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Arch Sex Behav (2011) 40:639645 DOI 10.1007/s10508-009-9580-9
CLINICAL CASE REPORT SERIES
Feederism in a Woman
Lesley L. Terry Paul L. Vasey
Received: 16 June 2009 / Revised: 14 October 2009 / Accepted: 23 October 2009 / Published online: 30 December 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009
Abstract Feederism is a fat fetish subculture in which individuals eroticize weight gain and feeding. Feeders are individuals whoclaim tobecomesexuallyaroused byfeedingtheir partners and encouraging them to gain weight. Conversely, Feedeesareindividualswhoclaimtobecomesexuallyaroused byeating,beingfed,andthe ideaoract ofgaining weight.Very little is known about this population. This report describes a womanwhoself-identiedasa Feedee.Itisunclear,atpresent, whether female Feederism represents a unique paraphilia or a thematic variation of morphophilia or sexual masochism.
Keywords Feederism Paraphilia Sexual arousal
Sexual masochism Morphophilia
Introduction
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR;AmericanPsychiatricAssociation,2000)denes paraphilia,in part, as conditions whichare characterized by recurrent, intense sexual urges, fantasies, or behaviors that involve unusual objects, activities, or situations (p. 535).
Paraphilias are overwhelmingly a male-typical phenomenon (American Psychiatric Association, 2000; Laws & ODonohue, 1997) and there is no evidence that any of the 48 paraphilias listed in the DSM-IV-TR are predominately exhibited by
females. Sexual masochism appears to be the only paraphilic activity in which an appreciable number of women engage and report sexual arousal (Abel & Osborn, 1992; American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The present case study investigated an unusual pattern of female sexual arousal to gaining weight and being fed.
Feederism is a fat fetish subculture, focused on erotic eating,weightgain,andfeeding(Gates,2000;Giovanelli&Peluso, 2006; Kulick, 2005; Murray, 2004). Among heterosexuals, members of this community self-identify as either Feeders or Feedees.Feedersareindividualswhoclaimtobecomesexually aroused by feeding their partners and encouraging them to gain weight (Kulick, 2005). Conversely, Feedees are individuals whoclaimtobecomesexuallyarousedbyeating,beingfed,and the idea or act of gaining weight (Kulick, 2005). The scant evidence that is available suggests that Feederism may be more prevalent among heterosexuals, with men assuming the Feeder role and women assuming the Feedee role (Gates, 2000; Ku-lick, 2005). There is also a small gay male Feederism communityinwhichmembersidentifyasgainers,encouragers,mutual gainers, or belly builders (Gates, 2000; Monaghan, 2005).
Feeders and Feedees sometimes connect via personal ads and form relationships with each other in real life. Involvement in the larger Feederism community is predominately limited to the internet, with members communicating through chat rooms and message boards. Members often provide each other...