Kink (sexuality)

In human sexuality, kinkiness is the use of sexual practices, concepts or fantasies that are not conventional. The term derives from the idea of a "bend" (cf. a "kink") in one's sexual behaviour, to contrast such behaviour with "straight" or "vanilla" sexual mores and proclivities. It is thus a colloquial term for non-normative sexual behaviour.^[1] The term "kink" has been claimed by some who practice sexual fetishism as a term or synonym for their practices, indicating a range of sexual and sexualistic practices from playful to sexual objectification and certain paraphilias. In the 21st century the term "kink", along with expressions like BDSM, leather and fetish, has become more commonly used than the term paraphilia.^[1] Some universities also feature student organizations focused on kinks, within the context of wider LGBTQ concerns.^[2]

Kink sexual practices go beyond what are considered conventional sexual practices as a means of heightening the intimacy between sexual partners. Some draw a distinction between kink and fetishism, defining the former as enhancing partner intimacy, and the latter as replacing it.^[3] Because of its relation to conformist sexual boundaries, which themselves vary by time and place, the definition of what is and is not a kink varies widely as well.^[4]^[5]

Prevalence

In a study published in 2016, 1040 persons "corresponding to the norm for the province of Quebec" were interviewed; nearly half of this sample reported an interest "in at least one paraphilic category", and approximately one-third had "had experience with such a practice at least once."^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Shahbaz, Caroline; Chirinos, Peter (2016-10-04). Becoming a Kink Aware Therapist. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315295336. ISBN 978-1-315-29533-6.
^ Coslor, Erica; Crawford, Brett; Brents, Barbara (2017-01-01). "Whips, Chains and Books on Campus: How Organizations Legitimate Their Stigmatized Practices" (PDF). Academy of Management Proceedings. 2017 (1): 12142. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2017.12142abstract. hdl:11343/158068. ISSN 0065-0668. S2CID 148922389.
^ Rothstein, Edward (5 October 2007). "What's Latex Got to Do With It?". The New York Times.
^ ^a ^b Joyal, Christian C.; Carpentier, Julie (3 March 2016). "The Prevalence of Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors in the General Population: A Provincial Survey". The Journal of Sex Research. 54 (2). Informa UK Limited: 161–171. doi:10.1080/00224499.2016.1139034. ISSN 0022-4499. PMID 26941021. S2CID 1671875.
^ Meredith G. F. Worthen (10 June 2016). Sexual Deviance and Society: A sociological examination. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-59337-9.

Sensual, Erotic, and Sexual Behaviors of Women from the “Kink” Community Sensual, Erotic, and Sexual Behaviors of Women from the "Kink" Community, Articles of Sexual Behavior, International Academy of Sex Research
Kinky - The Sensual Consciousness, The Sultry Revolution of the Senses, Chic Today Magazine
Dossie Easton, Catherine A. Liszt, When Someone You Love Is Kinky, Greenery Press, 2000. ISBN 1-890159-23-9.
Jensen, Nate (2009). Japanese-English Guide to Sex, Kink and Naughtiness. (First edition, version 3). CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1-4421-0876-9.
Shahbaz, Caroline; Chirinos, Peter (2016). Becoming a Kink Aware Therapist. Routledge. ISBN 9781315295312.
Goerlich, Stefani (2022). Kink-Affirming Practice: Culturally Competent Therapy from the Leather Chair. Routledge. ISBN 9781000620498.
International Association of Rubberists Archived 2006-07-02 at the Wayback Machine
Jay Wiseman, SM 101: A Realistic Introduction, Greenery Press, 2000, ISBN 0-9639763-8-9.
Stephanie Clifford-Smith, Kink: A Straight Girl's Investigation, Allen and Unwin, 2010, ISBN 978-1-74175-912-9

[taylorfrancis_com-1] Shahbaz, Caroline; Chirinos, Peter (2016-10-04). Becoming a Kink Aware Therapist. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315295336. ISBN 978-1-315-29533-6.

