What is sexual attraction?
This attraction is typically sexual or romantic. Sexual attraction typically describes a person’s desire to have sex or form a sexual relationship with other people. It also often describes physical attraction, or lack thereof, toward others.
What causes sexual interest in objects rather than people?
No one knows the exact cause of a person's sexual interest being devoted to objects rather than people. However, in 2009 Dr. Marsh appeared on The Tyra Banks Show and stated for the record that research does not indicate that childhood trauma is a factor in OS. Dr. Marsh is also dubious as to whether this is a new phenomenon at all.
What does it mean to be attracted to objects?
Object sexuality or objectophilia is a form of sexual or romantic attraction focused on particular inanimate objects. Individuals with this attraction may have strong feelings of love and commitment to certain items or structures of their fixation. For some, sexual or close emotional relationships with humans are incomprehensible.
What is it called when you are sexually attracted to women?
gynosexual (someone who’s sexually attracted to women—this doesn’t specify the subject’s own gender, as both “lesbian” and “heterosexual” do) demisexual (sexually attracted to someone based on a strong emotional connection)
What is Allosexuality?
People who are allosexual are those that experience sexual attraction to others. Allosexual people might identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or of another sexual orientation.
What is a sapiosexual and a demisexual?
Though somewhat similar, they are actually two very different terms. While a demisexual is someone who feels sexual attraction to someone only once they've emotionally bonded, a sapiosexual person finds themselves especially attracted to someone they view as intelligent.
What is it called when you are attracted to objects?
Objectophilia or object sexuality refers to individuals, who tend to develop strong romantic attachments or bonds with objects or structures.
What does Biromantic mean?
Biromanticism is when a person is romantically attracted to people of two specific and distinct gender identities. Individuals who identify as biromantic aren't necessarily sexually attracted to the same people they're romantically attracted to.
What is Biromantic asexual?
A person who identifies as biromantic can be romantically attracted to multiple genders. When a person is asexual, they are not sexually attracted to anyone. Biromantic asexuals seek romantic, but not sexual, relationships with people of more than one gender identity.
Can Pansexuals have a preference?
However, just as with heterosexuality or homosexuality, pansexual people are all individuals. Any given pansexual person will have their own preference for the amount of sexual activity they want, and they may also prefer to remain celibate.
What does Agalmatophilia mean?
Noun. agalmatophilia (uncountable) A paraphilia characterised by sexual attraction to a statue, doll, mannequin, or similar object. quotations ▼
Do Demisexuals get turned on?
Demisexual is distinct from asexual. It's not that you aren't attracted to others or interested in romantic relationships, and while you might get aroused by physical touch, you won't be fully turned on by the physicality alone. That emotional part is integral to feeling the true sense of connection and desire.
Is Panromantic a thing?
Panromantic is a romantic attraction to people regardless of their gender. Panromantic people can be romantically attracted to people of every gender identity. And people of any gender identity may identify as panromantic.
How do I know if I'm aromantic?
Some signs that you might be aromantic include: You don't experience feelings of romantic attraction. You feel that you do not need a romantic relationship to feel complete or fulfilled. You don't experience “crushes” or being “in love” with someone else.
What is object sexuality?
Object sexuality or objectophilia is a form of sexual or romantic attraction focused on particular inanimate objects. Individuals with this attraction may have strong feelings of love and commitment to certain items or structures of their fixation.
What is the belief that objects have souls, intelligence, and feelings?
For some, sexual or close emotional relationships with humans are incomprehensible. Some object-sexual individuals also often believe in animism, and sense reciprocation based on the belief that objects have souls, intelligence, and feelings, and are able to communicate.
What do you find attractive in a piece of architecture?
A: It does make sense. What I find attractive in a piece of architecture is symmetry and/or patterns. It is pleasing to my eye to see symmetry on the outside or inside of a building. Also patterns in say the windows, doors or design also attracts me. They are objects, because they are not humans.
Can evil spirits make buildings appear alive?
Evil spirits can make buildings appear to be alive. It is easy for them to do. They're playing cruel tricks on people like this. I know. This is hard to believe, but true.
What is objectum sexuality?
Objectum sexuality is an unusual psychological phenomenon in which an individual feels powerful affection toward a particular inanimate object – for all intents and purposes falling ‘in love’ with the object which may be a particular table, a train or a door. In objectum sexuality the emphasis is not in fact on ...
What is the psychodynamic explanation of objectum sexuality?
A psychodynamic explanation of objectum sexuality meanwhile might focus on defense mechanisms such as projection. Here the individual may have strong sexual or emotional feelings that they find difficult to come to terms with – perhaps through fear of becoming vulnerable to another person, or perhaps because the object of their affections is deemed inappropriate. As a result the unconscious mind attempts to protect the conscious part of the psyche from the reality by directing that love toward a harmless and ‘safe’ inanimate object.
Is objectum sexuality fully understood?
The causes and mechanisms of objectum sexuality are not currently fully understood, but many existing insights of psychology may be used in order to explain the phenomenon, while some consistencies can also be noted between OS people.
What is the term for people who find themselves attracted to inanimate objects?
Comment. The term for people who find themselves attracted to inanimate objects is "objectophilia" or "object-sexuals" or OS. Originally considered a paraphilia (an unusual type of sexual attraction), it's more recently been deemed a form of sexuality after research conducted by clinical sexologist Dr. Amy Marsh.
How many sexual partners does Edward Smith have?
Over the past 48 years, Smith claims that he has had over 1,000 sexual partners, but only one of them was actually human.
