Fetish Friday: Plushophilia
While kink refers to all sexual practices that have been socially deemed as ‘unorthodox,’ the word fetish describes the focus of a person’s sexual fantasies (whether they are living beings or inanimate objects). When considering both definitions, they are often looked at as taboo, in terms of social norms.
Fortunately, our world is becoming ever more sex-positive and, as a result, many fetishes and kinks have been ‘normalized.’ However, not every fetish (or fetishes) that a person has is understood; this might be partly due to the varying subcultures that may branch from a fetish or kink. Consequently, those who do not experience it can feel uncertain about what it entails.
Today, we’re discussing the topic of plushophilia (the paraphilia attracting folx to stuffed animals), to help you better understand the topic. We hope it will give you a better idea of what it’s like to experience this fetish and what folks who enjoy it are into.
What is plushophilia?
Plushophilia is a paraphilia involving a sexual attraction to stuffed animals (AKA a plushie). Folx with this fetish often self-identify as ‘plushophiles,’ tweaking their stuffies to contain holes similar to a sexual partner for the purpose of penetration.
Please note that this paraphilia is not to be confused with a furry fetish (or with the furry fandom), nor with autoplushophilia. While someone may have overlapping fetishes, one does not equal the other.
Common misconceptions
Plushophilia can manifest in different ways for different people, with some folx enjoying engaging in sexual acts with their stuffed animals (even purchasing plushies with vaginal, oral, or anal orifices for penetration). Others prefer to touch their stuffed animals sexually or gaze at them and feel the attraction without physical contact.
As we mentioned above, plushophilia is not the same as autoplushophilia, nor does it mean that a person has a furry fetish or love of the furry fandom.
How to talk about it with your partner
Curious about talking to your partner about your fetish for stuffed animals? Start by opening up the conversation in an honest way. As you begin to explore the topic with them and answer any questions, it becomes easier to picture a future where, perhaps, plushies can be incorporated into your shared fantasies.
If you’re hoping to integrate plushies into your sexual play with a partner, remember that full and enthusiastic consent is still required by all human participants.
Things to try
Ready to explore sexual satisfaction with your plushie fetish? We recommend starting by discovering which stuffy designs you’re most attracted to (for example, a stuffed rabbit over a bear) before diving in deep. You can begin by touching the plushie all over, fantasizing about how you, specifically, would like to achieve sexual satisfaction from it. When you’re ready, consider purchasing a stuffed animal with penetrable orifices, whether you intend to penetrate them with a penis, strap-on or sex toy, or your fingers.
Are there risks to consider?
While having sexual encounters with a stuffed animal does not present risks such as pregnancy or needing to explore your birth control options, sharing plushies with a partner you are not fluid-bonded with can offer different risks. We recommend not sharing plushies to avoid and prevent contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and to take the extra step of caring for and cleaning any penetrable orifices on your toys after each use.
How can I learn more?
While many of the best sex blogs on the internet can offer you clever tips and tricks for exploring plushophilia, we recommend pursuing various chatrooms and online threads. This can be an excellent place for like-minded folx to discuss their fetish together, share ideas, and feel a sense of community with others who enjoy the same paraphilia.
We hope you now understand what it means to have a paraphilia towards stuffed animals, including what is involved in the fetish and why it can lead to such intense arousal for some people. Should the topic come up down the road, we anticipate that you will feel more open to speaking about it candidly from a place of knowledge. Whether you feel open to further understanding the fetish from someone who partakes in it first-hand or educating someone who may be apprehensive about it, we feel that we have done our job to help make the world a more sexually inclusive place.
Do you enjoy the paraphilia of plushophilia? Does the thought of a sexual encounter with stuffed animals or a plushie turn you on? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
