty, one of the most famous ‘pin up girls’ was a lady called, Betty Page, the Queen of Curves, more than just another nudie model. Her killer curves (36-32-35), sweet smile, sparkling blue grey eyes, and a unique jet black hairstyle (due to her high forehead) set the scene for the sexual revolution. Daringly (for the time) she appeared in bondage pose and her images not just satisfied her eager fans but also creatively influenced many of today’s artists, designers, writers and filmmakers. As part of her contract, Betty was required to do several bondage or fetish shots for all of her shoots. For the setups she made her own daring outfits and when bondage was required the ropes and chains were done by her friend Paula. Betty has reported she enjoyed all of the modelling she did, including the bondage scenes (as well as spanking, wrestling, whipping, dressing up in a leather pony costume, etc.), and did not feel exploited. It seems the Dark Angel was not a real-life bondage queen, and had great fun posing for the pictures. She was a model to many of the creative photographers of the fifties. Her image appeared everywhere and she posed for Playboy as Miss January 1955. The photographs were taken by Bunny Yeager and featured Betty winking at the camera wearing only a Santa hat as she decorated a Christmas tree. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner described it as "a milestone in the history of the magazine.” Betty Page also had a Hollywood screen test, but refused the casting couch, rejecting overtures from studio executives including Howard Hughes. As a result she never appeared in legitimate movies but did guest on TV shows such as "The Jackie Gleason Show." (The Seinfeld of its time). Her modelling career lasted from 1950 to 1957, after which she completely disappeared. In interviews later Betty told of becoming a Christian and studying the bible at various bible colleges. Despite her self exile she enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the 1980s, as a new generation of fans became obsessed with her legacy. In 1992, the TV programme Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous found her, living with her brother. Despite the moneys paid for her photographs, she never earned a penny more than the standard $10 an hour, modelling fee. In her later life when interviewed she refused to have her picture taken, wanting to remain, on film anyway, forever young. As was her innocence Betty remain agog at her apparent popularity and influence on others. Celebrity look-a-likes include Demi Moore, Lucy Lawless (TV's "Xena: Warrior Princess.") and even Madonna. Betty’s features regularly featured in numerous comic books based on her various personas. In the eighties her character appeared in the Dave Stevens comic "The Rocketeer." Later when it was made into a movie, Betty Page fan clubs and websites proliferated thereafter and Betty Page made a good living signing memorabilia at conventions.

References
Cook K 1998 Playboy Interview: Bettie Page" Playboy, Jan. 1998.
Corwin S 1994 Betty Page Confidential Stan Corwin Productions and Bunny Yeager
Essex K 1991 In search of Bettie Page LA Weekly Oct 11
Essex K & Swanson JL 1995 The real Betty Page Playboy Dec.
Essex K & Swanson JL 1996 Bettie Page: The Life of a Pin-Up Legend
Foster R 1997 The Real Bettie Page: The Truth about the Queen of the Pinups
Henry B 1992 The Betty Boom Playboy, Dec.
Rund JB 1978-1980 Betty Page: Private Peeks vol. 1-4
Silke J et al 1995 Bettie Page: Queen of Hearts.
Snead E 1991 The legend of Betty Page USA Today June 5
Swanson J L. 1996 Bettie Page: The Life of a Pin-Up Legend.
Theakston G 1987-1993 The Betty Pages 1-9
Yeager B 1993 The Real Betty Page" by Interview, July.

Shoes and sado-masochism

2008-12-12T01:18:00.000-08:00

In bondage, high heels act to restrain movement forming a part of the fantasy of enslaving which some people find erotic. Often the very appearance of restriction is exciting to the fetishist. The impressions of an ankle harness for instance can to the discerning eye appear as if the beautiful is trapped and at the mercy of the merciless. Immobile fantasies are a prime turn on for acrotomophiles. Tickling and tickling pursuit is a form of power and dominance. Submissive foot lovers prefer psychological domination or comfortable bondage to pain. In establishments such as leather bars, there are submissive bootblacks, available to polish patron's shoes and boots. Forms of sadism run the gambit from the fairly common carefully controlled play-acting with a willing partner to the very rare open assault which may involve torture, rape and sometimes murder. In play acting mild forms of pain such as spanking and biting are not intended to hurt or mame but to add to the eroticism. Masochistic behaviour can also range from mild to extreme. Mild forms include bondage where tight lacing excites. Much of the attraction of masochistic behaviour is not discomfort of constraint but the promise of release. In both sadism and masochism the release of adrenaline is thought to play a key role in the cycle of orgasm. In the vast majority of cases restraint and punishment represents symbolic enactments that are done consensually, under carefully controlled conditions by trusted partners. At the other end of the spectrum genuinely painful activities such as whippings, semi strangulation, being trampled upon and self mutilation carry with its practice health risks. Most sado-masochistic acts in their extreme forms can be physically and psychologically dangerous, the majority of people engaging in these behaviours do so with the understanding of the risks and stay within carefully predetermined limits. The high laced boots of the Victorian grande cocotte represent both a symbol of love and a symbol of aggression to the sado-masochist.

Retifists

2008-12-10T00:55:00.000-08:00

Shoe fetishism i.e. retifism, is similar in principal to foot fetishism but with the shoe the total focal point for arousal. Some retifists need only the shoe to be satisfied. Others will incorporate shoes within their coital habits and to a high level shoe fetishist, complete satisfaction is only possible when a shoe is involved. Flugel (1930) described the phenomenon where clothes could not only arose sexual interest but in themself symbolised the sex organs. Because the shoe became an erogenous zone then lovemaking incorporated all that would take place around genitalia with kissing, licking, biting and caressing all common place. To the retifist the shoe resembles female genitalia with even the aroma of the shoe a powerful aphrodisiac. The heel represents the phallus and is an aspect oft favoured for frottage and masturbation. Brame, Brame & Jacobs (1996) believe many foot fetishists are uncomfortable with tastes which appear extreme or kinky. Most foot lovers were repelled by D & S or acts considered unclean, such as sniffing socks or licking shoes. This may be a manifestation of their internal conflict i.e. if foot fetishism was shameful then other kinky desires were even less acceptable. As a group gay men seem to be the most at ease with foot /shoe fetishism. The belief is since homosexuals men have already come to terms with a momentous social challenge in their sexuality then acceptance of stimuli is no major drama. Retifists usually collect women's shoes and have exquisite taste for elegant style. Their preference covers the seven basic shoe styles described by Rossi (1993) and materials such as leather and furs often influence their choice. Retifists will personalise their collection by giving names to their favourite shoes. Possession of shoes is important to the retifist and in cases of paraphilia; men may steal the shoes they are attracted to. Kiernan (1917, reported in Rossi, 1990) first described the term kleptolagnia which was used when theft took place when associated with sexual excitement. "Hephephilia" is a term used when there is an uncontrollable urge to steal the objects of specific focus. Many hephephiliacs are ordinary people with no criminal intention other than a compulsion to possess the object of their desire due to a repressed or complicated sex life. Theft from shops is common as is robbery from private property. Many retifists keep copious records of their activities all of which adds to their excitement. Shoe snatching, including foot assaults, have been reported around the world. When these cases do come to court however the behaviour is often dismissed as a trivial deviation. Most medical authorities agree such behaviour signifies power and indicates domination. Richard von Krafft-Ebing considered the majority of shoe fetishists were masochists. Wedeck (1963) described this behaviour as someone who would steal shoes from their victim and tear, slash or burn them to attain a sexual climax. Retifists report higher use of sex services because they find difficulty in trying to convince their partners to comply with their fantasies. The term "bootman" is commonly used within the sex industry to describe retifists. In the majority of cases, shoe fetishism pose no danger to others and individuals pursue their use of the fetish object in private, usually through masturbation. To the submissive foot fetishist the idea of kissing the masters’ feet relishes his physical, psychological and even social inferiority to the dominant.

Famous retifists include: Publius Ovidius Naso (or Ovid), Omar Kayyam, Retif de La Bretonne, Leo Tolstoy, Feodor Dostoevski, and Oled Cassini.

Bibliography
Brame GG, Brame WD & Jacobs J (1996) Different loving: the world of sexual dominance and submission London: Arrow.
Flugel JC 1930 The psychology of clothes London: International Universities Press.
Rossi WA 1990 Foot and shoe fetishism : part one Journal of Current Podiatric Medicine 39:9 9-23.
Rossi WA 1990 Foot and shoe fetishism : part two Journal of Current Podiatric Medicine 39:10 16-20.
Wedeck H E (ed) 1963 Pictorial History of Morals New York Philosophihical Library.

Profile of Foot Fetishist

2008-12-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

Published research indicates fetishists have poorly developed social skills, are quite isolated in their lives and have a diminished capacity for establishing intimacy. Rossi (1990) reported the majority of male fetishists were married, living perfectly conventional lives with their spouse, who in turn was fully aware of partner's behaviours and preferences. In most instances the author reported the fetish did not interfere with normal sexual relations. Clearly there seems to be a dichotomy of thought. Perhaps the former description meets the profit of level 3 & 4 Fetishism and Rossi's description Level I & 2. However there remains a dearth of informed opinion within the scientific literature and as such no hard and fast conclusions can be made. Not all foot lovers (or podophiles) are shoe fetishists, or vice versa and seldom will they be attracted to both. The majority of fetishists are completely unaware of the beginnings of their love of the foot. Foot fetishists tend to keep their inclination concealed for fear of social ridicule or other apprehensions. They maintain a close network of fellow fetishists wherein they function comfortably. Clubs and now websites have sprung up catering for these special interests. Foot fetishists can be found in every sphere of society, and this includes many famous and influential people including; Casanova, von Goethe, Charles Pierre Baudelaire, George du Maurier, Thomas Hardy, F Scott Fitzgerald, and Quentin Tarantino.

Estimating the number of foot fetishists is complicated because many are latent or closeted. Most authorities agree men are more likely to be sexually aroused by a pedal fetish but no one is entirely sure why this is so. When incidence is compared to other paraphiliac behaviour such as exhibitionism, cross dressing, and sadomasochism, the population has a similar demographic (von Krafft-Ebing, 1965). There is no reliable data on the number of foot fetishists but estimates indicate something in the region of between one quarter to three quarters of one per cent of the adult male population (aged over 17). Translated into Australian , that would mean there were approx 50k in the country with 4.5k in WA. Enough to fill a medium sized stadium at a final to overflow and those waiting at the gate would represent the number of male foot fetishists in the state of WA.

Fetishists view the foot as others seek aesthetic pleasure from some other erogenous form. Points of attraction include the size of the foot, curve of the arch and instep, the length and straightness of the toes, the texture and complexion of the skin, contours of the heel and ankle, the softness of the sole, and if possible, even the foot odour. Each segment is an exquisite part to kiss, bite, caress, lick and fondle. Even the toes are used to simulate fellatio (Stekel, 1964). The fetishists attraction to the foot (or shoe) is because it has exactly the characteristics considered most attractive and elegant in the female personality. Unless these features match completely then no attraction will take place (Ellis, 1936). The fetish is usually meticulous about cleanliness although there have been reports in the scientific literature about dirty feet being of particular attraction, especially in homosexual foot fetishists. Foot odour is a powerful sexual arousal factor for podophiliacs. Aigremont reported in Rossi (1990) the smell of feet was to the fetishist the same as the smell of the genitals to others and the olfactory stimulus added to the sexual excitement. Foot lovers like to be stimulated visually and will gaze at pictures of feet. By in large foot lovers enjoy relatively gentle aesthetically pleasing scenes that concentrate on soft caresses, kissing or licking and worship. They revel in the sensuality of the object of their desires.
The fetishist experiences intense sexual excitement and arousal from direct pedal lovemaking which is either used as precoital behaviour or a substitute for coitus itself. Most shoe and foot fetishists are relieved to learn their partner will usually accommodate foot loving into normal intimacies. This is probably because foot fetishism is usually considered non-pathological and a variation of normal intimacy. The foot is a very tactile organ which gives sensual pleasure to both partners. Foot tickling can itself provide a pleasant foreplay as well as an erotic response. The devoted foot fetishist will voyeur feet in the same way others seek the opportunity to view people dressed in tight clothing. They are naturally attracted to feet dressed in open design footwear such a high heel sandals. The focus of their attention is on the behaviour of the owner especially in the way the person uses their feet in non verbal ways.

Bibliography
Ellis H 1936 The Psychology of Sex (Vol I & II) New York: Random House.
Rossi WA 1990 Foot and shoe fetishism : part one Journal of Current Podiatric Medicine 39:9 9-23.
Rossi WA 1990 Foot and shoe fetishism : part two Journal of Current Podiatric Medicine 39:10 16-20.
Stekel W 1964 Sexual aberrations New York: Grove Press.
von Krafft-Ebing R 1965 Psychopathia sexualis New York: Putman's Sons.

Inanimate and animate fetishism

2008-12-05T23:03:00.001-08:00

Fetishism is a fixation on an object or body part (that is not primarily sexual in nature) and the compulsive need for its use in order to obtain sexual gratification. The fetish object is almost invariably used during masturbation and may also be incorporated into sexual activity with a partner in order to produce sexual excitation. Fetishists usually collect the object of their favour, and may go to great lengths, including theft, to acquire just the "right" addition for their collection. Inanimate object fetish can be divided into form and media fetish. Form fetish is where the object and its shape are important e.g. high heeled shoes. Media fetish describes when the material is the main attraction e.g. leather or fur. Animate object fetish involves parts of the body i.e. feet, legs and buttocks, ankles, toes etc. Valerie Steele (1996) believes it is almost impossible to draw a clear line between foot and shoe fetishism but other authorities would take a different opinion. Freud (1927) was convinced all women were clothes fetishist, and believed clothes were worn to provocatively shield the erotic body. Most authorities acknowledge there is a difference between foot and shoe fetishism (retifism) and someone who innocently collects shoes. This behaviour is neither thought to be pathological fetishism nor normal fetishising. It usually involves females but not exclusively. This area of human behaviour is much neglected within the literature. Fetishism is not thought to be a typical female trait (Richards, 1996).