What is objectophilia?
Objectophilia is a type of fetish. It’s when a person is sexually (and often romantically) attracted to an inanimate object. This object can be anything, from a huge industrial machine to a pillow.
How old was Amy when she met the love of her life?
Amy was only 13 when she met the love of her life at Knoebels Amusement Park and, although she was young, she knew straight away that this was a love to last a lifetime. She said, “I was instantly attracted to him sexually and mentally”. His name? ‘1001 Nachts’, and the relationship was very up and down. Ok, only because 1001 Nachts is a rollercoaster. Talk about instant ‘attraction’.
What are the different types of sexual orientations?
Alongside the traditional orientations of heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual, a myriad other options now exist in the lexicon, including: pansexual (gender-blind sexual attraction to all people) omnisexual (similar to pansexual, but actively attracted to all genders, rather than gender-blind) gynosexual (someone who’s sexually attracted ...
What is the proliferation of sexual identities?
The proliferation of sexual identities means that, rather than emp hasizing gender as the primary factor of who someone finds attractive, people are able to identify other features that attract them, and, in part or in full, de-couple gender from sexual attraction.
What is the difference between demisexual and sapiosexual?
demisexual (sexually attracted to someone based on a strong emotional connection) sapiosexual (sexually attracted to intelligence) objectumsexual (sexual attraction to inanimate objects) autosexual (someone who prefers masturbation to sexual activity with others)
What is the individuality that permeates Western culture?
The same individuality that permeates western culture, leading people to focus on the self and value their own well-being over the group’s, is reflected in the desire to fracture group sexual identities into increasingly narrow categories that reflect personal preferences.
How do individuals internalize the norms laid down by the sciences of sexuality?
Individuals internalize the norms laid down by the sciences of sexuality and monitor themselves in an effort to conform to these norms. The new terms for sexual orientations similarly infiltrate the political discourse on sexuality, and individuals then define themselves accordingly.
What does "sapiosexual" mean?
Just as the terms “heterosexual” and “homosexual” demand that people clarify their sexual preference according to their and their partner’s gender, “sapiosexual” asks that we each of us define our stance towards intelligence. Likewise, the word “pansexual” requires people who once identified as “bisexual” clarify their sexual attraction ...
What does it mean to be omnisexual?
And “omnisexual” suggests that people should address whether they’re attracted to all genders or oblivious to them.
What determines who you feel attraction toward?
A person’s sexuality, or sexual orientation, determines whom they do, or do not, feel attraction toward. This attraction is typically sexual or romantic.
What is romantic attraction?
Romantic attraction can describe a person’s expression of love within a relationship. This relationship does not have to be sexual, and a person does not have to experience both romantic and sexual attraction in order to have a sexuality. There are a lot of sexual orientations, and people who identify with one or more may find ...
What is an alloromantic?
A person who identifies as alloromantic experiences romantic attraction to others.
Why do non-binary people identify as lesbians?
This may be because they feel a closer connection to womanhood and are mainly attracted to women.
What does autoromantic experience?
Those who are autoromantic experience a romantic attraction toward themselves.
Why do people choose to label their sexual orientation?
However, some people may find that choosing a label for their sexual or romantic orientation helps them form communities with other people who may share similar experiences.
Why is it important to know the terminology of sexual orientation?
By knowing the terminology, people can better understand another person’s sexuality.
Overview
Object sexuality or objectophilia is a form of sexual or romantic attraction focused on particular inanimate objects. Individuals with this attraction may have strong feelings of love and commitment to certain items or structures of their fixation. For some, sexual or close emotional relationships with humans are incomprehensible. Some object-sexual individuals also often believe in animism, and sense reciprocation based on the belief that objects have souls, intellige…
Research
In 2009 Amy Marsh, a clinical sexologist, surveyed the twenty-one English-speaking members of Erika Eiffel's 40-strong OS Internationale about their experiences. About half reported autism spectrum disorders: six had been diagnosed, four were affected but not diagnosed, and three of the remaining nine reported having "some traits." According to Marsh, "The emotions and experiences reported by OS people correspond to general definitions of sexual orientation," suc…
OS awareness and advocacy
In 2009, Erika Eiffel appeared on Good Morning America and The Tyra Banks Show with Amy Marsh to discuss her "marriage" to the Eiffel Tower and how her object love helped her become a world champion archer. Marsh shared the results of her survey and her belief that OS could be a genuine sexual orientation, and reasoned that if childhood trauma were a factor, that there would be more OS individuals. Eiffel, who had adopted her surname after a 2007 "marriage" to the Eiffel Tower, fo…
Literature
Marsh sees OS-like behavior in classic literature. In Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame,
[Quasimodo] loved [the bells], caressed them, talked to them, understood them. From the carillon in the steeple of the transept to the great bell over the doorway, they all shared his love. Claude Frollo had made him the bell ringer of Notre-Dame, and to give the great bell in marriage to Quasimodo was to give Juliet to Romeo.
In popular culture
• In 2007 Erika Eiffel married the Eiffel Tower
• In 2010 Woman's Day magazine listed ten romances between people and things, including the Berlin Wall, a fairground ride, a body pillow, a Nintendo video game character, a Volkswagen Beetle, the World Trade Center, a steam locomotive, an iBook and a metal processing system.
See also
• Agalmatophilia
• Animism
• Doll fetish
• List of paraphilias
• Paraphilia
External links
• The OS Internationale website
• Interviews of Eija-Riitta Berliner-Mauer and Erika Eiffel
• Eija-Riitta Berliner-Mauers website