My Odd Fetish: Explain, critique, psychoanalyze

In My Humble Opinion
1

I am reviving an old thread from several years ago in the vain of explaining sexual “kinks”.

I have always been turned on by “knockout” scenes in mainstream television and movies when they involve attractive female characters. I love watching superheroines, spy girls like Emma Peel from The Avengers and other strong female characters rendered unconscious. When I was less than ten years old I recall being “excited” by scenes where Batgirl and Wonder Woman were gassed unconscious before I was even aware that it was sexually arousing. When I hit puberty I begain watching re runs of The Avengers and watching the strong, witty, capable Emma Peel knocked out with gas or chloroform turned me on like nothing else. I prefer these scenes even over more traditional pornography (which has little appeal to me).

I used to worry that there was something wrong with me, that I was deeply hostile to women but I have always got along fabulously with women and real violence (blood, cuts, bruises) is a complete turn-off to me. I prefer the relatively non-violent knockouts (as non-violent as possible at least). Also I have no desire whatsoever to actually act out on this fantasy in real life. It is strictly a fantasy I have always had and seems to be a fundamental aspect of my sexuality.

Also I fantasize about being on both sides of this fantasy. Meaning at times I imagine myself as the villain rendering the heroine unconscious and at times I imagine myself as the sexy damsel being knocked out and captured. Both fantasies are equally arousing to me.

So, how odd is this? Would someone care to psychoanalyze this fetish? It has puzzled me for as long as I can remember.

2

I guess to be a fetish, it has to be somewhat odd in relation to mainstream behavior, etc. But in comparison to other fetishes, I wouldn’t necessarily consider yours that odd. I’m sure we’ll have others come along and share with us their own fetishes that will oddly compare to your own. I recall recently there were a couple of dopers that discovered they each liked pretending they were beavers or some other sort of mammal with their partners. The older you get, the more you realize that lots of people are into a lot of weird shit.

3

Hey, I can’t explain it, but I went out on a few dates with a fetish filmmaker in NYC who did mainly “knockout” films like you’re describing. They were always variants of young, attractive girls doing mundane activities and then someone would come up behind them and clamp a rag over their mouths. They’d struggle a bit, and then you’d see their eyes roll roll back in their head (apparently seeing the eyes roll back is very popular) and they’d pass out. Sometimes girls would do it to other girls. Sometimes they’d wake up, tied up, only to get knocked out again.

At the time, I was surprised to learn that was a fetish, but he had a following. I wonder whatever happened to him…

Ah well. You’re not alone, dude.

4

Without knowing you at all well enough to say…

It sounds like it could be a form of misogyny. You might have a deep-seated dislike for strong female characters. Emma Peel might represent a kind of threat to your security (or masculinity?) and seeing her knocked out is gratifying to you (the same way it would be very gratifying to me to see Rush Limbaugh knocked out!)

Again, I don’t know you, and so this isn’t anything other than a bit of speculation. The psychoanalytic school I follow says that only the subject can interpret his own dreams, or analyze his own motivations. The facilitator can only make suggestions.

I also follow the theory that when someone reacts strongly in denial – “No way! I resent that! I am NOT misogynistic! You’re a damn fool!” – then that is a very strong sign that the idea is more likely, not less.

It’s a little like probing for a bad tooth. “Does this hurt?” “No.” “Does this hurt?” “No.” “Does this…” “GOD DAMN IT, what are you trying to do, kill me?” Ah! Success!

5

Here is my expert opinion based on one semester of psychology (I got a B): you are attracted to, but intimated by strong women. Rendering them unconscious makes these women accessible to you and by being unconscious, the scariest aspect of these women (their intellect), is neutralized.

6

I’ve stumbled across various online art communities that cater to this, so it isn’t unknown.

And no, I’m not into it. I was looking for something else, equally…interesting. :slight_smile:

7

Hey, this is related to my fetish! I love seeing attractive women getting KOed, especially in the Superheroine or action heroine genre. My page at Deviant art contains pretty much nothing but knockout scenes of extremely-scantily-clad superheroines.

This paraphilia started in my prepubescent years, mid-1960s if not before.
I pretty much don’t remember a time when a knockout scene involving a pretty girl (as long as it resulted in no blood or bruises) didn’t turn me on at some level.

I have a page at Deviant Art devoted to the genre – I even made up quite a number of superheroines and supervillainesses, starting with Panther Girl in the early 1970s, who basically exist just to be KOed!

And I get along great with women in real life! Who’d a thunk it?

It is nice to meet someone else with the same odd fetish. Glad ta meet ya!

8

Yes, this post is pretty much a re-post of yours from six years ago that I just stumbled upon recently. I wanted to revive the discussion and see what people from outside the fetish thought. There was one response in particular that asked if you ever imagined yourself as the scantily clad damsel – all gender aside – which I definitely do. Was curious if there were any thoughts on that out there on that.

I am always open to discussing the fetish if you ever care to chat. Send me a PM if you’d like to chat sometime. I am also marquez at the chloroforum.