Bibliography
Freud S 1927 In Standard Edition Vol 21 London: Hogarth Press 1961 1490-157
Richards K R 1996 Ladies of fashion:pleasure, perversion or paraphilia Inter Journal Physchoanalysis 77 337-351.
Steele V 1996 Fetish: fashion, sex and power New York: Oxford University Press

Levels of festishism

2008-12-05T01:30:00.000-08:00

Fetishism is best understood as a continuum of behaviour ranging from Partialism as the base level to High level fetishism. Stekel (1964) describes ‘partialism’ as a mild preference for certain kinds of sexual partners, sexual stimuli or sexual activity. Not exactly a true fetish but instead a liking towards the object. The second level is described as low intensity fetishism where a stronger preference to certain kinds of sexual partners, sexual stimuli or sexual activity is evident. Normal sexual relationships continue but may incorporate the object of attraction in foreplay. In Level 3, or Moderate Intensity fetishism the specific stimuli is essential for sexual arousal and sexual performance. With moderate intensity fetishism the male fetishist may concentrate on the object (e.g. high heeled shoes) with such focus as to make the object the key feature of the sexual interest and activity (Caprio, 1967; Flugel, 1930, cited in Rossi, 1990a). Menninger, also referred to in Rossi (1990b), considered the unconscious mind capable of substituting various parts of the body for the genitals. Hence individuals became sexually excited and ultimately gratified by the contemplation of caressing of the foot, toe, sock or shoe. In Level 4, or High Level fetishism (Gebhartt, 1994) specific stimuli replace the need for the sexual partner to be present.

Bibliography
Stekel W 1964 Sexual aberrations New York: Grove Press
Thompson B Soft core London: Cassell
Caprio FS 1967 Variations in sexual behaviour New York: Citadel Press.
Rossi WA 1990a Foot and shoe fetishism : part one Journal of Current Podiatric Medicine 39:9 9-23.
Rossi WA 1990b Foot and shoe fetishism : part two Journal of Current Podiatric Medicine 39:10 16-20.
Gebhardt PH 1994 Fetishism and sadomasochism In Gammon L & Makinen M Female fetishism: a new look London: Lawrence & Wishart p 38.

What causes fetishism

2008-12-04T03:22:00.000-08:00

Sexual behaviour including partialism is thought to be formed in part by biological factors as well as environment. The nature versus nurture arguement still prevails but there is no satisfactory explanation why foot and shoe fetishism are more common among males then females. Like many paraphilia or unusual erotic inclinations, the cause remains unknown albeit there are several theories:

Psycho-analysists theorise an individual with a paraphilia is repeating or reverting to a sexual habit that arose early in life. They believe these usually relate to early childhood experience, which involves a psychological or psychosexual catalyst. Certain individuals discover pleasure and gratification as a coping mechanism to deal with stress. The memory becomes a fixation until it converts into repetitive behaviour. Freud was the first to insist the extravagant sexual theories of little boys may be out grown or forgotten but they were never entirely given up. They were repressed but persist as unconscious fantasies that were ready to return whenever there was a serious threat imagined or actual, to the man's hard earned masculinity. Freud was interested why some objects were more commonly associated with fetish than others. He considered it had something to do with the last minute before the woman could be considered as phallic. Hence this might account for why items of clothing such as underwear would become the focus of the fetishist. Shoes according to Freud would evoke the moment when the young boy glanced up his mother's skirt. Feminist thinkers contest the Freudian approach as phallocentric and believe fetishism is classified as a perversion because it disrupts the phallocentric or penis-focused, sexual disorder.

Behaviourists suggest paraphilia begins through a process of conditioning, e.g. non-sexual objects can be associated with intense sexual pleasure and if repeated often enough can result in the person preferring these circumstances to normal contact.
Other theories include sexual phobia, impotence or some other sexual dysfunction, which enforces individuals to seek alternative gratification. The literature cites many cases where complete orgasm or ejaculation is incomplete until foot loving takes place. There is however no evidence of any genetic or hereditary factors. Recent research would indicate a potential connection to specific organic lesions of the brain with conditions such as epilepsy being implicated. Many psychologists today believe that Freudian theories have little scientific validity and they place more credence in neurological factors. The higher incidence of males is more than likely due to generic, hormonal or evolutionary causes. One interesting interpretation is attraction to body features such as feet maybe part of reproductive biology. Those items of interest reflect conditions associated with fertile females and these may be simulated or exaggerated by fashion including tight packaging such as corsets and shoes. According to Brame, Brame & Jacobs (1996) most of the fetishists they interviewed, who listed foot fetishism as an interest, recalled an erotic encounter with feet in childhood i.e. crawling near an adults foot and feeling pleasantly stimulated, using parent's shoes as playthings, being tickled or nudged or trod on by a parent or other child. Most of those interviewed admitted to have had pre-existing desires or attractions. Fetishists reported being attracted to specific shoe styles some not available during their childhood which led the authors to consider the precise source of excitement may be amenable to change. The causes of fetishism are however likely to be complex or at least, multifactorial. Whatever the cause, paraphiliacs seldom seek treatment and in many cases the individual derives such intense pleasure that giving it up would be unthinkable.

Bibliography
Brame GG, Brame WD & Jacobs J (1996) Different loving: the world of sexual dominance and submission London: Arrow
Freud S 1927 In Standard Edition Vol 21 London: Hogarth Press 1961 1490-157.

Pedal Paraphilia

2008-11-30T01:14:00.001-08:00

Fetishism as we would recognise it today appeared in Europe in the eighteen century and crystallised as a distinct sexual phenomenon in the second half of the nineteenth century. (Steele, 1996). Today's fetishism is associated with perversion involving a sexual association with an inanimate object (Wedeck, 1963). The term evokes images of "kinky" sex, involving abnormal attraction to items of clothing such as high heeled shoes and body parts, i.e. feet. In the past decade, fetishism has become increasingly applied to a wide variety of behaviour some with no overt sexual component (Nersessian, 1998), but this is out with the scope of this presentation and the author will restrict the topic to pedal paraphilia. According to Brame, Brame & Jocobs (1996) the definition of foot fetishism is a pronounced sexual interest in the lower limb or anything that covers portions of them. The allure normally attributed to erogenous zones is literally translocated downward and the fetishist response to the foot is the same as a conventional person's arousal at seeing genitals. Freud (1905) considered foot binding as a form of fetishism. Moderate to high level fetishism would be classified as a type of paraphilia. Paraphilia maybe classified as a type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) through sexual behaviour. Paraphilia describes abnormal digressive behaviour where sexual arousal and gratification depend on fantasising about and engaging in sexual behaviour that is atypical and extreme. To comply with this definition these behaviours should have been an established pattern for no less than six months duration. For some individuals, paraphilic fantasies or stimuli are obligatory for erotic arousal and are always included in sexual activity. In others, the paraphilic preferences occur only episodically, whereas at other times the person is able to function sexually without paraphilic fantasies or stimuli. A paraphilic is distinguished by a preoccupation with the object or behaviour to the point of being dependent on that object or behaviour for sexual gratification. Most behaviour in less extreme circumstances is often quite common and not considered abnormal.

American Psychiatric Association classify paraphilia into two pathological categories:

Criterion A "The essential features of a Paraphilia are recurrent intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviours generally involving 1) non-human objects, 2) the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner, or 3) children or other non-consenting persons, that occur over a period of at least 6 months

Criterion B "The behaviour, sexual urges, or fantasies cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other relevant areas of functioning."

Some authorities argue the initial driving force behind the need to seek "pleasure or gratification" is anxiety and distress. It's very possible that in infancy or childhood, at a primitive learning level, certain individuals discover pleasure and gratification as a coping mechanism to deal with stress, and that, indeed, OCD helps to establish a paraphilia. In the case of pedal paraphilia, the concentration is on the foot, stockings or shoe. Whilst self-incorporation of feet in foreplay or lovemaking is innocuous only when it becomes the point of psychological dependence, can paraphilia be diagnosed. Fetishism is a type of paraphilia. Ellis (1936), a twentieth century, English essayist, physician and pioneer sexologist was of the opinion the foot (or shoe) was not a mere instrument, but a true symbol and focus of worship to the fetishist. In the true sense of a fetish, the foot (or shoe) became an idealised object which the fetishist was content to contemplate or reverently touch. Ellis & Arabanel (1961) acknowledged the most frequent form of erotic symbolism was that which idealised the foot and shoe. People can also have a sock or hose fetishism. Many are males but there are some noted case studies of females with hose fixation. The habit is often associated with an auto-erotic asphyxia fixation which is sexually driven. Like feet and shoes, hose fetishists require some specific attraction in the object which may include special colours, shape or smell. People with sock fixation will have no special attraction to feet or shoes.

Bibliography
American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed) American Psychiatric Association 1994.
Brame GG, & Brame WD, & Jocobs J, 1996 Different lovong : the world of sexual dominance and submission Arrow.
Ellis A, & Abarbanel A 1961 Encylopaedia of sexual behaviour Vol1 New York: Hawthorn Books
Ellis H, 1936 The psychology of sex (Vol I & II) New York: Random House Press: London.
Freud 1905/1962a Three essays on the theory of sexuality In Stachey J.(ed & translation) The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (vol 7) London: Hogarth Press (original work published 1905).
Nersessian F 1998 A cat as fetish: a contribution to the theory of fetishism Inter Journal Psychoanal 79:4 713-725.
Steele V 1996 Fetish: fashion, sex and power New York: Oxford University Press.
Wedeck H E (ed) 1963 Pictorial History of Morals New York Philosophihical Library.

Castration Theory and beyond

2008-11-26T14:45:00.000-08:00

The origins of the word fetish is thought to come from Portuguese "feitico" and derived from the Latin, "factitius" or "facere", to do or to make. The implication being the artefact was created artistically or by the supernatural and was worshipped in obsessive fashion because of its magical powers i.e. a lucky talisman. The attraction could be sexual or non-sexual, and the object, inanimate or animate. According to Steele (1996), the original meaning was either religious or anthropological. By the nineteenth century, the term had been extended to refer to anything, which was irrationally worshipped. French psychologist, Alfred Binet, was the first to describe fetish in the psychological sense, in 1887. As the science of sexology developed from the nineteenth century the term fetish became firmly associated with sex and the attraction of certain portions of the female body, or specific articles of female attire. Examples of body parts, which attract the fetishist, include feet, hair, buttocks, and breasts; and objects include: gloves, lingerie, hose, leather, brassieres, and garters. Freud’s observations and psychological discourse on fetishism (Castration Theory) has been increasingly challenged. Although Freud's work is now no longer accepted verbatim his observations came at a time in history when they continue to influence much of modern thinking in psychoanlaysis. In laypersons terms what Freud observed was some men feared the sight of the vulva and to surmount this psychological aversion, the fetishist object was endowed with the characteristic, which made female genitalia more tolerable as a sexual object. Freud saw the function of the fetish object as a token of triumph over the threat of castration and a protection against it. Kaplan
(1991) summarised this argument with brevity and wit by observing " The adult fetish cannot introduce his penis into the temple of doom (vagina), without a fetish to ease the way." Ernest Becker argued fetishism represented the anxiety of the sexual act and the fetish itself was a lucky charm to transform the terrifying reality into something that transcended anxiety. Performance anxiety is a male fear and this according to Steele (1996) is one reason why fetishism is almost always a male obsession. The history of fetishism is interesting and there are distinctly two schools of thought. Many believe fetishism has been around for thousands of years whereas others consider it developed only in modern Western society. Freud considered the shoe to represent the female genitals but by the time he wrote about fetishism the foot had been an erogenous zone for centuries. He described the foot as a phallus and when it entered the shoe, union was symbolically complete. Since Freud's original study of fetishism and his description of the geneses of the symptoms, many additions and elaboration have been made to these propositions.

Biography
Kaplan L 1991 Female perversions: the temptations of Emma Bovary New York: Doubleday.
Steele V 1996 Fetish: fashion, sex and power New York: Oxford University Press

The power of the foot

2008-11-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

"Oh your feets too big
Don't want you cause your feet's too big
Mad at you cause your feet's too big
I hate you cause your feet's too big
Oh your pedal extremities are colossal"
Fats Waller

History has shown in the presence of an epidemic of a sexually transmitted disease great emphasis was placed on foot erotica. This phenomenon was never so convincingly witnessed as in the aftermath of the 80's AIDS epidemic. Interest in pedal sex materials both soft and hard has boomed. In the recent Economist's review of the sex industry they identified "foot fetishism" as a growth area while"...readership for most mainstream soft-core magazines ...has plummeted. The industry is reckoned to be worth billions of dollars, globally. Reference to foot iconoclasm abounds in today’s advertising and promotions and the fashion cat walks are full of references to the power of the shoe. Moral activists have condemned foot fertishism for many years, branding the oracice pornographic yet actual fact foot sex is by its very nature a segregate coitus and unlikely to fall in to any existing definition of obscenity. This has not stopped moral crusaders from branding the practice as obscene, degrading and pornographic. Foot fetish sites are now freely available on the World Wide Web and some authorities claim the renewed objectification of the foot in Equus Eroticus is a demonstrative example of post-modern female power.

Fetishism, retifism and cross dressing

2008-11-24T14:36:00.001-08:00

There is a school of thought which supports the belief fetishism has been around for thousands of years whereas others consider it is a recent developed to modern Western society. Fetishism as we recognise it today appeared in Europe in the eighteen century and crystallised as a distinct sexual phenomenon in the second half of the nineteenth century. Sexual behaviours including preferences are in part governed by biological factors and fetishism seems to be a product of both history and nature. At present there is no satisfactory explanation why fetishism is more common among males then females. The higher incidence of males is more than likely due to generic, hormonal or evolutionary causes. Fetishism has been described as a continuum of behaviour which varies in intensity from partial to; to completely obsessed by.

Steele (1996) described four stages.
Level 1: Partialism (Stekel,1964)
A mild preference for certain kinds of sexual partners, sexual stimuli or sexual activity. Not a true fetish but instead a liking towards.

Level 2: Low intensity fetishism
A strong preference exists to certain kinds of sexual partners, sexual stimuli or sexual activity. Normal sexual relationships continue but may incorporate the object of attraction in foreplay.

Level 3: Moderate intensity fetishism
Specific stimuli are necessary for sexual arousal and sexual performance.

Level 4: High level fetishism (Gebhartt, 1994)
Specific stimuli take the place of the sexual partner.

