Transvestite prostitute reveals Eddie Murphy's fetish

... and his response?  A firm 'no comment'.

This isn't the first time sexual encounters of this type have been raised about the star of family favourites, like Shrek and Dr Doolittle.


So, is Eddie Murphy a sinner or a saint? That's up to you and, well, ultimately him. And who says being a sinner is quite so bad? They often have the most fun!

Whether you've got a thing for leather, latex or even illicit liaisons with transvestite hookers, the only thing that matters is that you're honest to yourself and - well - those who you care about [Ed - bit of  a Jerry Springer moment for me! Sorry! ]

What does your fetish say about you (and your childhood)?

Guyism takes a brief, lighthearted look at seven fetishes today. From smoking to crush fetishes, Guyism places a jokey Freudian spin on it.

The blog tells how a lack of a childhood could lead to a longing to be an adult baby while a fixation on action figures as a kid could lead a man to develop a passion for robots.  This is hardly investigative journalism. The operative word here is 'could'. This 'could' cause 'that'. It's a possibility.

Fetishes are so incredibly complex that you can't just pin down a single reason for them developing. Environment plays a large role in the development of fetishes, but no two childhoods - or fetishes - are the same.

Take shoe fetishes. Some men long to wear the shoes, while others enjoy watching. Some men get a thrill from a specific type of shoe, while others enjoy many different types of shoes. For some, the thrill is purely sexual while for others it's not.

Like our fingerprints, they're totally unique and truly part of who we are.

Russian spy's kinky passions

Anna Chapman's not your average spy... The bombshell's ex has revealed that she's anything but average in the sack, too. He tells of her sizzling passion for nipple clamps and whips in this article. from the New York Daily News.

Girls on the Pull

This morning's Daily Mail features a story about trichotillomania - also known as tricho and TTM - and briefly comments on the sexual aspects of this condition.

Known as trichotillophilia, women and men both can find pleasure in having their hair pulled or pulling someone's hair. Just watch any naked mud wrestling match and you'll soon see this at play. Of course there are sites devoted to hair pulling porn, too.

While many fetishes are equal opportunity, it seems that this one's more weighted in a woman's favour. She gets the BDSM thrill of being the incapacitated submissive. She gets all of the endorphins from each hair pulled, too.

Josie, a 24-year-old barmaid from North London, gushes: "I love getting my hair pulled during sex! Rough sex is so hot and I've found that it can make you more comfortable with your partner both in and out of the bedroom."

Horses for courses

Say the words 'ponyplay' and chances are that somewhere, someone will be thinking beastiality. Think role play and you'll be closer to the mark.

Ponyplay is one of a handful of animal roleplays enjoyed by singles, couples and groups. Like kittenplay and pup-play, it can be sexualized or non-sexual and can enter the realm of BDSM.  Being reduced to the status of an animal can draw upon theme of domination.

Like any good roleplay, there's a host of equipment and costumes available. Fantasy Leather offers an extensive range of equestrian play products. Items such as harnesses, bits, tails and saddles help ponies and their handlers get the most out of the play experience.

The ponyplay community is closeknit and events are held which bring the community together. There are regular rodeos and gatherings.  A recent LA Weekly article tells of a foxhunt being held in the Los Padres National Forest. The outing will bring together a host of characters, including a fox, ponies and even some people dressed as hounds. Overseeing the day, I expect will be human trainers.

This pursuit - which has grown in popularity in recent years - has been the subject of a great deal of media interest, including documentaries. The most notable ponyplay film is Elizabeth Elson's 'Born in a Barn' (2005).  You can read a review of the film here.








 

Stick a needle in it...

Katie Price (aka) Jordan has confessed to a secret needlestick fetish. Appearing alongside her, husband Alex Reid told host Alan Carr of her urge to stick needles in his testicles.

Carr asked Katie, 32, whether she was attracted to pleasure and pain.

Reid replied: "She’s a freak! Let’s not talk about that. One of her kinky things is about sticking needles in my balls. She wants to stick needles in my balls!"

Katie explained: “It’s about trust, I just want to see how far he’d let me go.” And when asked whether she'd allow Alex to do something similar to her, Katie was adamant she would.

Needlestick fetishes are by no means rare, although they do sit at the higher end of the BDSM spectrum. For most, a light spanking or bondage will be more than enough. But, as we're all aware, vanilla sometimes isn't enough to satisfy a craving.

Anyone looking to explore this aspect of their sexuality would be best to strongly consider the health and safety aspects before engaging in any type of needle play.

Fallen Dark Angel has written a list of hints and advice that introduces beginners to needle play and covers areas of concern when partaking in this BDSM area.

Kidman reveals all...

'Eyes Wide Shut' actress Nicole Kidman is said to reveal all about her experiences of "extreme love" in an interview published in the latest issue of British GQ.

