Fetish Focus: Tickling
from
Recon News
24 July 2018
Whether you love it or hate it, few of us could argue that being tickled can elicit a pretty strong physical reaction. This is exactly what turns some guys on, so let's take a closer look at tickle fetish – or knismolagnia – to give it its fancy name.
Why tickling?
As a type of playful contact most of us experience in childhood, tickling is often thought of as being relatively innocuous, but when you consider how intimate tickling can be, it's not difficult to imagine the appeal. Many guys into tickling credit an early life encounter as the source of their kink, when the act of either tickling or being tickled resulted in them unexpectedly being turned on.
For guys on the receiving end, it can be the complete lack of physical control that makes tickling exciting; the body reacts of its own accord, leaving the ticklee totally at the mercy of the tickler. The combined feelings of powerlessness and overstimulation can be a powerful mix. For those who like to dish it out, tickling can be the ultimate form of dominance over the body of another; a way to reduce the ticklee to nothing but bodily responses.
Many guys into tickling describe themselves as either 'tickle-tops' or 'tickle-bottoms'. Tickle fetish may often involve bondage, in which a tickle-bottom is strapped to a chair or bed, maybe blindfolded, and subjected to relentless tickling. As they're a commonly ticklish and fetishized part of the body, the feet often feature, and tickle-bottoms can find themselves bound with their feet as the focus of attention.
Depending on what tickle fetishists prefer, tickling may or may not lead to play and for some, the act of tickling or being tickled is the end goal. Some guys into tickling incorporate edging into play; keeping the tickle-bottom on the verge of cumming for as long as possible. Others like to milk their ticklees, aiming to make them cum again and again. More extreme types of play can also involve tickling the tickle-bottom to the point of urination or losing consciousness.
Trying tickling for yourself
You'll know how you feel about tickling – it's pretty polarizing – but if you find yourself wanting to include it in play, it's a pretty easy one to experiment with. The hands might be the traditional tickling tool but there's plenty more you could use; feathers, brushes, combs, or a toothbrush (electric or otherwise) can do the trick. You'll also probably know where you want to focus on, but if not, the ribs, armpits and feet are all popular areas.
Build up the intensity and the duration of tickle session slowly, and think about having a 'safe word' for tickle-bottoms to use if things get too much, especially if they're restrained.
On a wider level, there are a growing number of fetish nights and events for men into tickling, including the annual Dallas-based Ticklefest, which will be marking its 25th year in 2018. Like many tickling parties, Ticklefest is open to men of all sexual orientations and isn't overly sexual in nature - during official hours at least. Look out for footman events too, these can often involve tickling as a part of foot fetish and can be a good way to meet like-minded guys.
Recon can also help you connect with other fetish guys into tickling. Use the Search function on the Recon website, putting 'tickling' into the Keywords option.
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