Shoe fetishists or retifists are similar in principle to foot fetishists but their stimulus i.e. the shoes, becomes the total focus for arousal. Some shoe fetishists need only the shoe and not the person to be satisfied. Others will incorporate a shoe within their normal coital habits and to the true shoe fetishist complete satisfaction is impossible unless a shoe is involved. Flugel (1930) described the phenomena where clothes could not only arouse sexual interest but in themselves symbolise the sex organs. Because the shoe becomes the erogenous zone then lovemaking incorporates all that would take place around genitalia. i.e. kissing, licking, biting and caressing. The delicate parts of the shoe resemble to the shoe fetishist the anatomy of genitalia. Even the aroma of the shoe has powerful aphrodisiac properties. The heel seems to represent the phallus and is an aspect oft favoured. Retifists usually collect women's shoes and appear to have exquisite taste for elegant style. Retifists often personalise their collection by giving names to their favourite shoes. Possession of shoes is important to the retifist and in cases of paraphilia, the man may steal the shoes they are attracted to. Theft from shops is common as is robbery from private property. Retifists report less success in convincing partners to comply with their fantasies and hence use sex workers. The term "bootman" is used in the trade to describe such a client. In the majority of cases, a person with a shoe fetish poses no danger to others and pursues the use of the fetish object in private, usually through masturbation.

Shoe fetishists are not always sexually motivated and may just enjoy wearing woman's shoes. Many cross dressers for example are made aware of their attraction to female clothes when, as young children, they innocently witness sisters and other female members of the family, dressing. After all it is perfectly natural to have countless fittings before a special occasions such school balls and weddings. The female preparation in these circumstances is far more complex and intimate than males. These sessions would hold strong erotic attraction for any sensitive youth. Shoes complete the outfit and can only be appreciated at the end of the fitting sessions. Viewed with other accessory clothing shoes hold a provocative attraction. and under certain circumstances, some males are compelled to wear women's shoes. Terms like feeling sexy, appearing attractive to others, and exuding power in stature, are popular reasons for the habit. Some men love the sound high heeled shoes make and others revel in the different materials they are made from. Most wearers insist it is the comfort which draws them to wearing women's shoes and not the idea of the shoe as a sex toy.

Bibliography
Flugel JC 1930 The psychology of clothes International Universities Press: London.
Gebhard P 1969 Fetishism and sado-masochism Science and Psychoanalysis 15 71-80.
Steele V. 1996 Fetish: Fashion, sex and power New York; Oxford University Press.
Stekel W 1964 Sexual Aberrations NY: Grove Press Inc.

Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, The Marquis De Sade and pornography

2008-11-23T17:16:00.000-08:00

The Marquis De Sade (1740-1814) and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895) have both given their names to forms of eroticism in which pleasure and pain, voluptuousness and suffering are closely allied. De Sade took pleasure in the pain he inflicted whereas von Sacher-Masoch attained the same ends, by the pain he endured. Freud believed that within each of us there is both the sadist and masochist and these character traits for most, lay latent and repressed. Forms of sadism run the gambit from the fairly common carefully controlled play-acting with a willing partner, to the very rare aggressive behaviours that may include falanga, rape or even murder. In the former mild pain may result from such acts as tickling and biting Likewise masochism can range from mild to extreme. High heel, bondage at one end of the spectrum to genuinely painful activities such as: whippings, semi strangulation, being trampled and self mutilation. Richard von Krafft-Ebing considered the majority of shoe fetishists were masochists where the male is physically damaged by the women's high heel shoe. All this interest occurred at a time when the camera was invented which would herald the beginning of modern pornography. The growth of foot fetishism also mirrors the sexploitation of children and possibly for similar reasons. Although sexploitation of children has been with the human race since the beginning of time, fear of contracting a sexually transmitted disease may account for interests in virgins. In our patriarchal society totally devoted to wealth, the fear of bastard claims on material possessions further promoted interest in purity and chastity.

Podophobia

2008-11-23T03:31:00.000-08:00

Podophobia describes an abnormal or persistent fear of feet. Not to be confused with ipod-phobia which is a fear of MP3s. Podophobia is reasonably common anxiety phobia which describes people with an acute aversion to the sight of feet, either their own or other peoples. Symptoms vary from a mild dislike to physiological changes such as breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, or even a complete axiety attack. Further some people become quite angry and very upset at both sight or touch of their feet and in some cases even when others, like the doctor or podiatrist, is talking about their feet. Podophobics receive little sympathy and are often made fun of by others who do not quite understand anxiety phobia. Podophobia most often presents as a specific phobia triggered by feet or their association but can also be part of a social phobia which involves fear of other people and social relationships. Most podophobics cope by adopting abnormal behaviours which usually involve ornate rituals covering their feet from sight even when sleeping. Many avoid the company of others and usually demonstrate low self esteem. The symptoms manifest only when the person has to display their feet in the company of others. Most specific phobias cab be traced back to a triggering event, usually a traumatic experience at an early age but social phobias are more complex and the cause remains unknown. This most seriously affected by social anxienty suffer clinical depression with many resorting to alcohol and drug dependency. Podophobics are usually fully aware their reaction to feet is quite illogical and groundless but they have no control to stop the high anxiety cause by their presence. Biochemically anxiety arises as part of the natural flight or fight mechanism when the hormone adrenalin is released. Once the danger has passed blood adrenalin level usually return to normal but in some people the high adrenalin levels continue causing the heart rate to continue to speed up matched with faster breathing. Temporary reduced blood supply to the brain may cause dizziness and other changes caused by high anxiety produce many sensations and thoughts that are mostly misinterpreted by the sufferer as being sinister or threatening. Podophobia is classified as an anxiety disorder and is neither a physical nor mental condition. Anxiety is a natural response to fear and, like other bodily systems that can falter under stress podophobia is no different to nervous indigestion, palpitations or sensitive eyes. Phobias often occur after a stressful event such as bereavement, divorce or other anxiety-provoking situations. Anxiety sufferers need support, advice and reassurance during their high anxiety episodes and this may not be available which tends to make them rather reclusive. Severe specific and social phobias maybe treated in different ways usually involving a combination of counselling, systematic desensitisation including cognitive behavioural therapy as well as anti-anxiety medication. One method currently under research is Neuro Linguistic programming where the person learns to restructure their mental approach to better control their emotions and anxiety levels.

FOOTNOTE
Podophila which describes a sexual attraction to feet may be the flip side and early incidents of high anxiety involving the feet may correspond to periods of significant sexual development which when reinforced leave the person particularly partial to intimate contact with feet.

Preventing STDs: “Beso los pies” (I kiss your feet)

2008-11-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

The syphilis epidemics of the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries caused great consternation across Europe and beyond and may have ensured the foot became sexualised. The foot and shoe (in both Occidental and Oriental Societies) were used as sex toys in intimate frottage. History reveals as the STD epidemic moved from Spain to Italy before engulfing the whole of Europe painters specialised in the female foot with toe cleavage an artistic interpretation for seduction. Partially covered feet became a common theme representing a voyeuristic mark of the times. In contemporary literature the foot was idealised and wandering troubadour sang of the beauty of the female foot. Apparently the long second toe was popular (aka the Greek Foot) and clothed prostitutes paraded before customers unshod. Preference for the small foot in the French and Italian courts meant foot binding European style was openly practised. Occidental foot binding was less severe and usually restricted to young adults wearing ballet type pumps. Great interest in the erotic works of the East was also evidenced during the Syphilis Epidemics and the fetish for feet remained popular until the discovery of mercury as a primitive cure for syphilis was found. During the 18th century a genteel common practice at the time was to give small ornament gifts in the shape of feet or shoes and leather boots. In the nineteenth century a second epidemic of syphilis reappeared this again mirrored a flurry of interest in foot sex. Brothels began to specialise in foot eroticism on a large scale. This may partly be because the use of the foot was seen as a safe sex alternative to genital intercourse. Victorian schools of painting included the idealised female foot. The French painter Édouard Manet in 1886 presented a scandalous painting of a reclining nude entitled Olympia. He depicted the shoe as an erogenous zone and this brave metaphor was acknowledged by many art historians as pivotal to the development of modern art. These reviewed sexual awakenings were also witnessed with the introduction of censorship where the female foot was excluded from respectable photographic tintypes. While contemporary portrayals showed men with their boots exposed, women's feet were covered by dresses or lap shawls or were mechanically cropped from the plate. The Cinderella fairy tale was revived with fetishistic overtones. George du Maurier's "Trilby" became a best selling novel (1894) and spurned the fashion for foot shaped objects from ice creams to sausages. At a time when the works of Freud were eagerly read by the same readership that would devour Trilby the swallowing of offal could not be divorced from the symbolism to fallatio. Foot shaped jewellery became the fashion with men's tobacco pouches and hip flasks all the rage. Isadora Duncan revolutionised ballet by dancing in her bare feet. At this time the idea of a good girl was one which did not become involved in intercourse and the concept of a bad girl was one who did. Either way self abuse in youth would be a common experience albeit never spoken of in polite society. Here the foot and toes could be used to good purpose.

Shoes: A celebration of the female form

2008-11-06T20:58:00.000-08:00

By the end of the Middle Ages clothes had became important symbols of social status. They supplied a kind of social ritual, acknowledge of which indicated breeding. France was the capital of fashion and the concept of the sartorial ideal beauty was depicted in art and literature. In Italy much greater attention was paid to the perfection of the female body. Sometime during the 16th century after the gothic period there was a European movement which celebrated the Virgin Mary, Known as the Cult of the Virgin Mary fashion lines changed from sharp peaks to more rounded and softer lines. The shoe fashion for poulaines (long sharp toed shoes) for men was replaced with Duck's Bills. These shoes were broad enough across the foot to accommodate each toe individually and the uppers were made from softest of leather. As the fashion spread the breadth got bigger and bigger until the shoes measured 24’ across the forefoot. Like contemporary sleeves and leggings, the shoe uppers was slashed with fine razor cuts to reveal glimpses of fine brightly coloured tights which were worn beneath. Courtiers had soft fur stitched to the side of the slashed leather to give the outward impression of pubic hair. Costume historians believe the fine slashing of clothing was a deliberate attempt to emulate the vagina opening and closing. The common belief is this fashion was originated by followers of the Cult of the Virgin Mary and was an outward celebration of the female form. The style lasted for just under a century until it was stopped by (Bloody) Queen Mary I (1516-1558) who issued sumptuary laws in England to restrict the breadth of a shoe. The duck’s bill shoe was a style preferred by her father, Henry VIII who broke away from the Catholic Church to marry his second wife and divorce Mary’s mother. Mary subsequently wanted to marry a catholic and encouraged by Rome (keen to destroy the Cult of the Virgin Mary) she legislated against the Bears Paw as she returned England to Catholicism. Around about the same time the first recorded attempt to outlaw publication about sex was introduced. (Obscenity Bill, 1581). In the affluent city states of sixteenth century Florence and Venice the ladies became infatuated with the exotic bath shoes of the Middle East as well as the Moorish influenced elevated footwear of Spain. The fashion fusion brought into existence the chopine or original platform shoe. Styles for higher and higher platforms up to 24 inches from the ground made walking unaided impossible and so many falls were reported and miscarriages recorded in women wearing chopines, laws were passed to ban them. To attract clients sex workers of the time took to wearing platforms in the street long after they were fashionable. Clever shoemakers were encouraged by their patrons to device a safer shoe for ladies and hollowed out the chopine at the ball of the foot thus creating the first high heeled shoes for women. The new style gave women of small stature height as well as safely. Catherine de Medici (1519-1589) is credited with being the first women to make this style fashionable and the style remained in vogue throughout her life time before becoming passé. Catherine married the King of France and took the style with her where Ironically men in the French Court began to wear high heeled shoes and continued to do so for another two centuries until after the French Revolution (1789-1799). By which time heeled shoes were a sign of affluence and a sure fire way to loose your head. Mens' style became conservative and high fashion women wore heeless pumps leaving only prostitutes wearing heeled footwear.

Wicked Feet

2008-11-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

In less enlightened times wickedness and ugliness were considered inseparable. During the Middle Ages flat feet were considered ugly and people with them were marginalised from society as evil. Many old wives tales and superstitions relate to seeing flat feet as being a bad omen. Meeting people with flat feet at the beginning of an important journey was considered extremely bad luck. During the Dark Ages, poor people went barefoot or wore rough leather covers to protect their feet. Peasants were suspicious of shoes and believed they carried the spirit of the previous owner. Shoemakers or cordwainers were treated with suspicion because their shoes could cover, flat feet. By the seventeenth and eighteenth century this prolonged aversion of flat feet was given a medical name, the Jewish Foot. This related to the perceived inherent weakness in the largely nomadic and disliked population of Jewish people in Europe. Later this was replaced by the term weak foot in the medical literature of the nineteenth century and of course re-christened, "pronated foot", this century. We continue to despise flat feet yet are no further forward in understanding them than our ancestors were. Still we carry on the crusade by using the fetish curved plastic to magically cure the "Evil Fit". The association between the foot and erotic pastime was clearly seen in the many delightful illustrations found within erotic literature and art from the East. The foot was considered a tactile and sensitive part of the anatomy which had been included in love making for many centuries, dating back to antiquity. Such behaviour may be seen improper or debased by today's standards but to make any sense of the practice it is important to see the phenomena within the original context and operating as a natural behaviour. Perhaps the most difficult to contemplate was the Chinese preoccupation with small feet. The sado-ritualistic practice of footbinding lasted at least a 1000 years and was done intentionally to create a second, or quasi vagina. The plantar surface of the foot became hypersensitive, as did the genital area surrounding the vulva. Increased labial folds meant the vagina muscles remained toned. All this was achieved through changes to the musculature caused by gait adjustments relating to the smaller steps from bound feet. The irony is, of course, today the same principles are used to effect rehabilitation by taping and foot orthotic management. In early Europe, the increased sexual focus on the female foot may have intensified in the thirteenth century as the first epidemic of sexually transmitted disease was brought back with the returning crusaders. With no means of preventing transmission, acceptance of alternative sexual intimacies was accepted. During this time contemporary romantic literature began to include strong reference to women's feet. Troubadours waxed eloquent about their attractiveness and the literate, read about them in the few books of the time e.g. The Romance of the Rose. Attractive feet were white; narrow with high arches and long straight toes. Toe nails were worn long with large white moons on pink, pale nailbeds. To be really sexy there should be no syndactlism (webbed feet). Fashion for women was at least three hundred years away and those who could afford to wear shoes, had heeless pumps or slippers in the same style as those depicted in paintings of the Virgin Mary. All this interest in women's feet came at a time when long toed shoes were popular among male courtiers. The churchmen did not miss the overt phallic connotations. Subsequent Popes attempted to ban them. However their protests were dismissed as the idealised aspect of medieval love disintegrated into the adulterous aspects of high gothic, courtly love. The fashion lasted three hundred years before it came to an abrupt end. Shoe extensions had grown, in that time, from a few inches beyond the toes, to twenty-four inches beyond the foot. Accepted as a privilege of affluence the extension were eventually legislated for and people who earned less than forty pounds per annum were prevented from wearing long toed shoes at all. Vittore Carpaccio (1450-1522) was a Venetian painter and depicted shoes as turreted instruments of torture designed to seduce. He probably was not that far wrong. The end of the fashion was foretold by two events. An Austrian archduke was assassinated and could not flee his attackers because of the length of his shoes and King Charles V of Spain was born with polydactilism (six toes on each foot).