The 42-year-old confesses: "I’ve explored obsession. I’ve explored loss and love in terms of being in a grief-stricken place, I’ve explored strange sexual fetish stuff, I’ve explored the mundane aspect of marriage, and monogamy..."

Can't wait to pick up my issue ASAP! But if you can't wait for your copy, check out The Frisky's take on the former Mrs. Cruise's flights of sexual fancy.

Filth and Wisdom

Madonna's directorial debut, "Filth and Wisdom" has met mixed response from critics. You can catch a clip of her film which follows her tale of the Ukranian sex worker here. Judge for yourselves!

Kylie's feet top the fetish charts!

Who would you most like to play footsie with?

According to the Carnation Footcare/You Gove 'Footsie Index', Kylie Minogue's tiny size-three feet are perfect for men to fondle while George Clooney is the king of footplay.

The survey asked 2000 Britons to select which celebrities they would most like to engage in seductive footsie with.

The award probably has come as no surprise to Kylie. In an interview with FHM Kylie was asked about her favourite body part. She replied:"Umm, my feet are quite good. I've had many a girlfriend curse me about my feet. Feet are normally not the prettiest things, but mine are not bad at all."

Kylie's feet are so attractive, there are even websites which are devoted to them, such as John Kipling's site. One of his fans said of her: "Kylie is hot, feet are a major turn on, the combination is awesome."

Top Women

1. Kylie Minogue - 15%

2. Angelina Jolie - 13%

3. Fearne Cotton - 10%

4. Cameron Diaz - 9%

5. Beyonce Knowles - 5%

Top Men

1. George Clooney - 24%

2. Brad Pitt - 10%

3. Simon Cowell/Justin Timberlake/David Beckham - 6%

4. Vernon Kay - 5%

5. Tom Cruise - 3%

Say "Ahhhh"

When describing a beautiful person, whether male or female, we normally mention attributes such as penetrating eyes, luscious lips or chiselled features. On Twin Peaks, Sherilyn Fenn's Audrey Horn was stunning, but even more cherished once viewers saw her knot a cherry stem using only her tongue. While the thought of a man or woman being able to manipulate their tongue in such a way opens the door to orgasmic sexual possibilities, for some, just the sight of an attractive tongue is enough to get themselves in a twist.

At FemaleTongue.org, forum users gather to discuss their sexual interest in women's tongues. For them, just the sight of a fantastic tongue is enough to arouse their buds. Traits such as length (the longer the better), width, display and movement are discussed with great passion. Uncommon tricks such as forming a cup or a curl with the tongue are particularly praised - perhaps as the ability to do this would indicate a woman's skills when it came to oral pleasures.
Tonguefetish.net was founded in January 2001 by American video producer Mike Sprite. His site's mission is to find and document the longest, sexiest female tongues in the world in order to cater for the tongue afficianado. The site is constantly on the lookout for sexy mouths and long tongues to appear in new productions. A glance at their video offerings, complete with free previews gives a unique insight into this tongue teasing interest. Film "Alice's Big, Sexy, Magic Mouth" is billed as: "She is unique - a perfect example of tongue fetish erotica! The entire video is close-up, wide open, tongue hanging, "fuck-my-throat" seduction! She talks to you the entire time, telling you what she wants you to do as you stare at her huge mouth and long, wide, soaking wet tongue! Very exciting!! "

Grab it by the horns!

Sometimes, oldies can be goodies! In February 2006, BBC News reported an unusual Sudanese punishment for beastiality. While in the UK, there would be uproar of such an act, imprisonment and RSPCA action to stop the individual from possessing animals, they do it a bit differently in Sudan.

Mr Tombe, from Sudan, was forced to take a goat as his "wife", after he was caught having sex with the animal.

The goat's owner, Mr Alifi, said he surprised the man in coitus with his goat and took him to a council of elders.

Mr Tombe was ordered to pay a dowry of 15,000 Sudanese dinars ($50) to Mr Alifi.

The owner said: "We have given him the goat, and as far as we know they are still together."

Mr Alifi, of Hai Malakal in Upper Nile State, told Juba Post that upon hearing a loud noise around midnight on 13th February, he rushed outside to find Mr Tombe engaged in activity with his goat.

"When I asked him: 'What are you doing there?', he fell off the back of the goat, so I captured and tied him up."

Mr Alifi contacted the elders for advice on how to deal with the situation and they advised not involving the police.

Mr Alifi told the newspaper that the elders suggested he "let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife."

I imagine it was one hell of a honeymoon night!

Take A Walk on The Wild Side

Looking for the ultimate experience gift for a loved one? Why not gift them with a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will just keep on giving?

