A-Z List of Fetishes and Kinks

In this guide: Fetish vs. kink | Why do people enjoy kink play? | A-Z of fetishes and kinks | Are fetishes common? | How to explore them safely

Ever experimented with whipped cream in the bedroom? Or perhaps you’ve used a blindfold to spice things up a little. Sounds like you’ve already had the pleasure of exploring kinks and fetishes. But if you’re yet to add a little extra flave to your sex life or you’d rather stick with what you know between the sheets, that’s perfectly ok too! Because when it comes to hitting a home run, it’s all about finding your enjoyment in the sack.

Here’s a list of fetishes and kinks if you’re keen to dial up the heat in your sex life.

Only got time for a quickie?

Here’s a quick and dirty recap on all things kinks and fetishes:

• Kinks fetishes refer to two similar, but different preferences. While some people are turned on by kinks, those with a fetish need it to reach explosive results.

• Once a taboo, kinks and fetishes are on the rise. Younger generations are more open to exploring their fantasies, so chances are you’re not alone in your sexual interests.

• There are hundreds of different kinks and fetishes out there. This isn’t an exhaustive list of all fetishes and kinks, just a quick rundown on what some find hot.

• Communication is key for safe, enjoyable play. Establish a safe word and check in with your flame regularly to make sure everyone is having a good time.

The terms fetish and kink get used interchangeably but refer to two distinct sexual proclivities. A fetish refers to a specific object, body part (sexual or non-sexual), or behaviour that must be present for you to get your kicks.

A kink is an interest that falls outside the realm of regular old “vanilla” coitus. They’re more of a nice-to-have, rather than a must-have, like a fetish.

Kinksters tend to enjoy sensation-seeking and show an interest in intense, new experiences. They might also experience heightened arousal and decreased stress or self-critical thoughts while exploring a BDSM ‘scene’.

“[Kink] can provide an escape from the monotony of every day life,” says Christine Rafe, a sex and relationship therapist. “For many, it can also be a desire for freedom or a way to reclaim their power and control from a strict social or cultural upbringing.” That’s quite different to the experience of fetishists, who might struggle to get aroused or climax during sexual experiences that don’t involved their fetish.

Exploring kinks and fetishes provides a unique opportunity to set clear boundaries and test your communication skills in a way that’s different to your run-of-the-mill sex.

If vanilla sex is enough to fill up your pleasure cup, that’s totally cool. But what if you just haven’t found your thing yet? This A-Z fetishes and kinks list will give you plenty of inspiration to help you expand your sexual horizon.

Just keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive list of all the fetishes and kinks out there, so if you don’t see your spicy turn-ons listed here, don’t stress!

A is for...

• Agoraphilia. Similar to exhibitionism, individuals with agoraphilia get excited at the thought of being seen or getting caught bumping beautifuls in public.

• Auralism. A penchant for sound, auralism means you get the horn from auditory stimuli, like moaning, groaning, or the delicious sound of wetness that often comes with getting down and dirty.

B is for...

• Balloon fetish. “Looners” get a little hot under the collar at the thought of balloons, whether it’s popping them, rubbing them, or blowing them up.

• Bondage. A kinky classic, bondage involves some sort of physical restraint. From a simple pair of handcuffs to the art of Japanese rope bondage, there are plenty of ways to explore this common kink.

C is for...

• Chastity. There’s nothing quite like the withholding of sex to really get the blood flowing. Using a chastity device isn’t the only way to explore this kink; you can also practice a little orgasm control with your boo or have them tease every part of your body besides your special spots.

• Cock and ball torture (CBT). The art of inflicting consensual pain straight to the swingers, from stepping on the nutters with heels to urethral sounding.

D is for...

• Dominance. Putting the D in BDSM is dominance, a type of power play that involves a dominant and submissive partner. As a Dom, you get sexual satisfaction from exercising control over your beau (with consent, of course).

• Double penetration (DP). A kink that involves penetrating two orifices at the same time, either with a penis or two or a dildo thrown in for good measure.

E is for...

• Electrostimulation. Electrostimulation, or electro sex, incorporates electrical energy into your kinky play using specialty electro sex toys.