Classic Art: De-sexualised and sexy feet

2008-10-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

In Antiquity men of the near east found corpulent women very sexy, but the Greeks (from about 2000BC) were less enamoured and praised instead a more youthful, agile, lighter and graceful body. Their classic beauty was typified by the Egyptian dancing girl with broad shoulders delicate, bud type breasts, and a straight, over slender body springing from the cups of the thighs, without bulges or protuberances like a half opened blossom. She represented a more asexual and a general ideal of human beauty which related more to the spirit than desires of the flesh. According to Lewinsohn (1958) even in the classical period when art was aiming at grandeur and pathos, the sexual element was neutralised to vanishing point. The representation of human beings, or gods in human form were not purposefully de-sexualised although elements were there, instead the idea was not to over excite the viewer in a vulgar manner. Bearing in mind art then was not held in public galleries but by private collectors. This style came later and was compensated for in the Middle Ages when images were purposefully de-sexualised. Distinction was placed in the pleasure of certain proportions, in the rhythm and movement all of which form a small part of what would generally be termed the laws of aesthetics. As a metaphor for femininity, the foot was invariably depicted in Grecko art as small and curved. The perfect Christian foot was curved with arches. Small and delicate yet strong enough to bare weight a true miracle of engineering. Later artists experimented by elongating the female nude. Although divergent from the dominant classical convention, these proportions represented a kind of erotic ideal. Throughout the Middle Ages artists and sculptors painted figures which were sexually ambiguous, this was in part because the "boy like figure" was considered pure and free from sin. Most of the major works of art depicted biblical scenes or the Holy Scriptures in one form or the other. So to depict figures displaying overtly primarily and secondary sexual characteristics would, at the time, have been considered tasteless. The foot became the key to sex the models. The female foot was small and curved and the male larger but with the same characteristics. This is described in the laws of art as the aesthetics of proportion. Often the naked foot had to be covered and some authorities believe the reason why angels were depicted with long wings was to hide their secondary erogenous zone, their feet from uninvited gaze.

Reference
Lewinsohn R., Mayce A (translation) 1958 A history of sexual customs London: Longmans Green

The Foot in Art

2008-10-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Feet are often ascribed with the tell-tale marks of identity and origin. This may relate to the lowest part of the body and in touch with the earth and in the normal course of life as far from heaven as possible. The inherent sexual symbolism of feet has been related to fertility; the genital forces of reproduction; and phallic symbolism. We remain the only species who can copulate vertically face to face and be supported by our feet. In terms of evolution we were bipedal two million years before we developed the brain we now call our own. Throughout history the attractions of the small foot far outweighed those of their over proportioned relatives. Monstrous feet have always represented malformed and malodorous appendages totally lacking in utility, charm, or sex appeal. Confucius even wrote these matters 2500 years ago yet the concept of an idealised foot probably has its origins within Judo-Christian belief. In Genesis, we read of God creating man in His own image and likeness. At the height of Christian Art all attempts to capture likeness were idealised. In the history of western culture the making of art has been construed as an essentially masculine activity, while women have been relegated to the domain of temptress, child bearer and domestic. In classical art important differences between the treatment of the male and female nude were apparent. In Greek art until, the fourth century BC, it was the male nude that dominated, but from this time forward, the female nude became more common. Classic art had previously given proportions to body parts which were idealised, giving no credence to actual anatomy or physiology. By the time Christianity came along, they too accepted the classic line. Paradoxically for the first three hundred years of the Christian faith they celebrated appropriation and contemporary art depicted figures displaying unashamed, nakedness. Later this was changed when the fig leaf replaced the genitals. Many of the early works of art were destroyed or defaced to comply with the new order of morality. When ladies feet were shown they were petite otherwise medieval paintings rarely showed a woman's foot. Since the Renaissance, the classical nude had come to express a sense of bodily perfection ability, of mathematical proportion imposing order on the vagaries of nature. This clean cut nobility was far removed from the reality of the living body, which excretes, gets diseased, grows old and is usually imperfectly formed in the first place. The absence of bodily hair is an example of this was the presentation of feet. Much of the Christian interpretation was emphasis upon sensuality and innocence.

Partialism, Paraphilia and papraphilia related disorders

2008-10-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

The likelihood paraphilias and paraphilia related disorders are more prevalent in the population than has previously been acknowledged is high. These disorders are cloaked in shame and guilt and until recently most people were too embarrassed to discuss their particular partialism. The appearance of the World Wide Web has changed this somewhat with many websites and bulletin boards dedicated to fetishism. Definitions of sexual normality and abnormality are difficult to establish and diagnostic classification is frequently based upon arbitrary or subjective criteria. Paraphilias involve sexual arousal in response to non-normative or deviant stimuli. They are described as either victimless or as involving harm or victimisation of a non-consenting partner. Fetishism and retifism are considered victimless whereas exhibitionism would involve an innocent party. Because physical or psychological harm may result these types of paraphilia are referred to as sex crimes and perpetrators, if caught, are legally prosecuted. Little is known about the epidemiology of paraphilias since few individuals with these disorders voluntarily disclose their interests. Paraphilias are almost exclusively male disorders although some women do have tendencies these do not always meet DSM-IV criteria for paraphilias. Fetishist behaviour is unlikely to be reported and often goes untreated; its prevalence is unknown. Fetishistic behaviours usually begin early in life and once established, tend to be life long. Partialism is a form of fetishism involving intense erotic attraction to specific parts of the body. Frotteurism typically begins during adolescence and declines in frequency after age 25 (Abel & Osborn, 1992) This maybe associated with a withdrawn, immature or socially avoidance personality style. Many sadists can become aroused in the masochistic role, and vice versa although some are one or the other (Spengler, 1977). There is general agreement conditioning factors play an important role in the development and maintenance of deviant behaviour. Early sexually arousing experiences have an enormous influence in shaping subsequent sexual desires and fantasies. First erotic experiences seem to imprint or program the person's love map sometimes to the exclusion of any other subsequent input. The effects of early imprinting are then maintained and reinforced through fantasy arousal during masturbation ( Laws & Marshall, 1990). From the 19th century onwards western societies have found difficulty with parents communicating with their children about sex and are unlikely to encourage their adolescents in intercourse (Frayser, 1985). Throughout this time greater emphasis has been placed on the number of sexual images being used. These are primarily images of females and males are more interested in visual erotic stimulation. The technical capacity to deliver these images has improved and this may account for why now there is an explosion of web materials on the subject of foot sex. Maybe as suggest by Gianni et al. (1998) the increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases within contemporary society has encouraged foot sex as safe sex. In any event the only way to achieve greater understanding of human beings sexual attraction to foot sex will depend on an increased relaxation in society's attitudes to sexual matters in general.

References
Abel GG & Osborn C 1992 The parphilias: The extent and nature of sexually deviant and criminal behaviour Psychiatric Cinics of North America 15 675-687.
Frayser, S. 1985 Varieties of sexual experience: An anthropological perspective. New Haven, CT: HRAF Press.
Gianni AJ, Colapietro G Slaby A Melemis SM Bowman RK 1998 Sexualization of the female foot as a response to sexually transmitted epidemics: a preliminary study Psychological Reports 83 491-498.
Laws DR & Marshall WL 1990 A conditioning theory of the etiology and maintenance od deviant sexual preference and behaviour In Marshall WL Laws DR & Barbaree (eds) Handbook of sexual assault:Issues, theories and treatment of the offender NY:Plenum Press 209-230.
Spengler A 1977 Manifest sadomasochism of males: Results of an empirical study Archives of Sexual Behaviour 6 441-456

Necrophilia

2008-10-28T23:34:00.001-07:00

Necrophilia (or thanatophilia and necrolagnia) describes a sexual attraction to corpses and was first used by von Krafft-Ebing (1886). Krafft-Ebing suggested that the attraction was to a human form absolutely devoid of will, incapable of giving resistance. He also cited the case of an individual who required a prostitute to be made up to mimic a corpse and laid out on a bier, and there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that some brothels included this among their specialities. From antiquity necrophilia was practiced as a spiritual means of communicating with the dead. The practice was rumoured to be prevalent among the embalmers of ancient Egypt to such a degree that the bodies of highly-born women were not embalmed immediately after death but allowed to become slightly putrid as a deterrent. Necrophilia was also known to be part of ancient funereal customs. Currently there is little research regarding the prevalence of necrophilic attraction among humans despite the amount of attention it receives in contemporary culture. Necrophilia is condemned in almost all societies but there are some vocal advocates for the legalization of necrophilic acts. Psychologist/philosopher, Erich Fromm believed the lack of love in modern western society with its icons of weapons and technology; and the attraction to mechanistic control of the individual in society led to a rise in necrophilia in all its forms. According to Love (1995) some necrophiliacs have been reported to eat toenail cuttings of the deceased.

References
Fromm E. 1964 The Heart of Man Harper and Row.
Fromm E 1970 The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Olfactophillia: Stinky feet and smelly shoes

2008-10-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

According to Potter (1999) the odour of fetishistic objects adds to their sexual excitement. Aigremont (cited in Rossi, 1990a) believed the podophile associated the smells of feet with the smell of genitals and retifists preferred the smell of shoes. Pheromones are odourless gases produced naturally by the body and are a series of short chain aliphatic acids. They release chemicals into the body which when the aroma is picked up can sexually excite a partner. These enter the nose and cling to a receptor found in the nasal cavity. The organ is known as Jacobson's organ or the vomeronasal organ. The vomeronasal organ does not respond to any other scents. (Monti-Bloch, Jennings-White, Dolberg, & Berliner, 1994). Pheromones are diffused directly into the hypothalamus of the brain and have no detectable odour of their own. Exposure to pheromones appears to have a significant effect on skin temperature, skin conductance, and cortical (brain) activity. Some pheromones elicit an immediate response, while others induce long-term changes in behavioural or endocrine state. Pheromones effect the autonomic nervous system, producing a "relaxation response," opposite to the fight or flight reaction. Some pheromones work better for males, while others work only for females. Many authorities believe humans lost their appreciation for pheromones because we evolved with our primary dependence on vision and not smell. However a social custom in Victorian times was for young women to hold a handkerchief under their armpit whilst dancing. The ladies would favour their partner at the end of the evening by gifting them with their sweat soaked, handkerchief. As reported by Jacob (1999) numerous studies have been carried out suggest axillary odour contains enough chemical differences in the odour profile to allow for discrimination between individuals. The author cites Stern and McClintock (1998) who was able to show that odourless axillary compounds from the armpits of women in the late follicular phase of their menstrual cycles accelerated the preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone of recipient women and shortened the menstrual cycles. Axillary compounds from the same donors, which were collected later in the menstrual cycle (at ovulation) had the opposite effect: they delayed the luteinizing hormone surge of the recipients and lengthened their menstrual cycle. Studies have also shown women prefer male odours that have Human Leucocyte Antigen types different from their own. This preference was reversed when the same female subjects were asked to repeat their rating whilst taking oral contraceptives. Bromidrophilia describes arousal from body smell. Mysophilia refers to becoming aroused by smelling, chewing or rubbing against foul smelling objects like socks. It is possible mysophiles have increased sensitivity to pheromones produced in body excretions. Osmolagnia, Osphresiolagnia, & Ozolagnia are terms used to describe arousal from strong smells. The role of smell in linking the development of fetishism with pregenital stages has been used by psychoanalysts to offer explanation for the interest in smells that can accompany or play an important part in fetishism (Balint, 1935; Epstien, 1969, Money, 1984).

References
Balint M 1936 A contribution on fetishism International Journal of Psycho-Anlaysis 16 481-483.
Epstein A W 1975 The fetish object: Phylogenetic considerations Archives of Sexual Behaviour 4 (3) 303 -308.
Jacob TJC 1999 Human Pheromones School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff
Money J 1984 Paraphilias: Phenomenology & classification American Journal of Psychotherapy 38 164-179
Monti-Bloch L, Jennings-White C. Dolberg D.S. and Berliner, D.L. 1994 The human vomeronasal system. Psychoneuroendocrinology 19, 673-686.
Potter B 1999 Old shoes stolen for sniffing
Rossi WA 1990a Foot and shoe fetishism: Part 1 Current Podiatric Medicine 19-23
Stern, K. and McClintock, M.K. (1998) Regulation of ovulation by human pheromones. Nature 390, 177-179

Toe Job: Salophilia and shrimping

2008-10-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

Salophilia describes sexuoerotic arousal from tasting salty body fluids such as perspiration The term is frequently confused with saliromania, meaning sexual arousal from being ‘dirty.’ This takes many forms dirty talk to ‘golden showers’; from making love wearing dirty clothes to covering each other in all kinds of edible or inedible substances. The most extreme form of salirophilia is probably the eating of excrements (also known as 'coprophilia'). In antiquity, human perspiration, blood and urine, were all thought to have magical qualities and perspiration made up an important ingredient in love potions and spells. A typical example was reported by Love (1995), where a man thought to be under the spell of an enchantress would commission a potion to reverse the magic. This involved a new pair of shoes worn out with walking. For the spell to work the man drank wine from the right shoe. The alcohol would naturally mix with sweat from his foot and may have given the drinker a thrill. Either way this reversed the spell and caused the man to feel hate toward his enchantress. During the Belle Epoch it became common place to drink Champagne from the slipper of a female companion. Salophiliacs, would have found this especially pleasurable especially since the foot was considered extremely risque and the naked foot all the more so. In S&M enjoyment from licking the skin may be enhanced by the taste of salt from the skin which would have particular appeal to a salopholiac. In modern times the most infamous case of toe sucking (aka shrimping) involved Sarah, Duchess of York and an amorous encounter conveniently caught on camera by the paparazzi in 1992.

