Scarleteen is closed for the next two days, so that's Thursday, October 31st (for Halloween) and Friday, November 1st (for Diwali). We'll be back and able to answer your questions on Saturday. Catch you soon!

Paraphilias

Questions and discussion about your sexual lives, choices, activities, ideas and experiences.
kittyivymusu
newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2017 3:24 pm
Age: 25
Pronouns: she/her
Location: USA

Paraphilias

Unread post by kittyivymusu »

Is there a scientific reason known for why humans experience paraphilias? Do other organisms experience them as well?
Sam W
previous staff/volunteer
Posts: 10320
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:06 am
Age: 33
Awesomeness Quotient: I raise carnivorous plants
Primary language: english
Pronouns: she/her
Sexual identity: queer
Location: Coast

Re: Paraphilias

Unread post by Sam W »

Hi Kittyivymusu,

There's a lot of debate about what creates or nurtures paraphilias. Some people argue that they are picked up or conditioned into a person during childhood, while others argue that there may be a deeper psychological or biological source. Other people point out that paraphilias can arise later in life, or be attached to a specific partner and not generalizable to a person's whole sexual history. In other words, nobody is really quite sure as to their origin. As for other organisms experiencing them, it's unlikely that they do. The whole concept of paraphilia requires a concept of "normal" and "abnormal" sexuality, which other organisms don't have (I suppose humans could identify those behaviors within other species, but I can't say how much that actually happens).
And you to whom adversity has dealt the final blow/with smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go/turn to and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain/and like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.
Heather
scarleteen founder & director
Posts: 9687
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:43 am
Age: 54
Awesomeness Quotient: I have been a sex educator for over 25 years!
Primary language: english
Pronouns: they/them
Sexual identity: queery-queer-queer
Location: Chicago

Re: Paraphilias

Unread post by Heather »

Object attachment is something we see in other species, mind, we just can't really say if those feelings are sexual or not because we lack the inter-species communication to do that!
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic