One likes feet, the other likes piercings and the other likes leather. Plenty of people have a fetish, although not everyone may admit it. In the context of International Fetish Day this Friday, a number of people from Brabant are talking about their fetish. “It’s not just about sexuality, as many people think. It’s also about feeling good.”
Piet Knook (43) from Waalre
Piet has a multi-fetish. This means that he feels good about several specific things, including leather. “That’s where it all started. My mother wasn’t surprised either. She said that as a baby I would suck on anything made of leather. Or that I would fiddle with the leather strap that covered my cloth diaper.” When I went to Pride in Amsterdam for the first time, I saw all those men in leather. Were very nice people. But putting it on yourself took a bit of a step at first.”
After he came out of the closet, Piet started to discover more and more. “Especially leather, rubber, PVC and sportswear.” And according to him, that is certainly not necessarily sexual. “That is often the prejudice with a fetish. But it is often just in someone’s body. You feel attracted to a material or object. Compare it to people who collect sneakers. That you get a kick out of the fact that someone else has them too. That is possible do something to you, but it doesn’t directly have anything to do with sex.”
Ronald Harmes (39) from Den Bosch
Ronald’s fetish is so-called puppy play. “As a puppy you literally play a dog. Often with a mask on.” In fact, Ronald even has a dog name: Stitch. Why does he love it so much? “It gives me a lot of freedom. You can sometimes be rebellious, but still obedient.”
There are regular events or gatherings where puppies can meet each other. “It is very accessible and everyone is well received. Some people play with a ball, while others come to chat over a beer. The aim is to have fun together, not sexual for most.”
Switch Diesel* (28) from Breda
For Switch, rubber and puppy play are a fetish. The difference is that there is a sexual side to him. “For me it’s about the connection you make with people. Pushing the boundaries socially and sexually.”
He often does this together with his partner. “You discover your intimacy together in a completely different way than normal. Because you wear a mask you see less, you can sometimes walk on a leash and you are taken care of.” Switch is said to have even gained more self-confidence due to his fetish. “I have gotten to know my limits better and I can now better indicate where my limits lie.”
Bernhard** (43) from Eindhoven
For Bernhard, his fetish started when he was about five years old. A neighbor boy gave him a pair of sports shorts that were too small for him. It fit so well that it sold immediately. “I have a sportswear fetish,” says Bernhard. So he loves sportswear. “I often wear sports clothes in my spare time, then I feel good.”
It started for him with short Adidas pants. Bernhard now has a whole collection of them. “I have about eighty,” he says, laughing. “Some collect stamps, I collect sports clothes. The collection has now also been expanded to beautiful football uniforms and tracksuits. I have clothes from well-known sports brands, but there are also brands that make sportswear especially for the fetish. They are slightly more sexual.”
*Switch Diesel is not his real name. He would like to maintain a certain form of anonymity. This is his name as he appears on Instagram.
**Bernhard is not his real name. Because he is afraid of negative reactions to his work, his name has been changed.