References
Love B 1995 The encyclopaedia of unusual sex practices London: Greenwich Editions

Thesauromania, Hephephilia and Kleptomania

2008-10-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

Before photographs became available, people would carry relics of their loved ones for luck. In the battlefield, soldiers carried shoe-laces, rings, bracelets of hair, feathers and garters all from their loved ones. Men stopped to kiss these fond keepsakes for luck and used them as lucky talisman. Ellis (1936) reported trinkets were often worn about the genitals. Many experts believe there is a correlation between sexual dysfunction and stealing and thesauromania describes arousal from collecting articles belonging to females. According to Rossi (1990b) the term kleptolagnia was first used by Kierrnan (1917), a pioneer in sex psychology. Kleptophiles enjoy stealing fetish items and will have an orgasm either while stealing or later whilst fondling them (McGuire, Carlisle and Young, 1965). Hephephilia described the behaviour of fetishists who had a compulsion to steal the item of their desire and many retifists will steel shoes from displays or more alarmingly from innocent victims they accost in the street and flee with their shoes. These actions are often dismissed as aberrations but there is sufficient evidence available to suggest this behaviour is reasonably common, worldwide. Parade Magazine (September 9, 1979) reported Japanese police had finally caught up with the notorious shoe thief of Tokyo. Over a period of 3.5 years he had been knocking women down and running off with their shoes. When the police found him they discovered 127 pairs of women's shoes. Not all fetishists steal, but according to Mason (1994), if a fetishist commit crime it is most likely to be theft. These people are otherwise good citizens who steal out of repressed or a complicated sex life. Although fetishism and stealing were noted by van Krafft-Ebing (1886) it rarely brought the fetishist into contact with the law (Grubin, Gudjonsson, Gunn and West, 1993). A general understanding is fetishism is not associated with violence. Most authorities believe a fetishist who commits a violent criminal act is not driven solely by the desire to express or satisfy his fetishist urges, although expression of the disorder may be a feature in the offence. In cases where lust murderers have foot or shoe fetishisms, they usually suffer other paraphilias and psychological dysfunctions such as, personality disorders, or psychiatric illness. These are more likely to be the source of the violent act than fetishism, by itself. (Kunjukrishnan, Pawlak, Varan 1988).

References
Ellis H, 1936 The psychology of sex (Vol I & II) New York: Random House
Grubin D, Gudjonsson G, Gunn J, and West D 1993 Disordered and offensive sexual behaviour In Gunn J. and Taylor PJ (eds) Forensic psychiatry: clinical legal and ethical issues Oxford: Butterworth HeinemannKierrnan (1917)
Kunjukrishnan R., Pawlak A., Varan L R 1988 The clinical and forensic psychiatric issues of retifism Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 33 (9) 819-825
McGuire R Carlisle JM and Young BG 1965 Sexual deviations as conditioned behaviour: A hypothesis Behaviour Research and Therapy 2 185-190.
Mason FL 1997 Fetishism psychopathy and theory In Laws DR & O'Donohue WT (eds) Sexual deviation: theory, assessment and treatment 75-91
Rossi WA 1990b Foot and shoe fetishism - Part II Current Podiatric Medicine Vol 39:10Oct 16-20
von Krafft-Ebing E. 1932 Psychopathia Sexualis. NY: Physicians And Surgeons Books

Acrotomophilia:Wannabes, devotees and pretenders

2008-10-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

Dysmorphophilia was a condition described in 1888 by von Krafft-Ebing and related to a sexual attraction to "bodily defects." He illustrated dysmorphophilia with two case histories i.e. a young man sexually excited by the sight of a women's disfigured feet and the other a young man who pretended to be lame using two brooms for support. In both cases the behaviour was well established with the latter, a preoccupation from early childhood. Today the second case might be better described as apotemnophilia or an erotic desire in being or looking like an amputee. In 1977 John Money used the terms autoapotemnophilia and alloapotemnophilia to discriminate between the erotic interest of wanting to be (apotemnophilia) or appear as an amputee; with the sexual desire to have an amputees as a partner (acrotomophilia). Within fetish communities acrotomnophiliacs are called Devotees, Amputee Lovers or Admirers. The term ‘amelotatism’ is sometimes used as a synonim for acrotomnophilia in formal text. There have been surveys published of what type of amputation attracts most acrotomnophiliacs. The greatest attention is given to lower limb amputees with a single amputation that present with a stump. Consequently the amputee is referred to colloquially as a “hump in stumpts.’ According to Bruno, (1997) some acrotomophiles find foot deformities like clubfeet and bunions very attractive whereas others may be stimulated by finger and toe amputees. Solvang (2007) believes all devotees otherwise follow a normal conception of attractiveness. Bruno (1997) reported some acrotomophiles predatory stalk disabled persons, making obsessive and intrusive phone calls; as well as sending letters and emails to persons with disabilities, They will often attend and sometimes organise disability related events in order to watch or take pictures of disabled people. Acrotomophiles will deliberately engage amputees in conversation and take any opportunity to touch them. The attraction to amputees seems to arise early in life with many cases reported before the age of six or seven (Nattress, 1996, cited in Bruno, 1997). Dixon (1983) published results of a survey of 195 acrotomophiles (males) and three quarters had been aware of their interest in amputees by age 15. Just over half (53%) of the respondents had pretended to be an amputee (11% having done so publicly) and 71% had fantasised about being an amputee. This implies the majority of devotees are also pretenders and wannabes. These findings appear consistent with other studies. Several psychological theories to explain the phenomenon have been proffered such as a child may identify body image with an influential encounter with someone who is an amputee. At critical stages of the child’s development an amputee may become a "love object." Depending on the age of the child this may establish an association between a disability related stimulus and sexual arousal. Most authorities accept the primal instinct to recognise a weakened prey may be interpreted as a less threatening partner who is more attainable or more easily dominated. Alternatively the child may adopt the mantle of the lame to seek attention. According to Bruno (1997) the "love object" theory however fails to fully explain the obsessiveness and compulsive attraction to disabled persons (devotee) nor does it demonstrate the powerful desire to appear or to become disabled (pretender). Nurture theorists believe a child brought up in a household deprived of maternal love and/or parental rejection in early childhood may through fear develop survival coping mechanisms including self-generated fantasies. These may act as a trigger and when the parent is seen showing concern for a physically challenged child, the offspring rationalises they would be more lovable in this state. Taylor (1976) suggested the childhood fear of amputation could be replaced by an erotitisation of the stump i.e. transforming a terror into a joy. This however does not explain why many acrotomophiles demonstrate an interest in the pre puberty years. According to the author the injured child sees the removal of a limb as representing partial destruction of his own body which satisfies his need for self-destruction and at the same time makes him more attractive to others. Later with puberty, the emotional turmoil returns but on this occasion, the solution is applied to a person to whom the adolescent is sexually attracted. From out of the subconscious the thought evolves to be lovable the person must be an amputee. Whilst this theory provides a credible explanation many of the published case histories do not conform. One other psychological theory which might help explain the obsession to be with disabled persons as well as the desire to pretend to be disabled is described as Factitious Disability Disorder (FDD). These is a condition in which disability (real or pretend), affecting oneself or others, is perceived as an opportunity to be loved and attended to where no such opportunity has otherwise existed. To this effect apotemophilia may share something in common with Munchausen's Syndrome. (Money, Jobaris, & Furth, 1977). Research has shown the desire to be disabled is present in the wannabe and pretender but not always in devotees. Here the feeling is shared with a patient with factitious disability. The appearance of disability is present in the wannabe who successfully becomes disabled, a person with a factitious disability and in the pretender while using assistive devices. A neuro-anatomical explanation may involve an anomaly in the cerebral cortex relating to the limbs. When prioprioception centres are effected in the right side of the inferior-pariental lobule of the brain this adversely effects proprioception. A condition similar to somatoparaphrenia may exist and males appear more likely to be affected since the size of the inferior-parietal lobule is smaller in males than females. Some experts believe this malfunction is more likely to effect men and may also explain why most requests for amputations are usually left-sided limbs. The likely hood is the condition is probably explained by a combination of factors (Riddle 1988) and not just one in particular. Attraction to disabled persons has also been related to homosexuality, sadism and bondage. (Wakefield, Frank, & Meyers, 1977). The stump appears to represent a penis, providing a less threatening sexual stimulus for male "latent homosexuals" and a counterphobic protection against the fear of castration. Therefore in apotemnophilia and acrotomophilia the desire for amputation may be a "counterphobic" antidote for males who fear castration. Reported surveys however have found no increased prevalence of homosexuality, sadism or interest in bondage among acrotomophiles. (Dixon, 1983; Nattress 1996 cited in Bruno, 1997). Body modification has been defended as a private ritual of self-ownership and freedom of choice. Asexual preoccupation may be diagnosed as Body integrity identity disorder (BIID) or Amputee Identity Disorder, which is like ampotemnophilia but with no sexual component. Apotemnophilia is usually sexually motivated and therefore a true paraphilia. Apotemnophilics will sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to have a limb amputated (Storrs, 1997) and autoapotemnophilia whether amputation of one's own body parts or operating on a partner for the sake of sexual pleasure has been recorded. Also some apotemnophiles seek surgeons to perform an amputation or purposefully injure a limb in order to force emergency medical amputation. Elliot (2000) described a phenomenon where people had been refused voluntary amputations of healthy limbs and subsequently performed amputations on themselves. It is now recognised all apotemnophiliacs are masochistic and the pain associated with amputation and or rehabilitation is not the primary goal. Many authorities believe apotemnophilia should be classified as a neuro-psychological condition, with a biological aetiology instead of the traditional psychiatric disorder. Like body dysmorphic disorder or a preoccupation with what people see as a physical defect, the apotemnophile shares the same concerns with those living with a gender-identity disorder, i.e. uncomfortable with their body identity. They would regard their limbs as a type of surplus and want to become an amputee. There are chat rooms, meeting points, and electronic bulletin boards catering for both "wannabes" and "devotees." Currently there are more material dedicated to devotees than wannabes. "Pretenders", are non disabled people who act as if they have a disability by using assistive devices such as braces, crutches, and wheelchairs. This pretence may be done either in private or in public.

References
Bruno RL 1997 Devotees, pretenders and wannabes: Two cases of Factitious Disability Disorder. Journal of Sexuality and Disability, 1997; 15: 243-260.
Dixon D 1983 An erotic attraction to amputees. Sexuality and Disability 6: 3-19.
Money J 1977 Peking: The sexual revolution In Money J & Mustaph H (eds) Handbook of sexology Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica.
Money J, Jobaris R, Furth G 1977 Apotemnophilia: Two cases of self-demand amputation as a paraphilia. J Sex Res 13: 115-125.
Riddle GC 1988 Amputees and devotees: Made for each other? NY:Irvington Publishers.
Storrs B 1997 Amputees, Inc.: Amputees pitching products and themselves to devotees of disability. New Mobility 7: 26-31. Elliot (2000)
Taylor B 1976 Amputee fetishism: an exclusive journal interview with Dr. John Money of Johns Hopkins. Maryland State Med J March: 35-38.
von Krafft-Ebing E. 1932 Psychopathia Sexualis. NY: Physicians And Surgeons Books.
Wakefield PL, Frank A, Meyers RW 1977 The hobbyist: A euphemism for self-mutilation and fetishism. Bull Menninger Clinic 41:539-552.

Algophilia

2008-10-19T01:43:00.000-07:00

Algophilia describes sexual arousal gained through pain. The ability to endure pain has long been recognised as an admirable characteristic and primitive tribes held painful rituals as part of a rite of passage to manhood and prerequisite for marriage. Tribal scarification for men and women may have been used to induce passion and hence fertility. According to Rubin (1949) baring pain during scarification rituals may have been proof that decoration was an unselfish act and that it was done to give pleasure to others. The same logic may apply to foot binding. Pain is a physiological process caused by the release of chemicals such as bradykinin, substance P and prostaglandins and can be divided into two types: somatic and visceral. Somantic pain usually affects the muscles and skin. This is mild by comparison to visceral pain, which radiates from internal organs causing nausea and weakness. We detect somatic pain by stimulation of the free nerve endings that lie near the surface of the skin. Once activated, they transmit a signal to the brain; however it is not a guarantee that the sensation will be perceived as painful. The message maybe thwarted in several ways, for example nerves which transmit sensations of deep pressure, vibration, heat and cold, can override pain signals. Anxiety may also affect the pain process. Between 20 -40 minutes after pain has been consciously registered the body begins to produce opiate like chemicals which reduce pain sensations. This release of chemicals can cause an anaesthetic euphoria and trance like state in some people. Moderate anxiety increases the response to pain but high levels of fear including terror, appear to decrease the response to pain. Pain can trigger a reaction from the autonomic nervous system causing an increase rate of breathing heart rate, higher blood pressure and release of adrenalin. This may enhance sexual sensitivity or experience and is a possible explanation for extreme forms of sex play.

References
Rubin A (ed) 1949 Marks of civilisation, beauty and scarification amongst the Tiv.

Foot Sculpture and Apotemnophilia

2008-10-18T03:35:00.001-07:00

The term foot sculpture is a term used to describe self amputation of the toes and relates to the practice of body modification, common among modern primitives. There are several sites on the World Wide Web where authors claim to be multiple toe amputees. Whilst there is no way to confirm their claims there is are photographs available. Amputations are reportedly undertaken under the strictest conditions with big toes or smaller digits amputated. Apotemnophilia describes a psychological pre-occupation, not necessarily sexual driven, where a person wants one less limb to become complete. Apotemnophilia was first described in 1977 by psychologist John Money who published the first modern case history of "apotemnophilia". The condition was referred to as a paraphilia of the stigmatic/eligibilic type in which sexuerotic arousal and facilitation or attainment of orgasm is dependent upon being an amputee, or an attraction to the idea of being an amputee. He distinguished apotemnophilia from "acrotomophilia", a sexual attraction to amputees. Apotemnophilia relates not to a sadistic nor masochistic intention instead to the idea of self fulfilment brought about by being an amputee. The compulsion is similar to the angst suffered by transgender people who may be relieved only when their transgender relocation is complete by surgical intervention. The cause of ampotemnophilia remains a mystery but no treatment involving counselling and or pharmacy will reduce the anxiety. Many apotemnophiliacs go undiagnosed and more importantly untreated. Frustration and desperation drives many to self amputation with tragic consequences. There are cases now cited where orthopedic surgeons have amputated healthy limbs at the request of their patients. Although small in number and obviously controversial the procedures are only conducted once all other forms of treatment have been tried. Like gender relocation surgery the protocols are strict and patients screened very carefully. Opposition to this type of cosmetic surgery is fierce and centres where these procedures are undertaken are few and far between. Many experts believe the increase of apotemnophilia is due to the internet and networks of would-be self-amputators sharing their experiences and a growing number of medics willing to perform amputations for them. A significant number of people go to their podiatrist who is unaware they suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, a condition where people are convinced they have a physical defect in the appearance. Convinced they have misshapen, smelly, or otherwise defective feet they will submit to all manner of cosmetic and surgical programs. People living with Munchhausen syndrome, a condition where people deliberately get sick or induce symptoms of illness because they like medical attention will also seek care as a means of receiving attention. The important difference is Munchausen patients do this repeatedly, whereas most apotemnophiliacs seem satisfied with one operation. Following a reported increase in requests to have healthy limbs amputated the subject has become an interest to medical and social research. The findings are complex with the motivation to have an amputation surprisingly varied.