Adult Adventures has a myriad adventures and experiences for you to choose from, from photography and film to fetish parties and the very best swingers' clubs to kidnap fantasies and dungeon playtimes.

Their bespoke service brings individualised experiences to the client. Many fantasies and scenarios, such as the "stranger pick-up" or kidnap require a personal touch. Each adventure is tailor-made to the specific needs of the customer.

So, what are the most popular experiences?

1. Amsterdam Fetish Ball - £549 for two tickets to the fetish ball in the heart of Amsterdam, a £100 Westward Bound voucher to spend on the perfect outfit PLUS two nights in a quality hotel close to the ball.
2. Deluxe Swingers Adventure - £265 for two tickets for entry into one of the UK's very best swingers' clubs. Dress up - or down - and party the night away with swinging couples and singles in exquisite surroundings; make new friends and have as much fun as you can handle!!!!
3. Film - Just the Two of You - £599 - An elegant, personal presentation pack to present to your loved one containing a personalised voucher (valid for 12 months), more information about your session, and a surprise "prop" to set the right mood for your experience.
4. Sensual Photography Adventure - £399 - A 3-hour photo session with an experienced photographer for you and a loved one.
5. Erotic Body Casting - £199 -A sexy, fun sexperience and a wonderful surprise for your loved one! Treat yourself (or your partner) to a lifelike sculpture of your bottom or most intimate body parts. A truly sensual experience - your partners' favourite bits cast in the finest white plaster - frames are included (if required) and for a small additional cost, add curtains!
   
   

Snuggle up with a good book!

While I love reading and like feeling a connection towards a book, I'm not quite sure I could ever get quite as intimate with one as Uberjasoness. The Amazon lister writes: "Have you ever tried having sex with your books? It's not very easy. The smell of the paper turns you on, the words make you feel fuzzy inside, but you just can't get them inside of you no matter how small the books are. My advice to you ... books on tape. But, really, I'm just waiting for the book industry to print dildo-shaped novels." Until then, I guess you'll just have to make do with some papercut-fuelled fun!

Static Sex!

What is it about balloons that brings out child-like excitement in people of all ages? I asked my son what the appeal of these airborne vehicles of fun and he replied: "They're fun because they're so bouncy!" I admit to feeling slightly bouncier myself in their presence. They draw on memories of childhood and their spherical form encourages many a silly game...oh and their helium as well!

There are some, however, for whom they appeal in a purely adult way. Sophia, a 26-year-old office assistant, confessed: "I'm get totally turned on by balloons. The only way my boyfriend can give me an orgasm is by rubbing a balloon against my pussy. I know it can't be normal but it feels better than sex."

While Burlesque stars such as Blaze Starr made the balloon striptease famous, it appeals to a much-wider audience than the balloon fetishist with it's audience involvement and the element of the tease.

Sexpert Katherine Gates writes of her discovery of the 'looners': "When I first discovered the balloon fetish on the Internet I felt like a virtual Indiana Jones hacking through the website jungle seeking information-age buried treasure on a mission to unearth new niche kinks from the sexual underground. When I followed a link to Balloon Buddies, Ltd. Bringing Balloon Lovers Together Since 1976, I knew I had stumbled upon the mythic “lost tribe” of undiscovered fetishists. Here was a classic fetish that as far as I knew no researcher had ever documented."

Considered by some as a subset of the latex fetish, looners enjoy sensual feast that balloons have to offer. From it's skin-like nature to its unique scent which for many fetishists on its own is a turn-on. Katherine Gates points out: "The balloon itself is a perfectly opaque metaphor, flexible enough to suggest breast, cock, body, face without ever limiting itself to one single interpretation. It's this flexibility and capacity to expand to contain many meanings that makes the balloon such a good fetish object."

'Loonatics' find arousal rubbing up against balloons, masturbating while inflating them or using them as sex toys in quite, well, eye-opening ways. As an inflatable with a breast-like quality, it draws parallels to both lactation and bresh expansion fetish. For balloon voyeurs, it is not so much the pleasure that balloons gives that turns them on as much as the pleasure of watching someone being satisfied by one.

Unlike many fetishes, there is no gender or sexual orientation divide with both straight and gay men and women enjoying this type of latex love. More interestingly, the divide appears when the "to pop or not to pop" question comes into conversation on forums such as Balloon Buddies. While some looners prefer for the pop to occur "naturally" through overinflation, others prefer either introducing other fetish items such as a lit cigarrette or a stiletto heel to cause explosive levels of excitement.

For the enthusiast and those looking to put bang back into their sex life, a vast quantity of visual material is available on the internet: from the innocent clothed woman sat on a balloon to the not-so-innocent balloon cum dildo.

I don't think I'll ever quite look at the balloon with childlike innocence ever again....

