foot fetishism

The Countess with the whip (1926), an illustration by Martin van Maële Foot fetishism, also known as foot partialism or podophilia, refers to a sexual interest in feet. Similar to other fetishes, individuals with a foot fetish experience varying degrees of sexual attraction to feet, from merely viewing the foot as a pleasing part of the human body alongside other parts, to sexual activity involving feet being the only way that the fetishist can climax. In 2006, it was the most commonly discussed type of partialist fantasy in pornographic Internet forums, and is the most common type of culturally atypical body part partialism, with studies estimating that 14% of Americans have somehow involved feet in sex once in their lifetime, though the amount of individuals who are only able to or usually prefer to climax to feet is likely smaller. It is most common in men, with a slight increase in gay and bisexual men, and is least common in heterosexual women. Eastern subjects are more likely to report an interest in feet.

The appeal of foot fetishism like with other fetishes is idiosyncratic, common reasons cited by foot fetishists in studies include an element of humiliation and domination, the sensitivity of the feet and its usage as an erogenous zone in sex, and as part of a greater form of olfactophilia due to foot odor. Traditional attitudes related to femininity and masculinity have also been noted in terms of symbolic parts of the fetish. The cause of any type of fetishism is largely speculative, but is thought to be a complex interplay of events in prenatal neurodevelopment, cultural, and psychodynamic factors. Issues with the brain such as epilepsy and lesions can result in suddenly gaining or losing sexual interests, including fetishes like feet.