In simple terms, "kink" is anything considered "abnormal" to the average Joe/Jane/Morgan. It is not inherently sexual. "Fetish" is something you need to have an orgasm too. It is inherently sexual. All fetishes are kinks, but not all kinks are fetishes.
To complicate things, "fetish" also has a few variation of meanings outside of the human sexuality scope of conversation. Fetish often has the "-philia" suffix attached to terms. "-Philia" comes from the Greek language and means "fondness". As such, it has a few variations of definitions:
- fascination with someone or something
- extreme curiosity about someone or something
- obsession with someone or something
Take the term "hybristophilia". Hybristophilia is a fetish for criminals or "bad guys". When discussing "hybristophilia" it is the fetishization of criminals (everything from jay-walking to full blown murder cases). If you take the literal, linguistics definition of it (breaking it down) it means "fondness for criminals". If you look at how the term has evolved, it can mean (depending on the context and intent of the person writing or speaking):
- Fascination with criminals and/or criminal activity
- Extreme curiosity with criminals and/or criminal activity
- Obsessed with criminals and/or criminal activitity
- Can only have an orgasm when having sex with criminals OR imagining having sex with a criminal
Like all terms, hybristophilia can be considered a spectrum (like any term with the suffix -philia). One end is purely a fascination/curiosity when it comes to criminals and/or criminal activity, while the other end is a very sexual side of the spectrum.
I'd like to thank The Science of Sex Appeal for providing the information for this post. There were other documentaries involved as well that helped expand upon the idea that kinks and fetishes are not interchangable words, but The Science of Sex Appeal was the primary inspiration for this piece.
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