• Elastophilia. A sexual proclivity for stretchy materials like spandex, silicone, rubber, or latex. Whether it’s the sound, look, or feel of these materials, everyone’s elastophilia is personal.

F is for...

• Flogging (flagellation). A love of being lashed by a multi-tailed whip, known as a flogger. Use it for a tantalising tickle, whimsical whipping, or a full-blown thrashing, depending on your pain threshold.

• Food play. Take your meal from the dining table to the bedroom with food play. This form of ‘sploshing’ (sexual arousal through getting messy) could involve covering someone’s body with food and sensually licking it off, or using their body as a makeshift table.

G is for...

• Gags. A form of mouth bondage, gags are used to keep subs silent during playtime. Ball gags and ring gags are a popular choice for this kink, but some prefer gagging on a big, old pecker instead.

• Group sex. Multiply your pleasure with multiple partners. From threesomes and orgies to swingers parties, there are multiple ways to enjoy multiple partners.

H is for...

• Hirsute fetish. From a full bush to hairy legs, the thought of female body hair gets you toey.

• Humiliation. For some, degradation can be a fast track to pleasure town. Humiliation kinks can involve verbal insults or physical degradation, whereas others blend the two.

I is for...

• Impact play. A form of sadomasochism, impact play is a kink that involves using anything and everything for a good spankin’. Think: hands, spanking toys, or anything else your heart desires.

• Infantilism. A form of age play that involves someone taking the role of a baby or infant through the use of dummies, nappies, bottles, and other baby gear.

J is for...

• Japanese rope bondage (Shibari). A form of rope bondage that involves tying intricate knots and patterns to immobilise your flame while stimulating the hot spots around the bod.

• Jerk off instructions (JOI). JOI is a kink that involves one partner dictating how the other masturbates.

K is for...

• Katoptronophilia. A kink for getting dirty in front of the mirror, some people simply get a kick from watching themself doing the deed.

• Klismaphilia. If you’ve ever dabbled in anal, you might have given yourself a freshen up with an enema or douche. For some, this is where the real pleasure lies, whether that’s from flushing their back passage or performing the enema.

L is for...

• Lactation. A kink relating to breastfeeding and suckling milk directly from the source.

• Latex/rubber. A form of elastophilia, this kink refers to arousal derived specifically from latex or rubber. It’s no wonder that so much fetishwear is crafted from this sensual material.

M is for...

• Macrophilia. Sexual fantasies relating to giant people and often involving being crushed or eaten by the giant or giantess.

• Masochism. The “M” in BDSM, masochism, is a kink that involves finding pleasure in pain. There’s a vast spectrum of pleasurable pain, ranging from some light hair pulling through to extreme flogging or knife play.

N is for...

• Narratophilia. Like dirty talk, narratophilia involves deriving sexual pleasure from hearing or talking about sex, or dirty talking while doing the deed.

• Nipple play. A love of getting your nips teased, tweaked, or pinched. Take your nipple play to the next level with a set of clamps, suckers, or pumps, or leave it up to your partner to mix it up with a combo of licking, sucking, biting, and flicking your love buttons.

O is for...

• Oculolinctus. You’ve heard of cunnilingus and analingus, but have you heard of oculolinctus? That’s right, some people get their kicks from licking eyeballs.

• Orgasm control. When you hand over control of your explosive result to your partner, often as part of a Dom/sub relationship. This can involve orgasm denial, forced orgasms, edging, or ruined orgasms.

P is for...

• Pet play. This kink involves the Dom and sub taking the role of owner or trainer and pet. Elevate your play with the addition of collars and leads for puppy play or whips and crops if playing a pony is more your style.

• Pregnancy fetish. It’s natural to admire the female body during pregnancy, but if you find yourself getting tickled pink at the thought of pregnancy, you might have a kink or fetish.

Q is for...

• Queening. Also known as face sitting, queening is the act of straddling your boo’s face to receive a cheeky Aussie kiss.

• Quirofilia. While some are enamoured with feet (ak.a. ‘foot fetish’), others have a thing for hands, known as quirofilia. While some are obsessed with nails or fingers, others go mad for the size, or from watching hands performing certain tasks, whether sexual or non-sexual.

R is for...

• Robotism. They say cyborgs, androids, and robots are the way of the future, which could make for a very kinky time for anyone with a robot fetish.

