Latex and PVC fetishism - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Latex fetishism is the fetishistic

Sexual fetishism

Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...

attraction to people wearing latex clothing

Latex clothing

Latex rubber is used in many types of clothing. Rubber has traditionally been used in protective clothing, including gas masks and Wellington boots. Rubber is now generally being replaced in these application by plastics...

or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism and rubber fetishism are closely related to latex fetish, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride

Polyvinyl chloride

Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...

(PVC) and the latter referring to clothes made of rubber, which is generally thicker, less shiny, and more matte than latex. PVC is sometimes confused with the similarly shiny patent leather

Patent leather

Patent leather is a type of japanned leather that has been given a high gloss, shiny finish. The process was brought to the United States and improved by Newark-based inventor Seth Boyden in 1818, with commercial manufacture beginning September 20, 1819. Boyden's process, which he never patented,...

, which is also a fetish material. Latex or rubber fetishists sometimes refer to themselves as "rubberists". Gay rubberists tend to call themselves "rubbermen".

The terms "PVC", "vinyl" and "PU" tend to be used interchangeably by retailers for clothing made from shiny plastic-coated fabrics. These fabrics
usually consist of a backing woven from polyester

Polyester

Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...

fibers with a surface coating of shiny plastic. The plastic layer itself is typically a blend of PVC and polyurethane

Polyurethane

A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...

(PU), with 100% PVC producing a stiff fabric with a glossy shine and 100% PU producing a stretchy fabric with a silky shine.
A manufacturer's label may say, for example, 67% polyester, 33% polyurethane for a fabric that contains no PVC; or 80% polyvinyl chloride, 20% polyurethane with mention of the polyester backing omitted. To add to the confusion, the plastic layer is often textured to look like leather ("leatherlook", "pleather"), as opposed to smooth ("wetlook

Wetlook

Wetlook is the enjoyment of a person or people wearing wet clothing. It can also refer to the act of getting wet while wearing clothes, and having fun either in doing so or in watching others do it...

", "patent").

Motives

One reason why latex, and other tight shiny fabrics may be fetishised is perhaps that the garment forms a "second skin

Second skin

The concept of a second skin is common to a range of clothing-related fetishes.One reason why these materials may be fetishised is that the garment acts as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin — a second skin...

" that acts as a fetishistic surrogate for the wearer's own skin. Thus, wearers of skin-tight latex or PVC garments may be perceived by the viewer as being naked, or simply coated in a shiny substance like paint. Latex and PVC can also be polished to be shiny and can also be produced in bright colours, adding further visual stimulus to add to the physical sensations produced by the material. The tightness of the garments may also be viewed as a kind of sexual bondage

Bondage (BDSM)

Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...

. The smell of latex rubber is also a turn-on

Turn-On

Turn-On is an American sketch comedy series that aired on ABC in February 1969. Only one episode was shown and the show is considered one of the most infamous flops in TV history....

for some rubber fetishists, and such garments are usually impregnated with chemicals to enhance the odour . Some rubberists also enjoy the idea of exhibitionism and some fantasise about going out in public wearing fetish attire. Some do this, especially in the more liberal areas (Berlin

Berlin

Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

, San Francisco, etc.).

A compelling reason that people are turned on by wearing rubber is its transformative abilities. As with any costume, a rubberist can imagine themselves having a new identity, especially one that permits a different code of behavior.

Practices

Latex fetishism often involves dressing up in the material, or looking at it worn by sexual partners, or fantasies about wearers of skin-tight or other latex garments, such as diver

Diver

Diver or divers can refer to:*Diving, the sport of performing acrobatics while jumping or falling into water**:Category:Divers*Underwater diving**:Category:Underwater divers**Scuba diving, in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater...

s and workers wearing industrial protective clothing. Another common stereotype of is the image of a dominatrix

Dominatrix

Dominatrix or mistress is a woman or women who takes the dominant role in bondage, discipline and sadomasochism, or BDSM. A common form of address for a submissive to a dominatrix is "mistress", "ma'am", "domina" or "maîtresse"...

wearing a skin-tight latex or PVC catsuit

Catsuit

A catsuit is a close-fitting one-piece garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms. They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex , leather, latex, PVC, or velour, and frequently close using a zipper at the front or back.Catsuits, which...

, usually jet-black.

Some latex enthusiasts are also turned on by the wearing of draped latex garments such as cloaks. Other rubber paraphernalia, such as wet suits, gas mask

Gas mask

A gas mask is a mask put on over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word...

s, splash suits, Mackintosh

Mackintosh

The Mackintosh or Macintosh is a form of waterproof raincoat, first sold in 1824, made out of rubberised fabric...

es, galoshes

Galoshes

Galoshes , also known as boat shoes, dickersons, or overshoes, are a type of rubber boot that is slipped over shoes to keep them from getting muddy or wet. The word galoshes might be used interchangeably with boot, especially a rubberized boot...

, Wellington boot

Wellington boot

The Wellington boot, also known as rubber-boots, wellies, wellingtons, topboots, billy-boots, gumboots, gummies, barnboots, wellieboots, muckboots, sheepboots, shitkickers, or rainboots are a type of boot based upon leather Hessian boots...

s, rubber

Rubber pants

Rubber pants or rubber panties were the predecessor to plastic pants and served the purpose of a diaper cover, replacing the woolen garment. However, "rubber pants" is still a generic term for any pull-on or snap-on incontinence protective garment....