Frame Your Desires

Hitting the town at the weekend with friends, I was approached with a friend's dilemma: glasses or no glasses? Without glasses, she was aware she couldn't see. However, she believed that with them perched on her nose, she wouldn't attract men. Most dilemmas are best solved through compromise, so I suggested a combination: glasses til the prey was in her sights followed by the specs being secreted in my handbag. She invoked memories of my childhood desire to be one of the few, one of the bespeckled. Looking back now, it was an odd want: a craving for imperfection. Perhaps I desired to inspire thoughts of myself as an intelligent bookworm or to stand apart from the crowd, but with near-perfect vision, it was never meant to be. While my urge was short-lived, for some their desire for corrective vision in themselves and others is a long-term obsession.

Glasses fetishism describes an attraction or arousal towards people wearing prescription eyewear or sunglasses, or in some cases, the act of wearing spectacles. Occasionally, even the glasses themselves as a stand-alone object are fetishised. While it is not technically a paraphilia, rare, extreme forms of this fetish verge on parphiliac.

Initially, I admit, this may be a difficult fetish to relate to. However, anyone who has had a fantasy involving the headmistress or master discipling them, will most likely imagine them in glasses. Or perhaps your taste is more in corrupting a schoolboy or transforming an uptight bespeckled bookworm into a wild, crazy nymph. Perhaps if eyes are the windows to the soul, glasses frame its desires.

While the glasses themselves can be a turn on for some, fetishists cite a variety of sources for arousal including:

• watching women struggle - either with losing their glasses or adjusting to a new pair


• spectacles slipping down the nose


• the cleaning of smudged lenses


• seeing a person wearing or manipulating eyewear both sexually and non-sexually

Erotic fiction such as Specs4Ever's tale "A Town Called Myopia" tittilates the glass fetishist through writing. Accompanying this, a wide range of DVDs are available ranging from the mangaka title "The Sky over my Spectacles" to "Specs Appeal 9" which features a memorable catchphrase: "Spray my glasses with hot jizm!". These sorts of 'money shots' feature strongly on the many websites which cater to girls with glasses (GWGs) such as the imaginatively titled Jizz on My Glasses site. Forums, such as Eye Scene, which describes itself as a 'different outlook on eyewear', encourage an open discussion for all things optical.

Some fetishists wear eyeglasses - sometimes even over contacts. This practice, glasses over contacts (GOC), requires the use of contact lenses prescribed at a strength which allows the user to see clearly through strong eyeglasses. For some hopeful fetishists, they let their eyes go overcorrected for a length of time so that stronger glasses will be necessary.

Czech GOC-fetishist Bobby Laurel believes that his fetish for thick, strong lenses is similar to those who enjoy pretending to be an amputee or handicapped. On his website, he writes: "All of them pretend a kind of disability. Please, do not misunderstand the concept of this pretending. They do not do it to lodge a fraudulent claims, to get benefits, to get money, to beg etc. No! They wheel or crutch just for the pleasure (Yes, they like it!) ... Those pretenders and us - the GOC wearers - are the same kind of "freaks". None of us know exactly what happened in our brains that we like pretending to be disabled. We just like it. Please, realise we do not harm anybody. We do not wish that the other people really needed thick glasses, wheelchairs or crutches. Of course, we like the people who happened to need the stuff. They attract us, it is true, it often makes us excited or even sexually stimulated when we see a person who wears strong glasses or needs crutches or a wheelchair."

Research into this realm of fetishism (as well as many others) is sparse. Perhaps it is the fact it is not as well-known or more likely that it rarely impacts on anyone apart from the fetishist.

Currently, a group of European researchers have joined forces to investigate fetishism in the hopes of increasing understanding. The Internet Sex Survey Initiative are looking into various fetishes including glasses fetishism. So, if the site of a face framed in specs warms your loins, take part in their survey by clicking: www.intercult.su.se/ISSI/sur...rvey.html.

So...glasses or no glasses? I'm not sure there is a right answer to that one. As with any desire or want, it's personal. With age, poor eyesight soon follows. But I don't think I will fret - for some men still do make passes at girls in glasses.

Happiness is a warm (unloaded) gun

Attending summer camp as a teenager, I engaged in a spot of gun play (no, not that kind) on the riflery range. For those unfamiliar with the experience, there is indeed a rush to be had....sometimes a good one, sometimes bad. Perhaps it's the power of controlling a vehicle of death or the reverberations of your gun's firepower echoing through your body - whatever the case, it certainly gets the adrenalin going. Of course, if you have an encounter with a chipmunk who decides he wants to play behind your target, like me, your blood-stained bullseye is enough to put you off ever wanting that gun-powered rush ever again.