• Role play. A common kink that involves acting out scenarios outside of your usual day-to-day. These scenes can be as simple as calling your flame “daddy”, while others call for a serious amount of scripting and planning, complete with props and sexy costumes.

S is for...

• Sadism. If the thought of inflicting (consensual) pain on others ignites a fire in your loins, chances are you’re a sadist. On the flipside, masochism is when you enjoy experiencing pain, so sadists and masochists are a match made in kinky heaven.

• Sensory deprivation. The act of restricting your senses to take your sexy time to a whole new level. Use a blindfold to remove your boo’s sense of sight, slide into some wet look lingerie as you experiment with touch, or add a drizzle of flavoured lube to play with taste.

T is for...

• Tentacles. From getting off on watching tentacle porn to using tentacle-inspired dildos while getting to know yourself, the thought of multiple penetration fantasies or extreme or forbidden scenarios can leave people feeling more than a little flustered.

• Tickle torture. The act of tickling truly ignites all of the senses, so it’s no surprise that some find sexual gratification from tickling. Use your fingers or take it to the next level with a feather tickler.

U is for...

• Urethral sounding. A type of medical fetish where some find pleasure in urethral dilation using plugs or probes known as sounds.

• Urophilia. More fondly known as golden showers, many people find the concept of pee play sexually stimulating. If you’re new to urophilla, we suggest giving it a try in the shower for a quick, easy clean-up.

V is for…

• Vincilagnia. A thing for being tied up and relinquishing control, otherwise known as bondage. Take your pick of rope, tape, handcuffs, restraints, and ties, as they all feel a little different. Check out our bondage advice for inspiration and safety tips.

• Voyeurism. A kink based on watching others during private or intimate situations, often without being noticed.

W is for...

• Watersports. Similar to urophillia, watersports involve playing with urine, whether that means being peed on or peeing on someone else.

• Wax play. The art of dripping hot wax from a lit candle onto the skin. Try a massage candle with a lower melting point to take some of the sting out of it.

X is for...

• Xenophilia. A penchant for the foreign and unknown, xenophilia is a broad term that encompasses a sexual attraction for foreign partners and even out-of-this-world beings, like aliens.

• Xylophilia. An attraction to wood, and we don’t mean the kind you find behind the zip… We’re talking trees, forests, and even creatures that live in wood.

Y is for...

• Yeastiality. Nothing beats the smell of fresh-baked bread, but for some people it stirs more than hunger. Yeastiality refers to a fetish centred on baked goods made with yeast, like bread and pastries.

• Yiffing. A sub-category of furries who enjoy a little horizontal refreshment as part of their role play as a furry friend.

Z is for...

• Zelophilia. Related to cuckolding, zelophilia describes arousal stemming from jealousy. It could be your own or someone else’s jealousy relating to you, but it sure plays into cuckold fantasies.

• Zentai. People with zentai kinks are aroused by full-body suits traditionally made from spandex and designed to cover the entire body, face and all.

There's not enough research in Australia for us to know exactly what percentage of the population have a fetish. What we do know is this: being diagnosed with a fetish may be uncommon, but it's not rare for people to enjoy fetish-like or kinky fantasies.

Research by Dr. Justin Lehmiller and the dating app, Feeld, also suggests that kink is becoming increasingly commonplace, with young adults finding more acceptance for diverse sexual interests and identities. When you compare studies like this one and this one, it's likely that up to a quarter of people engage in kinky behaviours occasionally and many more could have kinky fantasies.

“There is no such thing as normal,” says Alice Child, a somatic sexologist. “The truth is that human eroticism is broad and complex, and your fantasy or kink is much more common than you think.”

You don’t need loads of gear to explore kinky sex! Teasing and sensation play (think: spanking or tickling) are very easy for two consenting adults to try at home. Speaking of consent, here are a few cheeky pointers to help you dip your toes into kink safely:

• Keep the conversations flowing – boundaries can change over time, so never assume your partner is always interested in the same type of play.

• Connect with like-minded people in kink communities – they’ll help you to let go of shame and learn about the risks involved with certain types of play.

• Start small and work your way up – there’s no rush to try everything all at once.

• Always make time for aftercare – check in with your flame before, during, and after play to make sure you’re both still into it.