/plastic pants

Plastic pants

Plastic pants are devices worn over a diaper for the purpose of containing liquid or solid waste that may otherwise leak through the fabric. Today, "plastic pants" are usually made out of polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane though, in some instances, the traditional latex rubber is still used...

, and diapers are also often added to the scenario. Heavier fetishists often attempt duplicating all kinds of "everyday wear" into a rubber counterpart. Some PVC enthusiasts are turned on by PVC Hazmat suit

Hazmat suit

A hazmat suit is a garment worn as protection from hazardous materials or substances. A hazmat suit is generally combined with breathing apparatus for protection and may be used by firefighters, emergency personnel responding to toxic spills, researchers, specialists cleaning up contaminated...

s and other forms of industrial protective clothing.

For hygienic reasons, many sex toy

Sex toy

A sex toy is an object or device that is primarily used to facilitate human sexual pleasure. The most popular sex toys are designed to resemble human genitals and may be vibrating or non-vibrating...

s such as dildo

Dildo

A dildo is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for bodily penetration during masturbation or sex with partners.- Description and uses :...

s and butt plug

Butt plug

A butt plug is a sex toy designed to be inserted in the anus and rectum for sexual pleasure. In some ways, they are similar to a dildo, but they tend to be shorter, and must have a flanged end to prevent the device from being lost inside the rectum.- Basics :...

s are made from rubber or similar materials, and this is also a factor in rubber fetishism. Some rubber fetishists are also medical fetishists

Medical fetishism

Medical fetishism refers to a collection of sexual fetishes for objects, practices, environments, and situations of a medical or clinical nature....

or have an interest in klismaphilia

Klismaphilia

The term Klismaphilia refers to the receiving of sexual arousal from introducing liquids into the rectum and colon via the anus. This paraphilia often involves the use of enemas. The term klismaphilia was coined in 1973 by Dr...

; medical gloves

Medical gloves

Medical gloves are disposable gloves used during medical examinations and procedures that help prevent contamination between caregivers and patients. Medical gloves are made of different polymers including latex, nitrile rubber, vinyl and neoprene; they come unpowdered, or powdered with cornstarch...

and catheter

Catheter

In medicine, a catheter is a tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel. Catheters thereby allow drainage, administration of fluids or gases, or access by surgical instruments. The process of inserting a catheter is catheterization...

s are made from latex, as are condom

Condom

A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...

s.

A substantial industry exists to produce specialist latex or rubber fetish clothing garments for rubber enthusiasts.

Lots of latex or rubber clothes appear on websites such as eBay, and in recent years clothes made in PVC have been prevalent in young people's fashions, particularly in jackets, skirts and trousers. Several mainstream designers have made latex clothing. As fashions come round and round again, it would seem that PVC, latex and similar materials will appear again in mainstream street fashions as well as continuing to be central to the fetish scene.

Among the numerous specialist rubberist magazines devoted to this fetish are AtomAge
AtomAge
AtomAge magazine was a fetish magazine published in Britain by the clothes designer John Sutcliffe in the 1970s as an offshoot of his AtomAge fetish clothing business. The first AtomAge clothing catalogue was published in 1965; the first issue of the magazine in A5 format was published in 1972...

, Dressing for Pleasure, Marquis
Marquis (magazine)
Marquis is a fetish magazine owned, operated, published and primarily photographed by Peter W. Czernich and Sandra Würdig. Based in Germany, Marquis covers a wide array of topics related to the worldwide fetish subculture...

, «O»
«O»
O was the name of an international fetish magazine published in Germany by Peter W. Czernich. It was published both in German and English. The last issue, O No. 25, was published in the summer of 1995...

, Shiny International, and Skin Two
Skin Two
Skin Two is a fetish magazine covering aspects of the worldwide fetish subculture.The name is a reference to fetish clothing as a "second skin".The magazine was founded in 1983 by the publisher Tim Woodward and the photographer Grace Lau....

.

Latex look-alike materials

PVC and Vinyl are two other shiny materials used for clothing from regular street wear (raincoats) to PVC Hazmat suit

Hazmat suit

s and other forms of industrial protective clothing. And just like latex these materials became more noted as fetish material in the 1960s and early 1970s. During that era boots and garments made of pvc and vinyl were made and worn in public areas to some degrees. And in the media the most obvious was the British TV programm The Avengers.
Also a lot more underground fetish production houses were started, which published magazines such as "Shiny", "Shiny's International", "Rubberist", "Dressing for Pleasure" (both of these publications later merged with each other), noted rubber fetish author Helen Henley and others of this time frame.

In popular culture

In the Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

film series, Batman's costume is of rubber; in Batman Returns, Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...

wears a rubber catsuit (source Tim Burton, Skin Two magazine, issue 12).

The artwork of Allen Jones
Allen Jones (sculptor)
Allen Jones RA is a British pop artist, best known for his sculptures. He lives and works in London.Jones was born in Southampton and from 1955 to 1961 studied at the Hornsey College of Art...

has been strongly influenced by the imagery of rubber fetishism and BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...

.

External links

Latex Fetish Model Saffron Taylor British Latex Fetish Model Saffron Taylor
Latex Wiki Latex Community Wiki hosted by Lust, Love, Latex
The International Association of |R|ubberists (I.A.R.)Latex and rubber fetish support group

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Motives

Practices

Latex look-alike materials

In popular culture

See also

External links