A brief look at any Western news programme confirms that there is a taboo-laden love for firearms. In the US, where gun ownership is a contentious issue, while some call for a gun ban, groups like the NRA are calling for greater ownership. While some prefer a gun ban to improve society, others believe that society makes gunpower a necessity. When dealing with such a moral divide, there's always bound to be a fetish lurking in the mist. For gun fetishists, there is not only excitement but sexual fulfillment to be found in a warm gun.

For the gun fetishist, the attraction is much deeper and far more complex. Visually, its phallic shape allows for the mind to wander. Some gun fetishists take advantage of this aspect, utilising the weapon as a dildo. Deviant Desires author Katherine Gates adds: "Interestingly, most of these are bisexual women who only play with guns with other women. They might hup on the outside of the weapon, or wrap the end of the barrel with foam to protect their mouth or vagina from the sharp sights. Most are satisfied with unloaded guns. Others load the weapon with duds (not blanks, which actually have primer in them and explode.) Some use real ammunition and trust their abilities and knowledge of their weapons to keep the play safe." This sort of BDSM edgeplay is rare and certainly falls outside the criteria of 'safe, sane and consensual'. Writing about this sort of play, Gates writes:" I personally think it's a bit nuts, but then again so is scuba diving with angry sharks and bungee jumpng off tall buildings. I guess if you really know what you're doing, you'll reduce the risk enough to bring it back into the realm of sanity if not safety. "

As sensual beings, it is not merely enough to feel or experience the gun's heat, the mere scent of the gun, the taste of gun powder after discharge or involving the gun in activities may arouse. Gun lover Katherine Gates writes: "when I clean and shoot my guns I do experience a sudden feeling of aliveness, my senses get sharper and more focused, and I sometimes become physically excited. Like many fetishists, I have a very particualr idea about what weapons are hot and which are not (I prefer black matte rifles and Beretta .9 mms.)"

So, what is the attraction? The gun symbolises dominance in today's society so it could be seen as an extension of BDSM. In gunplay, the bottom (submissive) is led to believe that that their personal safety and even their life is in danger when no such risk exists. Bottoms describe how easily fear sets in when a weapon is pointed at them - despite being aware that the gun is not loaded. This isn't so much for fear of error by the top (dominant), but by the brain associating this object with danger.

For others, the attraction to women bearing weapons may find its root in sexual inequalities. Alex-in-Wonderland's site, devoted to his love affair with women bearing arms, includes images and clips that attract him. On the site, he explains his interest: "Ever since junior high school I've been fascinated by female action heroes. Attractive women who are strong and smart, and don't take any shit from their idiot male counterparts... I've spent many years searching for the ultimate "femme fatale" experience." In an essay examining his attraction for women with guns, he suggests that it is seeing a sexual role reversal is a large part of the attraction. He writes: "the women usually win because they are the heroic leads in these films. This is how I like to see women portrayed - as strong spirited, intelligent, and independent people who don't take any shit from anyone and can hold their own in a fight. Also, being a male and not having a lot of love and respect for my gender, I like seeing men portrayed as idiotic losers and pathetic weasels who are ultimately taken out by the women in the film. It's something different...we rarely get to see that most powerful and terrifying feminine attribute, Woman the Destroyer... In a male dominated society, it's also nice to see women "getting back at The Man" by defeating their sexist oppressors at their own game for a change."

While man's love affair with a hot, smoking gun has existed for years, perhaps the current political climate and tensions in the Middle East have increased its position as a fetishised object. In an essay entitled "Perversion and Terror" author Supervert wrote shortly after the events of 9-11: "If indeed the culprits behind the attack on America are religious fundamentalists, there is nothing they want less than to see you carry on with unwholesome practices and freaky obsessions....There is nothing so bothersome to religious fundamentalists than a public display of sexual weirdness. Its weirdness offends their narrow morality, and its openness rubs their nose in the fact that you live in a free country. So you want to fight terrorism? Indulge yourself. Get kinky. "

While I've no plans to apply for a gun permit anytime soon, I think Supervert's phrase "Indulge yourself. Get kinky" should be acknowledged by one and all. Each of us has our kinks, so why do the majority repress them? Sexual power is a mighty weapon, however it will never wield as much anger and aggression as when its left denied.

Uncross your legs, boys!

Phone sex operator Lipstick Explosion encounters many unusual interests in her professional life, however until recently, she'd never been exposed to the world of crush.

