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[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 33 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I became interested in why foot fetishes occur recently.

Basically, it's the same reason why breasts are considered sexual (they aren't); it's all about novelty. If we lived in a nudist colony, neither feet, nor breasts would be considered sexy.

Feet get covered by shoes, making them more novel.

Tribal cultures dont regarded breasts, or feet, as sexy.

Though it begs the question: if nudity became normalized, then what would be novel?

People would find personalities, voices, power dynamics, and fantasies more or less erotic than they are now (for most people).

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 46 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

why breasts are considered sexual (they aren’t)

Breasts and feet are both sensitive and responsive to touch. If you've ever Netflix-and-Chilled, a foot rub is a classic opening move. Meanwhile, teasing someone's nipple is very normal foreplay.

[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

You're not picking up what I'm laying down.

I'm not arguing that feet and breasts aren't capable of providing sexual stimulation from a first person perspective. I'm saying that from a third person perspective, theres nothing about them which inherently arousing; that arousal stems from novelty.

[-] lowleekun@ani.social 23 points 1 week ago

Just like mouth, ears and all kind of body parts are capable of providing sexual stimulation without being considered arousing in the sense we still view breasts/ass and such.

[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 2 points 1 week ago

Precisely. It's amazing how people have misinterpreted what I've been saying lol.

[-] lowleekun@ani.social 3 points 1 week ago

People get emotional around this topic pretty fast. Don't take the downvotes personally, i found your statements perfectly rational.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

I’m saying that from a third person perspective, theres nothing about them which inherently arousing

There seems to be ample evidence to the contrary. Whole pornographic industries exist to cater to people aroused by pictures of people in various states of undress.

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[-] cattywampas@lemm.ee 26 points 1 week ago
[-] taulover@sopuli.xyz 16 points 1 week ago

...that's not what secondary sex characteristic means. As the article you linked says, that just means physical characteristics unrelated to the reproductive system that differ between the sexes. Some of the other examples given include the Adam's apple in men and longer arms relative to height in women. While some of these things can be sexually attractive or related to sexual attractiveness in some way, certainly we don't societally put them in the same sexual category as women's breasts.

[-] cattywampas@lemm.ee 14 points 1 week ago

Breasts are larger than they need to be, and they're that size all the time. One hypothesis is that they're used to signal sexual maturity and attract mates.

But aside from that, breasts and nipples are definitely a bigger erogenous zone than most parts of the body, probably second only to genitals. And they're directly involved in reproduction as you need them to feed babies.

And most importantly, most societies view them as sexual even if some don't. So what makes something sexual anyway? That's a subjective thing, it works by consensus.

[-] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

Not everyone's nipples are sensitive FYI.

[-] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 1 week ago

yeah that's how being an organic being works, some people will always differ from the norm, that doesn't really.. mean anything?

[-] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It means they exist (see trans rights). Though yes, it doesn't really speak to what a society must accept as sexualized that something simply exists in counter to the norm.

To think such silly things is equivalent to religious people trying to protect their kids from "catching the gay" or becoming a lesbian simply because they met one. Just because it exists doesn't mean it has to become a norm for everyone, and just because it exists doesn't suddenly redefine the norm. Such braindead thoughts show up in far too many places. (like the previous comment)

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[-] cattywampas@lemm.ee 3 points 1 week ago

And some people are asexual, doesn't mean that most people aren't.

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[-] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 week ago

Ooo baby look at that apple BOB--yeah drain that cup, waterboy

[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 7 points 1 week ago

Yes, but I'm talking about arousal. The distinction between the adjective and verb of 'sex' is important lol.

[-] coacoamelky@lemm.ee 6 points 1 week ago

That's interesting

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago
[-] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Hey, some people love body hair, so you're not disproving much.

[-] rbamgnxl5@lemm.ee 20 points 1 week ago

This doesn't work.

If it were only about novelty, then why aren't there more bellybutton fetishes?

Being a fetish-having person, I can tell you there there is more than just an attraction to the object of your desire. It is a primal, deep, uncontrollable NEED to see or touch the object.

I am not a foot fetishist, so I do not presume to know the intimate details of what they like, but I can promise you, it has nothing to do with novelty. Fetishes have so many variants also; there are foot fetishes, sock fetishes, feet squishing stuff, toenail paint things, some want a footjob, some want to lick them or suck on toes, some people like big feet, small feet, the list goes on and on.

