I reflect on how I will have a better understanding of certain fetishes after this experience as I sit anxiously waiting for what’s going to happen.

My friend starts to tell me that he is going to tie my wrist and the type of knot it will be. He proceeds to take a piece of rope that looks like paracord and bind my wrists together.

He asks if I can get out of them or if the knots are too tight. I inform him that they are comfortable and I show him I can’t get my hands out of them. He fastens them to the bed and then puts a hood over my head that hides any light from my eyes.

He places the final touch of headphones over my ears with Chet Faker’s “Gold” playing loud enough to cover any noise that might hint at what was happening. I sink into the feeling of anticipation and safety.

I proceed to experience different things that are for some considered fetishes, which later got me inspired to look at a few.

Some fetishes have made it into pop culture and others may fly under the radar. Some you might just know from porn.

• Let’s play footsie. According to a few different websites, the top fetish is the foot fetish. This may be a great reason to enjoy getting a pedicure no matter your gender. The next person you’re with may enjoy it more than you know.
• Stigmatophilia or body modification seems to be a very popular fetish which could fall into two different fetishes. A sexual sadist is a person that gets aroused by causing pain to another or seeing someone in pain. The other side is a sexual masochist, being the one who receives and is aroused by enduring pain.
• Voyeurism may be one on the rise possibly because of the encouragement of porn. It is the sexual desire to see or watch people having sex or in an intimate act.
• Electrophilia, this fetish is electric. If you ever felt turned on when you got zapped by someone when you touched or by touching an electric fence, this may be your fetish.
• Haptephilia is interesting, this is being extremely aroused by touch, which surprised me. I would think that this would be more popular since many fetishes come with a touch.
• A bit of a new meaning to the mile high club, hodophilia is the fetish of traveling to a new or strange destination.
• Taking teasing to a new level is tantalolagnia. A person gets turned on by being teased. This could lead to intense begging.

There are so many different fetishes and many times people will bundle them into BDSM (bondage, dominance, submission/sadomasochism and masochism). Many times people will practice or enjoy multiple fetishes. It’s about taking the time to experiment. It can be a fun game to find what switches you on with desire.

Enjoying a fetish isn’t anything to be ashamed of as long as it’s legal and the people involved are consenting adults.

After that night I am going to play some more to find what my fetishes may be. But when I find mine they will remain my little secret, maybe.

Joann Chevaillier can be reached at [email protected] or @jmc_8284 on Twitter