# Is this man a sexual fetishist or merely an enthusiast (Hazmat suits) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 2, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986 "2008-02-02T16:02:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/1 "2008-02-02T16:02:05Z")
Take a look at this page: [WolfHazmat.](http://www.wolfhazmat.de/indexus.htm) I have _never_ seen a more all-consuming obsession with Hazmat suits - this guy (who lives in Germany) seems to know everything about every conceivable kind of Hazmat suit that exists - and not only that, but aluminized fire protection suits, gas masks, SCBAs, and everything else relating to full body encapsulation. He says: “I’m into all types of heavy protective clothing and rubber…Love to get layered and encapsulated in heavy protective gear, mainly in HazMat Suits. Love to get layered and encapsulated in heavy protective gear, mainly in HazMat Suits. I’m also a certified diver (Padi OWD and NRC Nitrox/Rebreather Ray and Dolphin) and love to play in my different HazMat suits.” I’m going to assume that this guy has some past training and experience in the use of Hazmat equipment, though no indication of this is made on the site. I also strongly suspect that there is some kind of sexual component to it, though again no mention whatsoever is made of it on the site. I’ve always known that there were gasmask and asphyxiation fetishists. But I’ve never been aware of a Hazmat version of this. The reason I’ve been asking so many Hazmat related questions recently is that I’m writing a short story (in the vein of J.G. Ballard’s _Crash_) involving Hazmat gear and toxic chemicals. What’s your take on this website? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/2 "2008-02-02T16:14:41Z")
I would guess that it is not sexual just because there are other extreme collectors out there that sound similar but collect things that are clearly not sexual. There was a show on cable about extreme collectors a few weeks ago. Some people were completely obsessed with their collections and virtually all of their time and money (hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars - they were all upper middle class men) on them. I have heard of people getting really, really into things a lot more odd than HazMat suits so I would just take it at face value. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/3 "2008-02-02T16:50:11Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] I would guess that it is not sexual just because there are other extreme collectors out there that sound similar but collect things that are clearly not sexual. [/QUOTE] Or it could just be some kind of obsessive compulsive/anal retentive thing. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/4 "2008-02-02T16:55:51Z")
When I first read the title (before I had coffee) I initially thought it said **hazelnut** suits. That could be kinky. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Priori\_Tea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@A\_Priori\_Tea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Priori_Tea)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/5 "2008-02-02T18:13:03Z")
It’s highly likely, in my opinion, that he falls squarely into the casual (rather than clinical) definition of a sexual fetishist. Check out his links page - the bottom one has a sampling of fetish photography involving similar suits. (No nudity, but it’s called “fetish eyes” and composed in fairly standard kink-specific fashion.) His description of “scene interests” also uses very standard kink parlance to describe activities he enjoys in a sexual/fetish context. Whether he fits the clinical definition - someone who requires his fetish object to achieve sexual arousal at all - is impossible to say, given the amount of evidence at hand. Generally speaking, clinical fetishists are extremely few and far between, so it is more likely that he is a casual fetishist. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/6 "2008-02-02T21:12:05Z")
As soon as I saw the word “encapsulate” I thought “Aha, he’s kinky!” The, the “Scene Interests” on his About page cemented the impression. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/7 "2008-02-02T21:23:39Z")
Interesting. “Scene Interests” rang the same bells with me, but “encapsulate”? Where does that term occur in this context so frequently that it indicates association? Hey, baby, let’s you and me and that other woman encapsulate each other? I thought I was up on some of this, but clearly, my subscription to Weird Obsessions has long since lapsed. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/8 "2008-02-02T21:31:43Z")
OK, I looked it up: [Total Enclosure Fetishism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_enclosure_fetishism) Also, under [Latex and PVC fetishism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latex_and_PVC_fetishism) it is written: > [@](#): > > Other rubber paraphernalia, such as wet suits, gas masks, splash suits, Mackintoshes, galoshes and Wellington boots, rubber/plastic pants, 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 suits and other forms of industrial protective clothing. I find it fascinating how people can ascribe sexual connotations to these artificial, man-made objects. It’s the reason why _Crash_ was such an interesting novel. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/9 "2008-02-02T21:50:40Z")
It may just be a feeling of self sufficiency, being able to survive in environments that a person would not be able to w/o such protection. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/10 "2008-02-02T22:24:52Z")
This intrigues me: there are fetishes or activities that arouse some and about which others are neutral. And then there are those that arouse some but disgust others. But here’s a case in which the underlying psychodrama is viewed by some as self-sufficiency or even empowerment, and accordingly for some, exciting, but which is viewed by others (me, for example) as terrifying. I don’t have a lot of experience playing with overcoming, or welcoming, or even tolerating fear, but the notion that I would be put in a position in which my escape, to say nothing of my ability to move or breathe, is in jeopardy is too frightening to even contemplate. It evokes abject terror to just consider it. Sexually exciting? Not even the remotest of possiblitities. Boy, it takes all kinds. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/11 "2008-02-02T22:52:51Z")
I’m going to say he’s the hazmat equivalent of a _[whacker](http://www.policeposers.com/whacker.php)_: a civilian that is obsessed with public safety equipment, clothing, procedures, culture and so on. Maybe far more obsessive; Asperger Syndrome is my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/12 "2008-02-02T23:31:09Z")
Well, at least it’s _safe_ sex. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/13 "2008-02-03T03:33:38Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] I’m going to say he’s the hazmat equivalent of a _[whacker](http://www.policeposers.com/whacker.php)_: a civilian that is obsessed with public safety equipment, clothing, procedures, culture and so on. Maybe far more obsessive; Asperger Syndrome is my vote. [/QUOTE] Wow, thanks a lot for the link to that site. It’s fascinating stuff. I’ve known numerous people who were “whackers” in the past, but didn’t realize there was a word for them. One guy who lived next door to me growing up (who was not a cop) drove a Police Interceptor with full array of antennas (though without a light bar) and would talk all the time about how everyone on the road always yielded to him and drove slowly when he was around. I can see how legitimate cops or firemen would find this extremely annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/14 "2008-02-03T04:06:31Z")
I’ll bet being in a hazmat suit could be pretty fun. I just imagined putting myself in a boy’s shoes and thinking how cool it would be. I think this is just an adult who has saved this one childish fascination. And in fact, weren’t hazmat suits a popular icon in the cold war era? '50s comic books featured them, and not just in atomic bomb stories but as stuff aliens would wear. Even as late as '85, Back to the Future was paying an homage to them. Lately hazmats seem to all be anti-bioweapon or anti-toxic gas… threats which are real-life; nowdays you don’t see hazmats in pop culture, but on the news or in documentaries. I guess the current America is in no mood to be fascinated with them, which explains why you guys have trouble understanding this guy. But there’s no reason to think everything has to do with sex. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/15 "2008-02-03T05:38:27Z")
Why is the Google Ad here about undoing circumcision damage?? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-man-a-sexual-fetishist-or-merely-an-enthusiast-hazmat-suits/435986/16 "2008-02-03T08:48:30Z")
Although the term has been softened in casual use to just mean anything kinky, technically a fetish is a sexual practice without with a person cannot reach orgasm. So if the guy is capable of getting off without it then it’s not a fetish. Of course it can still be an _obsession_…