Maybe read just a tiny bit? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_fetishism#Cause

[-] A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Welll for one, giving your partner a foot massage usually ends up in them feeling better. Nobody does that with belly buttons.

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[-] lena@gregtech.eu 11 points 1 week ago
[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Even the researchers behind the study say, “I want to stress this finding is not final.” That should tell you something.

The sample size is small and limited to a single cultural group. Meanwhile, we’ve got plenty of anthropological evidence showing that in many societies where breasts are regularly exposed, they’re not treated as sexually arousing. So no, this study doesn’t magically override decades of cross-cultural data.

That said, the idea that breasts signal health or fertility? Sure, obviously. Just like wide hips, clear skin, or symmetrical faces. But biological relevance doesn’t automatically make something a fetish object. We don’t jerk off to white blood cell counts.

And yeah, obesity isn't typically seen as attractive because it signals potential health risks (dont cross post this on tumblr).

The study is interesting, but it doesn’t prove breasts are inherently sexual. It just adds a datapoint to a complex picture where biology and culture play roles.

[-] lena@gregtech.eu 9 points 1 week ago

Meanwhile, we have numerous examples of cultures where tits hang loose on the daily, and aren't seen as inherently arousing.

Source? Not to say you're lying, I'd just like to read more about it

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[-] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

It's why obese people aren't considered attractive

If you look up the definition of what is considered "obese" for your height, I think you'd find this is largely false.

[-] Xanthrax@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

NSFW:

When I fuck people their feet are in my face. I always thought what I was looking at was sexy when fucking, but I agree. Forbidden fruit and all that.

[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 4 points 1 week ago

I mean sure, you do you. If everyone wore gloves in a parallel timeline, you'd probably want chin scratches.

[-] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 week ago

nah, i have somewhat of a hand fetish and it has nothing to do with how hidden or not they are, i just think hands are inherently attractive if they look nice and feminine. Also big part of it is how sensitive the fingertips are, touching sensitive parts is just always gonna be nice.

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[-] Carmakazi@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

Nudists are weird people and I wouldn't accept what they have to say about sexuality at face value.

[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 12 points 1 week ago

Nudists think people who wear clothes and dont question whether their shame is vindicated are weird. I'm inclined to agree with them lol.

[-] lowleekun@ani.social 5 points 1 week ago

Honestly visiting an onsen was somewhat of an eye opener. I felt pretty comfortable with my body when all these normal dudes were naked and nobody cared about each others bodys.

[-] Carmakazi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

I'm not surprised since your OP is boilerplate nudist justification and not really any exploration of paraphilia.

I think there's a mile in between puritanical shame and thinking the body isn't and shouldn't be considered sexual and is fit for public consumption. Why is it important to desexualize the human body? What's the benefit?

[-] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 week ago

Gives people the choice whether they want to be sexualized or no. Like you shouldn't have to wear a giant form-disguising hoodie just to keep from being ogled.

[-] Carmakazi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

I suppose I could see that. I'm assuming you're a woman or female-presenting cause that's not something I can fully empathize with as a dude. But you do have the choice of dressing how you want to be perceived, no? I'm sure there are other options beyond wearing a trash bag of a top.

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[-] renamon_silver@lemmy.wtf 3 points 1 week ago

What do tribal cultures regard as sexy?

[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 4 points 1 week ago

In many tribal societies, the erotic focus isn’t on specific body parts like breasts or feet; it's on signs of fertility, health, and social status. things like wide hips, smooth skin, body paint, scarification, or even dance.

[-] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

Though it begs the question: if nudity became normalized, then what would be novel?

Not an sexologist or even a sexy anthropologist, but my intuition is that aesthetic attraction would always be a factor (since it doesn't rely on sexual attraction), and that acting in a sexually provocative would be the way to provoke the horny gaze.

It might be nice to have less sexualization of people just be virtue of their existing in a sexualized body. That's the dream, anyway.

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[-] Valmond@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Dressed people ofc!

[-] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago

It raises or prompts that question.

[-] Zozano@aussie.zone 2 points 1 week ago

I beg your pardon?

this post was submitted on 28 May 2025
1021 points (100.0% liked)

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