[2] Coslor, Erica; Crawford, Brett; Brents, Barbara (2017-01-01). "Whips, Chains and Books on Campus: How Organizations Legitimate Their Stigmatized Practices" (PDF). Academy of Management Proceedings. 2017 (1): 12142. doi:10.5465/AMBPP.2017.12142abstract. hdl:11343/158068. ISSN 0065-0668. S2CID 148922389.

[3] Rothstein, Edward (5 October 2007). "What's Latex Got to Do With It?". The New York Times.

[Joyal_Carpentier_pp._161–171-4] Joyal, Christian C.; Carpentier, Julie (3 March 2016). "The Prevalence of Paraphilic Interests and Behaviors in the General Population: A Provincial Survey". The Journal of Sex Research. 54 (2). Informa UK Limited: 161–171. doi:10.1080/00224499.2016.1139034. ISSN 0022-4499. PMID 26941021. S2CID 1671875.

[Worthen2016-5] Meredith G. F. Worthen (10 June 2016). Sexual Deviance and Society: A sociological examination. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-59337-9.

[1]

v t e BDSM
Outline Glossary
Bondage and discipline B&D or B/D	Animal roleplay Bondage hood Bondage positions and methods Bondage suit Collar Equipment Erotic sexual denial Erotic tickling Forced orgasm Head bondage Hogtie bondage Human furniture In culture and media Interrogation scene Japanese bondage Law Metal bondage Mummification Organizations Positions Predicament bondage Rope bondage Self-bondage Sensation play Spreadeagle position Suspension bondage Total enclosure
Dominance and submission D&S or D/S	Ageplay Bladder desperation Body worship Boot worship Chastity Dominatrix Facesitting Fear play Female submission Feminization Male dominance Male submission Master/slave Medical fetishism Rape fantasy Forced seduction Service-oriented submission
Sadomasochism S&M or S/M	Breast torture Caning Cock and ball torture Erotic asphyxiation Erotic electrostimulation Erotic spanking Figging Impact play Knife play Play piercing Temperature play Urethral sounding Violet wand Wax play Erotic humiliation In fiction
Related topics	Aftercare Consent Dungeon monitor Edgeplay Edging Feminist views on BDSM Gorean subculture International Fetish Day Kink Leathermen Leather pride flag Limits Munch Pegging Play Play party Risk-aware consensual kink Safeword Sexual fetishism Sexual roleplay Top, bottom, switch
Writers	Laura Antoniou Pauline Réage Anne Rice Catherine Robbe-Grillet Leopold von Sacher-Masoch Ariel Sands
Commentators and theorists	Gloria Brame Patrick Califia Dossie Easton Janet Hardy Trevor Jacques Fakir Musafar Gayle Rubin
Organizations	Eulenspiegel Society FetLife Samois Society of Janus Universities with BDSM clubs
Category

v t e Sexual fetishism
Actions, states	Aquaphilia Autassassinophilia Coprophilia Cuckold / Cuckquean Emetophilia Erotic hypnosis Erotic lactation Erotic spanking Exhibitionism Forced seduction Gaining and feeding Impregnation Macrophilia Medical fetishism Omorashi Paraphilic infantilism (adult baby) Pregnancy Smoking Tickling Total enclosure Transvestic Tightlacing Tamakeri Urolagnia Vorarephilia Wet and messy fetishism
Body parts	Armpit Breast Belly Buttocks Eyeball Fat Feet Hands Hair Legs Navels Noses
Clothing	Boots Ballet boots Boot worship Thigh-high boots Boot fetishism Clowns Corset Diapers Gloves Pantyhose Latex Rubber and PVC Shoes Spandex Underwear Uniforms
Objects	Balloons Dolls Latex and PVC Robots Spandex
Controversial / illegal	Lust murder Necrophilia Rape fantasy Zoophilia
Culture / media	Artists Fetish art Fetish clubs Fashion Magazines Models Websites FetLife wikiFeet
Race	Asian fetish Ethnic pornography Sexual racism
Related topics	BDSM International Fetish Day Kink Leather subculture Leather Pride flag Sexual roleplay
Category

Kink (sexuality)

Prevalence

See also

References

Further reading