In her blog, she describes her first experience with this interest when a caller rang to arrange an in-person session. As she ran through a checklist of his needs, he mentioned he had a crush fetish. She writes:

"I asked if that aligned with his interest in CBT. “No,” he explained, “I’m interested in seeing you crush insects.” “Like roaches?” I asked. I admit I was perplexed—when he said “crush,” I envisioned crushing his balls with my feet or heels. “Yes, and other things. If I brought something like a crab, could you crush it?” “You mean step on it?” “Yes, until you crush it.”
I took a deep breath. “No, no, I couldn’t do that.” I kindly explained that I was happy to indulge his other fetishes, but that I couldn’t bring myself to step on a crab. I tried to be the consummate professional, and not judge him while clearly delineating my limits. "

After googling "crush fetish", she writes: " I don’t recommend doing this unless you have a strong stomach. I don’t recommend doing this late at night—I find that if I look up anything that creeps me out past 10pm, I have trouble sleeping. And this definitely creeped me out."

Why is it when we are warned not to look, we can't resist the urge to? Why couldn't I just leave it at reading a blog? Like Pandora with her husband's locked box, I couldn't ...and even worse, Google didn't try to stop me.

Ask most people what a 'crush fetish' is and chances are that they'll think it's a type of sub/dom game. Putting this to the test, I emailed twenty acquaintances last night asking them to define it without the help of the net. While six romantics replied it was a fixation on unrequited love and two affectionate ones replied it was a hug fetish, the majority, 12, thought, like Lipstick Explosion, that it was a fetish involving the crushing of testicles.

While some men do enjoy having their balls stamped by a stiletto as part of BDSM play, crush fetish is an entirely different type of domination game. Jeremy Biles, who teaches Media Aesthetics at the University of Chicago, has researched the virtually unexplored world of the 'crush freak'. In his paper, “I, Insect, or Bataille and the Crush Freaks” he writes: "At the cutting edge of the edgy world of sexual fetishistic practices, the crush freaks are notorious for their enthusiasm for witnessing the crushing death of insects and other, usually invertebrate animals, such as arachnids, crustaceans and worms. More specifically, crush freaks are sexually aroused by the sight of an insect exploded beneath the pressure of a human foot - usually but not necessarily, a relatively large but beautiful female foot."

While most are hesitant to squash a bug or spider for reasons of cruelty or mess, crush freaks are aroused from watching a woman stamp on objects ranging from food to insects to mobile phones. For some, seeing a delicate heel crush a tomato will suffice, however for others crustaceans are popular as they are aurally pleasing - making a loud noise when smashed.

Many experts believe that crush is a subset fetish. However, what it's a subset of is not definite. Perhaps it's necrophilia theme or draws upon BDSM. Katherine Gates, author of Deviant Desires: Incredibly Strange Sex , views the crush fetish as drawing upon the giantess theme of macrophilia and foot fetishism. Jeremy Biles suggests that the use of technology as a sexualised object draws upon technophilia or arousal from technology.

Perhaps only the "crush freak" knows for sure. Alan discovered his passion as a child. The 29-year-old said: "I was out in the back yard with my older brother one morning after a night of rain and we found loads of snails. Seeing my brother crush them awoke something in me. Perhaps it was the sound of the shell cracking or seeing the snails soft body crushed in contrast to the cracked shell, but I just wanted to see him do it again and again." Bachelor Alan, who requested anonymity, has had girlfriends but never been able to express this desire. He admits to telling one ex he was petrified of bugs just to see her forced to crush them. He said: "Seeing her so disgusted yet powerful at those times was a truly erotic experience. I wanted to be that cockroach under her foot and feel the weight of her body on me." While Alan considers himself sexually open and dabbles in BDSM play and foot worship, for him there is no greated buzz to be found than to catch a woman crushing an insect in a white patent-leather heel.

Jeff "The Bug Vilencia", as publisher of The American Journal of Crush Freaks, is considered by many to the be the foremost spokesman on crush fetishism. In an interview with G.A. Pearson for Cultural Entemology Digest, Vilencia describes the crush fetish as a variant of giantessophilism: "The feeling is that of letting go, powerless, helpless, tiny, small, and
buglike. Wanting to see a female crush something with her foot, longing to be a
helpless insect as you squirm around under her foot sole as she squishes your
body into grease."

In a separate interview, "The Bug" describes his ecstasy at the point of orgasm as: "... in my mind all of my guts are being squished out. My eyeballs are popping out, my brain comes shooting out the top of my head, all my blood squirts everywhere...What a release, that imagery really gets me off! Seeing that foot coming down on me, coming into my stomach and pressing all that weight onto me till I burst! Wow!"

With approximately 500 subscribers, The American Journal of Crush Freaks caters to men who find sexual pleasure in the misfortunes of the small, but the net is the primary supplier of crush-related videos. Films such as Vilencia's "Smush" have even gained cult status. Some suggest there are as many 2,000 titles available for this global market as well as websites featuring chat rooms and crush clips.

The popularity of crush videos, which some refer to as "Animal Snuff Films"continues to rise dramatically despite passage of a U.S. federal law in 1999 banning the creation, sale or possession of films featuring crushing or stomping of animals. Organisations such as In Defence of Animals and individuals such as John Schiff have encouraged net vigilance to put an end to crushing of life.

