The concept of fetishism is polysemous and has been used by several academic disciplines. It appeared in the 15th century and comes from the Portuguese feitico meaning "spell, amulet", then evolved into facticius (i.e. "artificial" in Latin). Used by Westerners during colonization to describe the practices of certain peoples, the term was later used by Karl Marx to define the fetishism of merchandise. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the term took on a sexual connotation with the work of Alfred Binet and Richard von Kraft-Ebing, before being followed by the writings of Sigmund Freud. But what is a sexual fetish? While definitions vary, it can be defined as a specific object, body part, or situation charged with emotion that attracts attention and desire. Therefore, sexual fetishism is the sexual arousal that a person experiences when in contact with an object invested with a particular imagination. Surprisingly enough, the subject of sexual fetishes seems to be little dealt with by academic research, except in the field of psychoanalysis, in which most articles are concentrated. However, the study of this subject deserves to be deepened as the stereotypes about fetishism are numerous. Indeed, according to the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association, fetishism is still considered a disorder if it causes suffering that affects the daily life of the person concerned. However, studies, such as Nadia Lapointe's (2013) dissertation, tend to show that people with fetishes do not differ particularly from people without fetishes on socio-demographic characteristics. The purpose of this review will therefore be to take stock of the research on a complex but fascinating subject.
Review • Sexual Fetishism
3 March 2023
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