Altocalciphilia

2008-10-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

The allure of high heels (altocalciphilia) for some people is very strong. Subconsciously this may relate to a primal instinct to identify lame prey. Throughout recorded history limping in others has been seen both as a physical weakness as well as a sexually attractive impediment. Wearing high heeled shoes can accentuate the limping characteristics in a very tantalising way, such as a Trendelenberg gait(i.e. one hip hiked higher than the other). Actress Marilyn Monroe used this to exquisite effect in the 50s with her stiletto heels (reputedly with one shoe heel higher than the other). Wearing very high heels affects deportment by moving forward the position of the body’s centre of mass. In women the resulting spinal postural curvature pushes the breasts out, pulls in the buttocks, and gives a gluteal swing during walking as the hips move up and down. Wearing heels elongates the legs giving the outward appearance of shapelier calves, ankles and foot arches. High heels are also thought to place the female pelvis in a precoital position. Whether or not this is true, the idea by itself, may cause arousal.Long legs are thought a strong arousal signal (Lloyd-Elliott, 2006). Men may be attracted to women in heels because it appeals to their superior nature seeing a member of the opposite sex vulnerable. This may present them with the driving need to act as a protector or predator. High heeled shoes for women are however a comparatively recent costume innovation and prior to these men wore heeled shoes and dressed as peacocks. In European courts during the Middle Ages it was normal for only the high aristocracy to be fashion doyennes. The King and immediate family were particularly the focus for fashion and hence it may be seeing the male Regent dressed in heels had the same effect. Today, heeled shoes are very much part of the bondage ritual (Rossi,1997) and sado-masochists maybe attracted to the perceived pain associated with wearing high-heeled shoes.

Foot Beating: Falanga (or Bastinado)

2008-10-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

Falanga describes a form of foot torture where victims were bound with their feet raised and their soles beaten with sticks. In more recent times cables or metal implements might be used. It is thought falanga had its origins in Turkey but was also recorded in the Far East. Persians (now Iran) favoured bastinado, where the victim was gently and rhythmically beaten with a lightweight stick or bamboo on the soles of the feet. Continued bastinado resulted in uncontrollable hysteria and eventual mental collapse. Bastinado is still used a corporal punishment. At one time or another many types of whips rods and cudgels were used to beat the soles of the feet and during the Middle Ages, falanga was a punishment used on dishonest traders. Bakers were particularly singled for this treatment and to avoid official scrutiny bakers made a good will gesture to their customers by supplying a thirteenth roll (bread bap) with every dozen purchased. This is though to be the origins of the Bakers Dozen. A common misunderstanding is the thirteen rolls represented the twelve disciples plus Jesus. Falanga is still used today as torture, partly because the effects are difficult to identify medically. Blows are sometimes direct to bare feet or through shoes. In severe cases, casualties may be forced to walk on glass; or jump on the spot carrying a heavy weight. The immediate effect is excruciating pains, with bleeding and tissue swelling but permanent damaged is dependent on post traumatic oedema (swelling). Torturers will often limit this, as part of the ordeal, by cooling the feet or forcing the victim to put their shoes on after a beating. Smashing the heel and ball of the foot destroys the natural fatty-fibro padding which protects the feet from high impact contact with the ground. Depending on the severity of damage this would leave the victim unable to walk without pain. Skin wounds heal by second intention, leaving painful scars. Detachment of the skin at its deeper levels result in damage to proprioception adding considerably to pathological gait. Many victims report aponeuritis where the whole sole of the foot has become painful. Changes in pressure within muscle compartments necessitate a radical change in walking style. The feet are reported as hot and cold and there is an increase in the rate of perspiration. Stability and balance may also be adversely affected due to falanga. In many regions of the world falanga is still practised as a form of corporal punishment in bringing up children. Bastinado has now become more associated with sex play and describes the use of small whips with soft leather applied with light strokes to the soles of the feet. The systematic foot beating (mastigophilia) is consensual and the subject will have a pre-arranged signal when they want it stopped.

Sadism and Masochism

2008-10-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

Relatively few sadomasochists are exclusively sadists or exclusively masochists there is generally a mixture with one aspect more predominant. The masochist playing the sadist may fantasise about receiving the pain he/she is inflicting. Sadists are more rare than masochists and female sadists all the more uncommon in the population. Sadomasochistic sessions are usually planned punishment with bondage and contain both sadistic and masochistic elements. Sexual arousal may be gained by pain (algophilia) and this appears to take two forms i.e. sadism or the ecstasy associated with the infliction or witnessing pain; and masochism, the eroticism induced by the suffering of pain or persecution. In both the pleasure principle is limited to or intimately associated with sexual excitation. It may be accompanied by or it may form a substitute for coitus. Pain is on a continuum that runs from very mild sensations such as tickling (knismolagnia and titillagnia) to extreme levels that are produced in mutilation. People who use pain during sex will set limits to how much, and in what manner, the pain will be administered. The level of pain is chosen according to the desired effect. Evidence exists to support the theory the immune system is stimulated when a person is exposed to other peoples suffering with the resulting euphoria due to the release of b-endorphins. In sadism, people are capable of achieving relief of free floating anxiety by transferring their fight-flight sex response onto another person or object. Unlike the true sadist, who is not concerned with whether their victims have a pleasurable response, people who play consensual S/M are extremely concerned with this event. Leptosadism describes a mild form of sadism and a sapphosadist is a lesbian sadist. Masochists involved in heavy pain are thought to use it to either produce opiates in the brain for a euphoric effect or to reach altered states of consciousness. The masochist may face fear; pain or humiliation but will survive it with an organism or love as a reward. Odynophilic pleasures derived from pain trigger a reaction from the autonomic nervous system causing an increase rate of breathing heart rate and blood pressure. In the masochist this may enhance sexual sensitivity or experience. Some sadomasochists enjoy a form of aichmophilia (love of needles) and will encourage needles to be inserted into their toenails. According to Gebhard (1969) fetishism and sado-masochism frequently intermingle. Sado-masochism incorporates fetishistic elements with the sight and touch of fetishistic objects the source of sexual arousal. These occur in both hetro and homosexual behaviour. What makes a person sado masochistic remains unknown albeit many report pain associated with early childhood sexual pleasure. Flagellation is the oldest form of punishment and many masochists will become aroused by being caned or flagellated (eg. rhabdophilia) Canning is sometimes accompanied with humiliation or fear in a fantasy scenario. In order for pain or injury to produce the desired euphoric effects it must be anticipated, threatening, or part of a scene that includes a person to whom they are sexually attracted. Foot flagellation is very common both for pleasure as well as punishment. Boot or shoe licking may be a way of expressing a footwear fetish and is a popular activity in domination games. There is very little in the literature about the hygiene aspects of bootlicking. Whilst ingestion of small quantities of boot polish maybe harmless boot lickers do run a small risk of contracting amoebic bacterial and possibly other infections from street dirt. This is increased when the soles are licked (Rossi, 1990 b).

References
Gebhard P 1969 Fetishism and sado-masochism Science and Psychoanalysis 15 71-80
Rossi WA 1990b Foot and shoe fetishism - Part II Current Podiatric Medicine Vol 39:10Oct 16-20

Shoe Retifism

2008-10-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

"To kiss, dearest Saki, thy shoe's pretty tips, is better than kissing another
girl's lips" Rhubaiyat, Omar Kayyam

The sexual allure of clothing is well documented and Flugel (1930) described clothes as being either a source of sexual arousal or a symbol of genitalia. Shoes became secondary sexual characteristics (Rossi, 1990a/b) to the shoe fetishist and the true devotee may need only the shoe and not the owner to be completely satisfied. Others incorporate shoes into their normal coital habits and in the case of a true shoe fetishist, complete coital satisfaction is impossible unless a shoe is involved. Making love to a shoe is quite a complex procedure and according to Rossi (1990) the retifist works up to an erotic pitch by kissing, licking, gently biting, and caressing their favourite shoe. Parts of the shoe represent different parts of the female anatomy and smell is important with some retifists inhaling the smell of their favourite shoes. Masturbation commonly accompanies real or imagined contact with the shoe (McGuire, Carlisle and Young, 1965). Shoe fetish is not restricted to sight and touch, but also sounds. A reported case history refers to a man who would reach orgasm by following a woman whose shoes creaked (acousticophilia - arousal from sound). The term retifist for a shoe fetishist was coined by Ivan Bloch and came from French Writer and educator Retif de la Bretonne (1734-1806) (Kunjukrishnan , Pawlak & Varan, 1988). There is a lack of epidemiological information to indicate the gender breakdown. Although rare, female fetishism has been reported (van Krafft-Ebing 1886; Zavitzianos 1971, Richards1990), authors like Greenacre (1979) argue the frequency of occurrence in women is not as low as was previously thought. Experts consider shoe fetishists (or retifists) to exhibit similar characteristics to foot fetishists but with their primary focus and stimulus firmly on the shoe (John (Anonymous), Chambers & Janzen, 1976). Retifists sometimes have a vast number giving names to their favourites Most appear to have a preference for particular footwear and take their relationship with these shoes, very seriously. Often the shoe is given a name and kept in prime condition. To the retifist certain kinds of shoes and shoe design have almost universal appeal. Shoes and boots with fur effects that symbolise pubic hair are considered the sexiest types of shoes. Knee high or over the knee type boots with high heels are also very popular. Foot fetishists experience less difficulty finding a partner to engage their fantasy but retifists are more likely to require the services of a specialist. In the sex industry retifists are referred to as 'bootmen,’ and traditionally boots were often worn by prostitutes affiliated with sadomasochism (Gebhard, 1969). According to Rossi (1990b) guesstimates of between 1/10 to 1/4 of 1% of the male population are thought to be fetishists or retifists. Taking age and health into consideration this would translate into 1/4 to 3/4 of 1% of the adult male population between the ages of 17-60. However there is no sound epidemiological data for shoe fetishism with only a small number of fetishists presenting for treatment. Most authorities believe a retifists who commit a violent criminal act is not driven solely by the desire to express or satisfy his fetishist urges, although expression of the disorder may be a feature in the crime. Kunjukrishnan, Pawlak, and Varan (1988) reported a case of a retifist who committed indecent assault. The subject was diagnosed with retifism and inadequate personality disorder were made, thereby supporting the view that it was not the fetishism alone that led to the commission of the offence. It is however widely accepted pathological fetishism is rare. van Krafft-Ebing (1886) did note retifism and stealing rarely brought the fetishist in contact with the law (Grubin, Gudjonsson, Gunn and West, 1993). Often collectors of shoes are mistakenly thought to be retifists but unless there is a sexual component to their behaviour then the person is more likely to have an obsessive compulsive disorder.

References
Flugel JC 1930 The psychology of clothes International Universities Press: London
Gebhard P 1969 Fetishism and sado-masochism Science and Psychoanalysis 15 71-80
Grubin D, Gudjonsson G, Gunn J, and West D 1993 Disordered and offensive sexual behaviour In Gunn J. and Taylor PJ (eds) Forensic psychiatry: clinical legal and ethical issues Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann
John (Anonymous) Chambers WM & Janzen WB 1976 Case reports: The treatment of a child foot fetish American Journal of Psychotherapy XXX:2 316-326
Kunjukrishnan R., Pawlak A., Varan L R 1988 The clinical and forensic psychiatric issues of retifism Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 33 (9) 819-825
McGuire R Carlisle JM and Young BG 1965 Sexual deviations as conditioned behaviour: A hypothesis Behaviour Research and Therapy 2 185-190.
Rossi WA 1990a Foot and shoe fetishism: Part 1 Current Podiatric Medicine 19-23 Rossi WA 1990b Foot and shoe fetishism - Part II Current Podiatric Medicine Vol 39:10Oct 16-20
Rossi W 1997 Sex life of the foot and shoe Kreiger Press
von Krafft-Ebing E. 1932 Psychopathia Sexualis. NY: Physicians And Surgeons Books