On his website's FAQ's, John draws a line between safe and unsafe crushing. He writes: "In this more tame form that involves only consenting adults and a tube of toothpaste, it's not necessarily a bad thing. There are many websites devoted to non-destructive trampling, foot fetishes, and "giantess worship", and although it may seem odd to those who don't share those particular fascinations, there's nothing inherently unsafe about it. However, when extreme fetishists grow tired of inanimate objects, they may move on to live animals. Once the fetishist resorts to killing living things, he or she has crossed the line into unacceptable (and criminal) behavior."

In extreme fetishism, of whatever type, a line is crossed - however, it is important to bear in mind that fetish runs on a spectrum. While the majority will be satisfied at the crushing of a juicy tomato in some WAM play, a slim minority will move onto living creatures. As G.A. Pearson points out in his article: "Clearly, I just don't get the whole crush predilection. However, there seems to be very few crush freaks, so I don't think the invertebrate world is in great
danger. Crush fetishists represent a fascinating example of the human ability to eroticize just about any activity: in this case, one of interest to entomologists."

It's A Windy Kind of Love

Last night I was speaking to an old friend about the nature of true love. As the romantic sort, I expected him to wax lyrical about the power of Cupid's arrow and irrepressible urges. Instead, he paused for thought and said quite simply: "Well, you know it's true love if you can fart around that person and not regret it." Hmmm and they say romance is dead, eh?

Having been subjected to a love quite flatulent, I can only hope that this definition is far from the truth. Reading the tale of Lindey Best's tale in the Sun, "Farting Ruined My Sex Life", I realised that I was not alone in reaching for the gas mask in the presence of a walking stink bomb.

While most duck and run for cover when faced with a loved one's gassy emission, there are some who just can't wait for their love's next windy blast. Eproctophilia, or sexual arousal from another's farts, is on the rise with sites offering film clips and images for those who crave gas-powered erotica. Forums such as the Queen of Farts forum, moderated by the Queen of Farts Sexy Miss Lizz, allows members to openly discuss their farting realities and fantasies.

Fart fetishism is a true feast for the senses - stimulating eyes, ears and nose. For those unable to express this desire in their love, a wide range of porn films are available which cater to this fetish, however, it is my understanding that the 'best' are of Japanese origin. Sometimes just seeing or hearing is never enough. At times like those, look no further than Farting Sexy's Farrah and LadyEve who will send you worn panties which received a bottom-blasting all day. An interesting aspect of the erotica surrounding this subject come in its form of written erotica. Fart diaries or Gas Logs such as Lisa's and Jillian's allow for insight into the world of the sorts of women whose emissions can "burn a hole in her panties". In their diaries they detail not only how many times they pass wind, but also detailed descriptions. Jillian wrote of her first one that day: "Bathroom-just out of bed - Big, rotten eggs and sour milk ". While these appear quite innocent to a novice like me, I'm guessing it works for someone!

Many worry about the effects of the internet and how it increases our sexual perversions, but in this case, it certainly is not a 'new fetish'. In the 18th century Jonathan Swift famously wrote a pamphlet called "The Benefits of Farting Explain'd". In the early 20th century, author James Joyce's erotic letters to his wife Nora, reveal his affection and desire for her farts. In December 1909, he wrote: "At every fuck I gave you your shameless tongue came bursting out through your lips and if a gave you a bigger stronger fuck than usual, fat dirty farts came spluttering out of your backside. You had an arse full of farts that night, darling, and I fucked them out of you, big fat fellows, long windy ones, quick little merry cracks and a lot of tiny little naughty farties ending in a long gush from your hole. It is wonderful to fuck a farting woman when every fuck drives one out of her. I think I would know Nora's fart anywhere. I think I could pick hers out in a roomful of farting women. It is a rather girlish noise not like the wet windy fart which I imagine fat wives have. It is sudden and dry and dirty like what a bold girl would let off in fun in a school dormitory at night. I hope Nora will let off no end of her farts in my face so that I may know their smell also."

These intimate exchanges, written over a period when Joyce and his 'little fuckbird' were apart, clearly were written for arousal. Richard Ellmann, writing the introduction to the 1975 Faber & Faber edition of Selected Letters of James Joyce suggests that the erotic letters can be misunderstood. He writes that: "They display traces of fetishism, anality, paranoia and masochism, but before quartering Joyce into these categories and consigning him to their tyranny we must remember that he was capable, in his work, of ridiculing them all as Circean beguilements, of turning them into vaudeville routines. Then too, the letters rebuke such obvious labels by an ulterior purpose; besides the immediate physical goal, Joyce wishes to anatomise and reconstitute and crystallize the emotion of love. He goes further still; like Richard Rowan in Exiles, he wishes to possess his wife's soul, and have her possess his, in utter nakedness. To know someone else beyond love and hate, beyond vanity and remorse, beyond human possibility almost, is his extravagant desire."

