Fetish Focus: Smoking
from
Recon News
22 January 2018
Cigars have been part of the gay fetish scene on a widespread level since the 1970s. In the U.S., gay men's magazine Drummer published an article about the fetish appeal of cigars in 1978 and sparked a niche craze that quickly spread, especially among the leather and S&M communities.
Through generations of media portrayal – films, tv, photo spreads – society was used to the idea that watching someone smoke could be sexual. Though the mainstream's love affair with smoking has ended, there's a loyal following of fetish men who love to smoke and/or watch other men smoking - especially cigars. We've delved into this kink a little bit to find out more.
Cigars as a fetish
A cigar compliments a leather or uniform identity perfectly, reinforcing the masculinity of the gear. Like the gear itself, cigars have become a symbol of extreme masculinity and virility. There's also the clear phallic appearance of a cigar, and to some, the ritual of smoking one has connotations of giving head.
Cigar smoking has its own mystique. Cigar smoke lingers and creates clouds that hang in the air, surrounding the smoker in their own enigmatic haze. For some cigar fetish men, the smell and look of the smoke can be a turn on in itself.
The fact that cigars are traditionally smoked by men together also adds to their fetish status. Homosocial environments and habits lend themselves well to becoming fetishised, where the chance of male bonding turning into something more physical is always a possibility. Many cigar fetish men like to smoke together, sharing cigars and swapping smoke before or during play.
Some men attribute their cigar fetish to experiences in earlier life, such as seeing older, often authoritarian men smoking them. For a number of cigar fetish men, cigars are part of power play; a status symbol for Doms to lord over their subs. Doms can restrict their sub's access to the cigar, or use the cigar as a treat for good behaviour.
It's not all about cigars though
For some men, it's cigarettes at the centre of their fetish. Conventionally, cigarettes have long-been associated with non-conformism, a symbolic middle finger to the establishment. To this day, cigarettes are often more vilified than cigars, seen as somehow less-acceptable to the masses.
Men who smoke cigarettes can be seen as rulebreakers, the type of guys who might lead you astray. For smokers, cigarette smoking is something they enjoy and the fact that men indulge themselves in such a sensual pleasure despite others' disapproval can make them, and the cigarette itself, a real turn on.
Cigarette fetish can also overlap with other gear-focused fetishes, like skinhead and trackie fetish. These cultural personas are often found at the fringes of society, and cigarettes separate them further from the mainstream.
Smokers can indulge their tastes at smoking fetish nights, where all are welcome – from beginners to veteran smokers. Fetish men in the know from the Recon community should be happy to point you in the right direction. Check out guys in the 'Smokers' interest category using the search function on Recon web, or through using the member list filters on web and apps.
We're always keen to find out about other fetishes you'd like us to cover, feel free to send us your thoughts to social@recon.com
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