Foot Fetishism

2008-10-10T04:32:00.000-07:00

Many authorities acknowledge the most frequent form of erotic symbolism of all sexual fetishes relates to the foot and shoe (Ellis & Arabanel, 1961; von Krafft-Ebing, 1932; and Rossi,1990a). This usually appears to involve the female foot (or shoe) which becomes the exclusive object of sexual feeling and desire. Accessories designed to protect the fragile extremity which robustly supports the human body have inspired more obsession than any other apparel, save underclothes. Fetishism according to Greenace (1953) describes the obligatory use of some non genital object as part of the sexual act without which gratification cannot be obtained. The object may be some other body part or some article of clothing and less frequently some more impersonal object. Foot fetishism is therefore a pronounced sexual interest in the lower limb or anything that covers portions of them (Brame, Brame & Jocobs, 1996). The allure normally attributed to erogenous zones is literally translocated downward and the fetishists’ response to the foot is the same as a conventional person's arousal at seeing genitals. This displacement phenomenon is commonly seen in reverence stemming i.e. the sight of a flag registers the feeling of patriotism. Fetishism may be viewed as a continuum from a mild to moderate sexual arousal from an inanimate object to enhance sexual gratification; to the opposite end of the spectrum where the inanimate object becomes a preoccupation and the full focus of sexual attention. Fetishism has been reported in both adults and children (Bemporad, Dunton & Spady, 1976). Degrees of fetishism are thought to escalate where there is evidence of some other sexual mal-adjustment present. Youths may, for example, exhibit an upsurge in fetishism before they have established satisfactory socio-sexual lives. This declines with the development of homo or hetro liaisons. Older men may develop an escalation of fetishism as problems of impotence appear. Fetishism diminishes before sex drive and hence is associated with age and health. Maintaining the fetishist fantasy requires a strong sex drive (Gebhard, 1969). Only moderate to high level fetishism would be classified as a type of paraphilia. In the majority of cases the person with a fetish poses no danger to others and pursues the use of the fetish object in private through masturbation. In other cases the object needs to be incorporated into sexual activity with a partner in order to produce sexual excitation. Fetishistic objects can be divided in to media and form, with the majority of a combination of the two. A media fetish is one wherein the substance rather the form is the important aspect. Leather is a good example of a media fetish with less emphasis on form e.g. shoe, glove or coat. A form fetish is where the shape of the object is more important than the material from which it is made. Foot fetishism is such an example. Media fetish may be sub classified into hard and soft (Gebhard, 1969). Objects of hard fetish are usually tight constricting garments or shoes. These are often associated with sado-masochism. Objects of soft media fetish are fluffy, frilly or soft in texture, for example, fur. Effective combinations of hard and soft media fetish are commonly exploited in soft porn magazines and floor shows. Form fetish involving footgear usually includes high heels with the erotic attraction of being stood on by a dominatrix a classic masochistic theme. Viewing women wearing impossible heels offers erotic appeal to the bondage enthusiast or sadist. Prior to the popularity of boots in the 1960s these were worn by prostitutes affiliated with sadomasochism. Karpman (1934) thought sadism was the root of fetishism and a result of the deprived lifestyles of the rich. However not all experts agree with his thesis. No one is sure why there appears to be a gender difference with males being far more likely to exhibit fetishistic behaviour. The original hypothesis postulated by Freud (1905) fetishistic behaviour was a substitute for the male genitals and consequentially a protest against castration fear. His theories of sexualisation were ostensibly phallo-centric which would seem to be collaborated by the rarity of fetishism among females. Stekel (reported in Kunjukrishnan, Pawlak & Varan, 1988) also considered foot fetishism as a "male disease" which was very rarely reported in women (Kinsey et al, 1953; Fenichel, 1945 cited in Kunjukrishnan, Pawlak & Varan, 1988). Although Havlock Ellis (1936) did concede slight degrees of female fetishism did exist, Curren (1954) discovered only a small number of cases relating to female fetishists. Gosselin and Wilson (1980) associated the predominance of fetishism in males with two physiological attributes: an increased awareness of visual stimuli within males compared to females; and the male's amplified biofeedback, i.e. the erection. People can also have a sock or hose fetishism and many are males but there are some noted case studies of females with hose or shoe fixation. The latter is often associated with an auto-erotic asphyxia fixation, which is sexually driven. Apoxia or loss of oxygen to the brain causes by autoerotic asphyyxiation is an extreme form of masochism (Friedrich & Gerber, 1994; Uva 1995). What is know is fetishists may collect the object of their favour and often go to extreme lengths, including theft (kleptomania), to acquire just the right addition to their collection. In the very rare cases of lust murder many have a particular fetish or ritual they perform. In one reported case the murderer picked up young prostitutes and killed them. He then proceeded to chop off their feet and kept them as a trophy (Love, 1995). Epstein (1969, 1975) believed an association between the object and the desired person was encountered at a crucial state of development. Most fetishists recall a strong interest in childhood with the interest becoming sexually arousing at puberty (Mc Conaghy (1993). Freud (1905/1962a) considered the selection of the fetish was determined by those traumatic experiences, which occurred during childhood. Binet (1897) described a conditioning model as an explanation for fetishism and postulated a vulnerable person if paired with fortuitous circumstances a fetishistic pattern could develop. Rachman (1966) published a study where subjects were conditioned to give sexual response to a photograph of a pair of boots but the responses were easily extinguished. The Conditioning Theory has it critics. Gebhard (1969) argued pubertal or adolescent males were more vulnerable to associate sex with symbols, which were encountered before experiencing the actuality of socio-sexual gratification. This may infer the importance of social learning to fetishistic behaviour. Greenacre (1979) concurred and thought fetishism arose as a disturbance of body image in early life. She expressed this as the child feeling overwhelmed, resorted to fantasy or denial to deal with their panic i.e. Freud's castration complex. Munroe and Gauvain (2001) thought fetishism was an unusual bi-product of the normal adaptive process and at least in part, related to a personalised experience of early sexual arousal (Money, 1985). This refers to not only to the arousal but also to the circumstance in which the sexual excitement existed. Simply put there was present at the critical time a non-sexual or mildly sexual element, such as an item of clothing, which then become linked to arousal. In the case of the paraphilic they appear to abnormally pursue the associated element. Fetishism has also been associated with temporal lobe abnormalities (Langevin, 1983). Huws, Shubsachs and Taylor (1991) presented a case of a man who developed hyper sexuality and a foot fetish after the onset of multiple sclerosis. They reported that although the patient had diffuse brain damage, the main features were those of frontal lobe syndrome with damage to the temporal regions. There remains little research into the presence or absence of brain abnormality in fetishism with the majority of existing work focusing on those known to have brain abnormalities with secondary sexual abnormalities (Mason, 1994). According to Langevin (1983) it would be premature to accept brain dysfunction alone causes fetishism and temporal lobe damage is not always associated with fetishism. Unfortunately any further discourse on causation and aetiology is beyond the remit of this paper. However it would appear, according to Gebhard (1969), fetishism has certain common traits. The behaviour is confined to civilisations and almost non-existent in pre-literature cultures. More males than females appear to be fetishists and the behaviour is associated with body, clothing or body bi-products. The phenomenon appears wholly sexual and generally manifests itself in puberty or adolescence but can be induced in adult life by some trauma or powerful experience. Money (1980/1984) based his theoretical model called love maps. He believed these brain schemata were not complete at birth and required input from social environment. Perper (1985) thought there was an existence of pre figured gestalts of the ideal partner. He suggested these were not encoded in the genes, but were created by a slow development process involving genetic regulation detailed and recognisable image. Bancroft (1989) argued although these concepts may provide a useful framework for thought they are impossible to test scientifically. Many of the early theoretical models describing fetishism developed from the work of the psychoanalysis. Attention has also focussed on possible biological mechanisms, ethological explanations, and sociocultural and sociobiological factors. Much remains unknown and understanding still is at a limited stage. (Wise, 1985; Huws, Shubsachs & Taylor, 1991; Stoller, 1986). Advocates for biological aetiologies have considered the importance of cerebral development and the consequence of brain damage and other neurological abnormalities such as epilepsy (Langevin,1990). The association between the temporal abnormalities and fetishism had been noted by a number of authors, (Mitchwell, Falconer and Hill, 1954). Ball (1968) later reported a case where a temporal lobotomy appeared to remove the symptoms of fetishism. Shukla, Strivastava and Katiyar (1979) found no cases of sexual deviation in their study of 70 cases of temporal lobe epilepsy. The author admitted the absence of reported sexual deviation might have been as a result of cultural reasons. Epstien (1960) argued fetishism demonstrated two characteristic types of behavioural phenomena: those representing a state of increased orgasmic excitability (resulting in cerebral pathophysiology) and those representing attempts to maintain orgasmic control. Later (1961 & 1969) he extended his theories relating the behavioural characterists, Flor-Henry (1987) examined the role of prenatal factors in determining the differential cerebral organisation of men and women, suggesting that testosterone-dependent neuro-chemical interactions determine the organisation of lateralised cognitive systems in males and females. Male specialisation hinges on interactions between the left hemisphere and testosterone, which slows the rate of development of this dominant hemisphere. The author postulated this process rendered males more susceptible to aberrant sexual programming and the gender differences in sexual deviations can be accounted for by the combination of this increased vulnerability and men's more lateralised patterns of verbal and visuospatial cognitive functioning. Pitcher (1990) also alluded to the possible sensitizing effects of prenatal hormones on brain development as a possible explanation for gender differences in fetishism. Most reports agree early onset in the fetish and persistence throughout adult life. The fetish becoming sexually arousing at puberty. The links between fetishism and transvestism and homosexuality have been noted for many years within the literature. However scientific literature confirming possible association is more recent. Langevin (1983, 1985) reviewed evidence indicating the presence of one sexual deviation in an individual increased the likelihood of other sexual deviations. Wilson (1987) linked the choice of fetish to imprinting theories and noted fetish objects had strong gender associations when worn close to sexually arousing parts of the body and have striking visual attributes that mimic genital signals. For fetishists in the 19th century popular textures were velvets and silks. In the 20th century these were replaced with leather, ruber and plastics. Gosselin and Wilson (1980) discovered interest in rubber within tics of fetishism to the manifestations of temporal lobe dysfunction. He also suggested that the limbic system played a major role in sexual disorders such as fetishism and transvestism. arguing it subverted mechanisms concerned with sexual arousal. He postulated dysfunction could prevent proper subordination and integration of sexually arousing stimuli during sexual development, so the 'sign and symbol' aspects of sex became more dominant. Despite these and other works respected reports there still remains inconclusive proof of direct association ( (McConaghy, 1993). The belief that a vulnerable individual when presented with the right circumstance then a fetishic arousal pattern could develop. (Binet, 1897). Classical condition would describe a situation where the sexual response system responds becomes conditioned to respond to various kinds of stimuli which usually are physical characteristics of the potential partner. In the fetish the sexual response is conditioned to a particular stimulus such as feet or leather etc. The fetishist becomes preoccupied with the object and less interested in the associated partner. Rachman (1966) reported a study where subjects were conditioned to give a sexual response to a photograph of a pair of boots. Bancorft (1989) questioned the learning theory model and argued a simple conditioning model was not sufficient and did not account for the maintenance of such responses throughout life. O'Donohue and Plaid (1994) were sceptical of the internal validity of many of the studies of male sexual arousal. Gebherd (1969) argued pubertal or adolescent males were more vulnerable to associate sex with 'symbols' which they encounter before experiencing the actuality of social gratification. Other aspects are self esteem, previous experiences, perceived inadequacy, and failure in the generation of fetishistic fantasy and possibly behaviour. Erros arising in imprinting mechanism may lead to excessively narrow and incorrect specification of the sex object. The sex drive is developed to promote gene survival the behavioural strategies according to Wilson (1987) that serve sexual instincts became driven by powerful, inflexible emotions that sit deep within our sub conscious. The individual will respond to sexually to the sexual signals of the opposite sex even when reared in isolation. An accepted theory of learning known as imprinting arises at times when animals are young whereby the range of stimuli that are to become sexually exciting later in life are delineated. Phylogenetic factors include fetishistic behaviour is evidenced in other primates. Fetishism may represent a high primate automatic behavioural response (sexual arousal) evoked by an exciting object. This response may have a reflex component based within the tempero-limbic region of the brain. The mechanism may have a generic component and is usually inhibited in the maturing human but may be released in several contexts including brain damage. Forces other than sexual drive, for example the strong human interest in external objects, may also play a role (Wilson, 1987: Epstein, 1987). Other researchers have considered socio-cultural factors such the absence of a child sex life or adult indulgences such as foot binding. Authors believe the intolerance of childhood sexual activity in industrial societies may have encouraged sexual interest and play in other areas, thereby contributing to fetishism (Gebherd, 1969; Wise, 1983; Money, 1984; & Epstien, 1969).

The aetiology of fetishism and retifism is complex and not clearly understood. The problem is further complicated by limitations of inferring aetiology from published single case reports. In truth, no-one yet has been able to describe an appropriate theory to explain the causation of fetishism. The descriptions of psycopathology and proposed aetiologies are further limited by the relative rarity of clinical fetishism.

References
Bemporad JR Dunton HD & Spady FH 1976 Case reports: The treatment of a child foot fetish American Journal of Psychotherapy XXX:2 303-316
Binet A 1897 Le fetishisme dans l'amour Revue Philosophique 24 143-167, 252-274
Brame GG, & Brame WD, & Jocobs J, 1996 Different lovong : the world of sexual dominance and submission Arrow
Curren 1954 Sexual perversion Practitioner 172, 440-445.
Ellis A, & Abarbanel A 1961 Encylopaedia of sexual behaviour Vol1 New York: Hawthorn Books.
Ellis H, 1936 The psychology of sex (Vol I & II) New York: Random House
Epstein A W 1969 Fetishism: A comprehensive view In Masserman JH (ed) Science & Psychoanlaysis Vol 15 Grune & Stratton NY 81-87.
Epstein A W 1975 The fetish object: Phylogenetic considerations Archives of Sexual Behaviour 4 (3) 303 -308.
Epstein, Arthur W., 1987 The Phylogenetics of Fetishism in: Wilson, Glenn (ed.): Variant Sexuality: Research and Theory, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press 142-149
Fehlinger H 1945 Herbert S. (trans) Sexual life of primitive people New York: United Book Guild
Flor-Henry, Pierre, 1987 Cerebral aspects of sexual deviation In: Wilson, Glenn (ed.): Variant Sexuality: Research and Theory, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press pp. 49-83
Freud 1905/1962a Three essays on the theory of sexuality In Stachey J.(ed & translation) The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (vol 7) London: Hogarth Press (original work published 1905)
Gebhard P 1969 Fetishism and sado-masochism Science and Psychoanalysis 15 71-80
Gosselin, C. and Wilson, G. 1980. "Sexual Variations: Fetishism, Transvestism and Sado-Masochism," London: Faber & Faber.
Greenacre P 1953 'Certain relationships between fetishism and faulty development of the body age.' Psychoanal. Study Child, 8.
Greenacre P: Fetishism, in Sexual Deviation, Second ed. Edited by Rosen I. Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press, 1979, pp 79–108
Huws R Shubsachs ASW and Taylor PJ 1991 Hypersexuality, fetishism and multiple sclerosis British Journal of Psychiatry 158, 280-281
Karpman B 1934 Arch Neurol Psychiatry 32 577
Kinsey AC, Pomerroy WB, Martin CE et al. 1953 Sexual behaviour in the female Philadelphia: Saunders
Kunjukrishnan R., Pawlak A., Varan L R 1988 The clinical and forensic psychiatric issues of retifism Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 33 (9) 819-825
Langevin, R. (1983). Sexual Strands: Understanding and Treating Sexual Anomalies in Men Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Love B 1995 The encyclopaedia of unusual sex practices London: Greenwich Editions
McConaghy N 1993 Sexual behaviour: problems and management NY: Plenum Press
Mason FL 1997 Fetishism psychopathy and theory In Laws DR & O'Donohue WT (eds) Sexual deviation: theory, assessment and treatment 75-91
Mitchell W, Falconer MA, and HillD 1954 "Epilepsy with fetishism relieved by temporal lobectomy" Lancet, (2), 626-630.
Money J 1984 Paraphilias: Phenomenology & classification American Journal of Psychotherapy 38 164-179
Munroe RL & Gauvin M 2001 Why the paraphilias? Domesticating strange sex Cross cultural research 35:1 44-64
Perper, T. 1985 Sex signals. The biology of love. Philadelphia, PA: ISI Press.
Rachman S 1966 Sexual fetishism: An experimental analogue The Psychological Record 16 293-296
Rossi WA 1990a Foot and shoe fetishism: Part 1 Current Podiatric Medicine 19-23
Uva JL 1995 Autoerotic asphyxiation in the United States Journal of Forensic Sciences 40 574-581
von Krafft-Ebing E. 1932 Psychopathia Sexualis. NY: Physicians and Surgeons Books
Wilson G (ed.) 1987 Variant Sexuality: Research and Theory, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press 142-149