So, maybe my friend makes a valid point about the criteria for true love, perhaps he's even read some Joyce and embraced an all-encompassing love. Perhaps he is a closet fart fetishist and spends his evenings feeding his girlfriend beans in the hopes she'll treat him to a show. But, more likely, he's just too lazy to excuse himself from a loved one's prescence before releasing his not-so-fragrant aroma.

Cover your eyes, Bambi!

In a bit of necrophilia meets beastiality news, we have one of those annual news events - the man caught having sex with a dead deer story.

The Hartford Courant relays the disturbing tale of Bryan James Hathaway who received probation after being convicted of having sex with a deer corpse.

As part of the 20-year-old's sentence, he is to be evaluated as a sex offender and treated at the Institute for Psychological and Sexual Health in Duluth, Minnesota.

Hathaway pleaded no contest earlier this month to misdemeanor mistreatment of an animal for the incident involving the deer. He was sentenced Tuesday in Douglas County Circuit Court.

Judge Michael Lucci said: "The type of behavior is disturbing. It's disturbing to the public. It's disturbing to the court."

Hathaway's probation will be served at the same time as a nine-month jail sentence he received in February for violating his extended supervision.

In April 2005, he was found guilty of felony mistreatment of an animal after he killed a horse with the intention of having sex with it. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail and two years of extended supervision on that charge as well as six years of probation for taking and driving a vehicle without the owner's consent.

Surely after killing a horse to be used as a vehicle for sexual gratification, one would suspect that this individual could do with some evaluation. While I'm relieved he's been sentenced to treatment, I'm just a bit dismayed that it took a romp with Bambi's mother for him to get it!

Tickle Your Fancy!

Does the thought of a feather hovering close to your foot set your sole alight? Or perhaps fingertips trailing up your spine sends your nervous system quivering? What is it about the tickle that makes it so exciting?

Evolutionist Charles Darwin was the first scientist recorded who gave serious thought to this peculiar thrill. In The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals , Darwin detailed these involuntary spasms in all walks of life, concluding that it helps form and maintain social bonds by causing laughter and fun. The key to success appears to be the element of surprise as Darwin pointed out:"the precise point to be tickled must not be known".

Tickling divides mankind into those who are ticklish and those who tickle it seems. While tickling sends most into fits of giggles, for some it can cause great discomfort and distress. For one growing community, however, it sends them to the peaks of arousal.

Ed, 53, said of his fetish:"I love nothing more than to tie a woman down, sending her her crazy with tortuous tickles. Seeing her body resisting my touch yet wanting so much more at the same time turns me on. I guess I love introducing women to this pleasure and doing everything I can to increase it."

"After all," the tickle lover adds, "there's no better way to bring a smile to my face than to hear, see, taste and smell a woman cumming over and over again."

Many 'lees' and 'lers', like Ed, enjoy tickling as part of foreplay, however for some it is a stand-alone activity verging on platonic. Technically, as a game of dominance and submission, it is a BDSM activity, however it's not recognised by the BDSM community as mainstream. As with any pursuit of BDSM-fun, personal safety is paramount and rules of play and safety words should be used.

Of his preference for light bondage while engaging in tickling Ed says: "There's something empowering and enjoyable for both of us as she's laying there spread-eagled and at my tickling mercy. I could just tie her up I suppose, but what do either of us gain out me humiliating her?"

"Especially as I'm hoping she'll return the favour," he adds.

Ed believes that the internet has helped him not only learn but embrace his fetish. For those wanting to learn more about tickling, he suggests forums such as The Tickling Media Forum and Tickling Theater.

In the name of research, I trawled through the message boards and was surprised by not only the high level of activity on these forums but just how deep the obsession runs. On the Tickling Media Forum, a discussion of one member's resentment of his fetish led another, Boomtown313 to write about how the fetish fit in his life. He wrote: "For me, the albatross was the damn Mr. Hyde mentality that I'd slip into. If you know what I'm talking about, come on raise your hands. I'd spend an entire night reading tickling stories. I'd stop to watch a video. Then I'd find a ticklish girl and IM her till I couldn't keep my eyes open. Gorging on internet tickling material, like a pig rolling around in mud, overdosed my libido, knocked me way off balance, and made pursuing ticklelust my Prime Directive."

I guess tickling is not much different from other fetishes in that it creates such immense pleasure and arousal that it verges on addiction. Left out of control, your desire can interfere with not only your's but others' functions in life...and not in a giggle-filled tickle kind of way!