Podophilia

2008-10-09T03:40:00.001-07:00

The term describes a form of paraphilia, where arousal relates to the foot, stockings or shoes and first appeared in a paper written by William Rossi (1990a). Whilst self-incorporation of feet in foreplay or lovemaking is innocuous only when it becomes the point of psychological dependence, can paraphilia be diagnosed. The feet, shoes, and hose require some specific attraction, which may include special colours, shape or smell. People with sock fixation will have no special attraction to feet or shoes. Similarly shoe fetishists (retifists) will have no attraction to feet and vice versa. Podophiles may seek pleasure and pain by several means. Those aroused by their feet may use frottage i.e. non-consensual touching to seek a thrill. This may involve just fondling the foot or shoe but in some cases deceitful means may be employed. A common form is to accidentally step on another's foot in a crowd. The podophile usually apologises immediately and no more attention is paid to the incident. There have been rare incidents of men assaulting strangers and fondling their victim's feet before running off. Podophiles may use the big toe as a phallus and let their nails grow long then file them to a point. Painting the nails is common with dark burgundy a popular colour among podophiles. During the 1970s it was common for many eating and drinking establishments in North America to allow customers to play 'footsie footsie" under the table (Love 1995). Referred to as 'toe jobs', this type of foreplay has been around since the Middle Ages. (Rossie, 1997) Most podophiles take anacreontoic pleasure from being touched (aphephillia) and massaged (tripsolagnophilia). Feet are either massaged with the fingers or can be caressed by the mouth to stimulate a partner in sex play. This is done by sucking or running the tongue in and out through all the toes. Aliphineurs may do this to each other, simultaneously. In S/M a dominant partner (referred to as 'top') often demands their servant ('bottom'), soak their feet and give them a pedicure. A dominant partner may also massage a slave's back or genital area while wearing spiked heels. Rubbing ointments or lather is used to alleviate friction and produces a sensation that is drastically different from normal skin to skin contact. The combination of scent with massage can add to the attractiveness. Stimulating the olfactory centre under erotic stimulus of touch can evoke an emotional response, free a person to some degree and allow natural chemistry to occur. For many centuries in China, Japan, Spain for a woman to allow a man to kiss and fondle their feet was an invitation to intimacy. Podophiles like watching feet and are frequent visitors to the beach (Rossi ,1990a). Many podophiles, it appears, are envious of podiatrists and according to Steele (1996), some podiatrists are themselves podophiles. For some foot lovers the mere mention of feet in reading or conversation is enough to cause arousal. Stekel (1964) cited a case of someone who was sexually excited by reading the scriptures. The passage in question was where Mary Magdalene wet the feet of Christ with her tears and kissed his feet.

References
Love B 1995 The encyclopaedia of unusual sex practices London: Greenwich Editions
Rossi W 1997 Sex life of the foot and shoe Kreiger Press
Rossi WA 1990a Foot and shoe fetishism: Part 1 Current Podiatric Medicine 19-23.
Steele V 1996 Fetish: fashion, sex and power New York: Oxford University Press
Stekel W 1964 Sexual Aberrations NY: Grove Press Inc

Paraphilia and paraphilia related disorders

2008-10-08T04:18:00.000-07:00

The literal meaning of paraphilia is love (philia) beyond the usual (para) and the condition of paraphilia describes when a person's sexual arousal and gratification depend on fantasising about and engaging in sexual behaviour that is atypical, antisocial and extreme. A paraphilia can revolve around a particular object or around a an act (such as inflicting pain, or exposing oneself). In legal terminology, paraphilia is a perversion or deviancy and in common vernacular, it refers to kinky or bizarre sex. The American Psychiatric Association, (1994) consider those who suffer from paraphilia have several behavioural characteristics in common. They are recurrent, fixed, compulsive, sexually motivated, and personally or socially maladaptive, and interfere with capacity for reciprocal affection. To comply with this definition these behaviours should have been an established pattern for no less than six months duration. Sexual acts are only considered paraphiliac if the person's internal experience matches these criteria (Love, 1995). A second aspect of paraphilia pertains to the object to which the person is attracted. For example, a podophile would be attracted to feet and a retifist, shoes. A third aspect of paraphilia involves compulsion and its aspects that make self-control of undesirable behaviour difficult. The neuro-transmitter, which stimulates compulsive behaviour, is glucocorticoid and is normally triggered when the individual becomes excited. The function of the neuro-transmitter appears to help focus on the stimulus and will remain until the person can conquer it, resolve it, or are out of danger. Provided some type of arousal surrounds the object the release of glucocoticoid increases compulsive behaviour and makes a return to normal routine very difficult. A fourth aspect of paraphilia relates to loss of compensation. Experts believe the brain creates pain and anxiety to ensure the body is provided with certain items needed for survival. In return the body produces opiates that trigger a pleasure response. Under certain circumstance the brain may compensate when the simple primal needs are lost or restricted. Instead the brain will use another need and use it as a source of pleasure. Eating disorders are thought, by many, to be a compensating measure when the brain releases opiates to gratify the action. Symptoms of depression may develop in individuals with paraphilia and are often accompanied by an increase in the frequency and intensity of the paraphiliac behaviour. Anything that has the potential to cause fear or anger can be utilised by some people to induce passion or sexual arousal. Passion, like other forms of emotion, produces adrenalin (epinephrine) which leads to the production of other neuro-transmitters. Factors, which appear to determine how this stimulus is perceived and acted upon, relate to an individual's judgement of these circumstances or sex appeal of the other person. Change in body chemistry may cause things such as avoidance behaviour, an increase in heart rate, oxygen intake, and blood pressure; all of the responses needed to flight or fight (and sex). Anxiety and distress are thought by many to be the initial driving force behind the need to seek pleasure or gratification. It appears during infancy or early childhood, at a primitive learning level, certain individuals discover pleasure and gratification as a coping mechanism to deal with stress, and that, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) helps to establish the paraphilia or paraphilic related disorder. It is generally thought paraphilias and paraphilia related disorders are more clinically prevalent than most clinicians suspect. These disorders are cloaked in shame and guilt and it is unlikely clients will encourage conversation about their particular fetish. Paraphiliac behaviour is more common in men than women. The focus on a paraphiliac is usually very specific and unchanging. This may explain the difference between a foot fetishist or podophile and a shoe fetishist or retifist. Paraphilia may be classified into two pathological categories. In severe cases the essential features of a paraphilic are recurrent intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges or behaviours generally involving 1) non-human objects, 2) the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner, or 3) children or other non-consenting persons. In less severe states the behaviour, sexual urges, or fantasies cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other relevant areas of functioning. Paraphila types are distinguished by the preoccupation with the object or behaviour to the point of being dependent on that object or behaviour for sexual gratification. Unless the person fantasises about the paraphilia at the same time they loose their arousal or satisfaction potential. According to Money (1984) the DSM III incorrectly designated the majority of paraphilias as atypical and has classified them into eight types based on forensic history rather than by pathology and therapeutic need. He argues heterosexual child play in childhood lays the foundations for uncomplicated heterosexuality in adulthood. Interference with an individual's love map development may result in some developing paraphilia. Money attests every one develops a love map which carries the program of individual’s erotic fantasies and their corresponding practices. Once formed these remain uniquely personalised and these develop throughout childhood. If the love map is interrupted this alters the functioning of the sex organs in genital intercourse. The hyoperphilic solution which results is one in which the love map, defied defacement so sex organs of the adult are used with exaggerated defiance frequency, and compulsiveness and or with great multiplicity of partners, in pairs or in-groups. Another variation on the love map is not completely defaced but redesigned with detours that include either new elements or relocations of original ones. Relocation may derive from a history of atypical sexual rehearsal play and /or eroto-sexual experience in childhood. Or they may derive from some other childhood encounter or series of encounters in which the sexual organs become stimulated e.g. seeing a shoe. The erotic fantasies and their practices or animations are programmed in distorted love maps and recognised by others as kinky or bizarre behaviour. Each paraphilia has its own paths on the mental love map which is a strategy for circumventing the individually encountered incompatibility of the sacred and the profane in eroto-sexualism. Money classified paraphiliac love maps into six strategies. Developmentally paraphiliac imagery constituted a love map that goes awry during the juvenile period of eroto-sexual rehearsal play. Sacrificial Paraphilia was where one or both of the partners must atone for the wicked and degenerate acts of defiling the saint with ecstatic lust by undergoing and act of penance or sacrifice. Sadomasochistic sacrifice is not always directed at the sex organs. Erotic arousal may arise from afflictions of other parts of the body including the feet. These may be beaten, squeezed, stretched, pierced or cut. In some cases of erotic masochism the first pain produced fades and becomes transformed into sensuous ecstasy. Predatory Paraphiliac describe those wicked and degenerate ecstasies of the sinful act of lust which is so defiling it can be indulged only if stolen, or taken from the saint by force. In some cases stealing alone takes place as a substitute for genital intercourse. The Sleeping princess syndrome (somnophilia) may involve kissing or intimacy with the feet. When reported to the police these assaults are usually mistaken for attempted rape. Merchantile Paraphilia describes the wicked and degenerate ecstasy of the sinful act of lust and is the social vice practised only professional sex workers. This may also appear as a role playing fantasy within domestic sex. The Fetish paraphilias describe a compromise made with the saintliness of chastity and abstinence by including in the sexual act a token that symbolises the wickedness and degeneracy of the sinful act of ecstatic lust. The token symbolically permits the partner to remain as if saintly pure and undefiled. The fetish is the sinful agent of exotic and sexual excitement and arousal. Often the fetish item is stolen. The item may be more important that the owner and with transvestites they have to wear the item to perform genitally. If the partner objects he must fantasise he is wearing them in order to perform. Attractions vary but may include rubber fetish combines feel and smell. Eligibility Paraphilias describe self abandonment to the wicked and degenerate ecstasy of the sinful act can be achieved only if the partner qualifies as something different i.e. from a different religion, race or creed. Necrophilia would represent a special niche attraction. Body tattoos may attract and in some cases stigmatoghilia (erotic piercing) is the attraction. In sever case the attraction is to mutilation or surgical amputation. Erotic turn on is to the stump. In very rare cases people may be turned on by getting amputation (apotemnophlia). Cases have been reported where people have staged managed an injury to ensure a professional amputation is undertaken in a hospital. Once a paraphilia is lodged in the brain it becomes like an addiction and difficult to dilodge. Many paraphiliac men are able to have several ejaculations (hyperorgasmia) as many as ten on a daily basis. The rationale for defining paraphilias as crimes instead of illness derives from the philosophy of the Inquisition and demon possession, for which offenders were burned at the stake. In the eighteenth century this was replaced by degeneracy theory. This theory was first published by Tissot in 1758 and was issued to explain both social and individual ills on the basis of personal responsibility, for the cause of degeneracy was attributed to the loss of vital fluid in masturbation, and also to indulge in concupiscent thoughts and fantasies. After the event of germ theory in 1870s, degeneracy theory rapidly became outmoded in most branches of medicine, except in sexual medicine. Degeneracy theory allows the paraphiliac to be held responsible for his condition and hence punishment as a treatment is held justified. In mid 60s in Germany cyproterone acetate (steroid hormone) was first used on offenders. Medroxyprogesterone was used in the US; it is an androgen-depleting antiandrogen. It is probably an erotic tranquilliser that has a direct effect on eroto-sexual pathways in the limbic brain. Chemical treatment is often given in conjunction with counselling therapy. Paraphilias appear more frequently in males which may relate to the gender specific reliance on visual stimuli favoured by males. Females are more dependent of skin feelings for erotic excitation. Love maps enter the brain through vision. rather than through sound. Early childhood appears a vital time for the love map development.

Reference
Love B 1995 The encyclopaedia of unusual sex practices London: Greenwich Editions
Money J 1984 Paraphilias: Phenomenology & classification American Journal of Psychotherapy 38 164-179.

Pod Erotica

2008-10-07T02:12:00.000-07:00

For hundreds of years human feet have been considered erotic appendages as the history of foot binding feet will attest (Jackson B, 1997). Both smell (olfactophilic) and or touch (hyphephilic) may play key roles in the attraction to the feet but to date there is no unified agreement on the exact aetiology. Milder forms of paraphilia, such as foot fetishism, have largely escaped attention of scientific enquiry, except for speculative essays or for passing observations appended to a study of some other phenomenon such as violence. According to William Rossi, author of the toe curlingly funny thesis, Sex life of the foot and shoe (Kreiger Press, 1997), podiatrists are ignorant of the sexlife of feet despite the undoubted role they play in intimate interactions between humans. The subject of shoe fetish (retifism) and foot fetishism are poorly understood by the scientific community and often ignored by the judiciary. It would appear paraphilias and paraphilia-related disorders are more prevalent than most podiatrists and psychiatrists suspect. These behaviours are cloaked in shame and guilt and it is unlikely clients will encourage conversation about their particular preoccupation. Human beings can be aroused by almost anything (pantophilia), and feet (podophilia) and legs (crurophilia) are no exception. The boundary for sexual deviation is social and largely determined by culture and history albeit in traditional societies there is little reported evidence of paraphilic behaviour (Monroe & Gauvain, 2001). This has led many experts to believe fetishism and retifism are phenomena of post-industrial society.

References
Jackson B 1997 Splendid Slippers: A thousand years of an erotic tradition Berkley: Ten Speed Press
Munroe RL & Gauvin M 2001 Why the paraphilias? Domesticating strange sex Cross cultural research 35:1 44-64
Rossi W 1997 Sex life of the foot and shoe Kreiger Press