9

There’s nothing wrong with being turned on by such a thing, as long as you’re not stupid enough to put yourself or your partner in danger playing it out. As long as its absence isn’t a turn off in an actual relationship (and not merely in your choice of porn), there’s no reason to be concerned.

No, it might just be a very strong sign that you’re insulting someone.

10

This. “Breathplay”/breathing restriction is dangerous.

11

Well, formally speaking, it isn’t an insult if it is an honest attempt to find the truth. A doctor isn’t being “mean” when he probes your wrist and you react in pain; sometimes, that’s just the way to see if a bone is broken.

If I’d said, “Phew, you’re a stinking sexist prick,” that would be insulting. Asking if there might be an element of misogyny in the functioning of the fetish is not being insulting. It might be the truth. There isn’t really any good way to find out other than to ask.

And the OP did request us to engage in analysis.

In my experience, if I ask someone, “Could this be a sign of misogyny,” and it isn’t, actually, they will say, “Well, no, I don’t think so.” If they say, “Hey, you can’t say that about me! I won’t put up with you making accusations like that!” then the over-reaction, itself, is an indication of something going on.

(Rubs chin, glances up with rapt interest. “The vehemence of your own rejection is quite intriguing…”)

Memo: if a Freudian ever asks you, “Do you feel like having sex with your mother?” do NOT get angry and swear at him. Say, instead, “Well, to the best of my conscious awareness, no, I don’t believe I’ve ever fully developed that idea in the form of a wish or desire.”

12

Good points @Trinopus. I am certainly not insulted by your observations. As you said, I openly asked for interpretation and analysis and, besides, your analysis is reasonable.

While a fetish that involves fantasy knock outs of strong women certainly appears to have misogynistic qualities, I don’t really feel that way myself. I feel it’s more about control which is at the heart of a lot of BDSM fetishes. I don’t even have fantasies about having intercourse with these women, it is mostly fondling and touching that occur in my fantasies.

I was also curious to hear about thoughts about the idea of fantasizing about being the female heroine. I have often pictured myself as the heroine, often being subdued by another attractive woman. I find it fascinating because this also has always been a part of my sexual fantasy life for as long as I can remember.

Thanks for all your input.

13

Dan Savage says “eh” about this stuff usually. There isn’t always a triggering event or something behind it that we know of.

14

Best possible answer. Really, as I said, you’re the only one who can know.

This fascinates me, largely because I don’t understand it at all.

(Obviously, my theoretical studies need to be supplemented by more lab work!)

I was in my forties (!) before I learned how to fantasize a sexual encounter from the point of view of a member of the opposite sex. Until then, my fantasies had always been of the very straight-forward type. “Me Tarzan; you Jane. Hubba hubba!” Now, in fantasy anyway, I can also do “Me Jane; you Tarzan.” The “Hubba Hubba” is still relatively overt.

The fact that you can, and do, try to enter the fantasy from other points of view speaks well of your ability to empathize. You can project your point of view to others, and, one presumes, comprehend the actual point of view of other people.

You don’t sound like a looney! You’ve just got a particular flavor of fantasy that’s a little outside the usual.

(One of the more reassuring things about this world is that real looneys are rarely able to get into discussions of this sort without making it very obvious, to nearly everyone reading, that they are looneys! It would be a more dreadful world otherwise!)

15

I think this is probably a good explanation. Especially since you started when you were young.
I, of course, have no “strange” or “unusual” sexual fantasies myself. Nope, not me. Too busy having real sex to ever think about it in a fantasy way. Yeah, that’s it.

16

@Zebra I am definitely having plenty of sex myself and I have a partner who, although she doesn’t necessarily share a sexual fascination with my particular kinks, is willing to indulge my fantasies from time to time. Still this only constitutes a small portion of my sex life. Don’t assume that those of us with odd sexual kinks are prisoners to them. I love, appreciate and frequently indulge in a “standard” sex life as much as anyone. It’s just that, additionally, I have a fantasy that can take these experiences to another level :wink:

17

I think the underlying reason behind my fetish is more along the lines of “I’m lazy and I don’t want to bother with people / women” more than outright intimidation or fear. Of course, an experienced psychotherapist might disagree.

I would also rather enjoy my fetish than over-analyze it. Of course, that brings us back to “laziness”, I suppose… Ha1

18

I concur and would also like to add that there may be some underlying insecurity about your body or self-worth. With an unconscious woman, she cannot judge your body or what you do. You are free from criticism and do not have to live up to a standard you may not feel capable of attaining.

19

I’ve read that “what turns you on” is set when you are very young. Pre puberty. So, of course if you’re watching The Avengers with Emma Peel, that’s going to have lasting effects.

I think fetish implies that you can not have sex, without the stimulus of the fetish. And the fetish is non-sexual in nature. (knocked out) Althogh, I would imagine that the KO in your mind is similar to the woman having an orgasm. And since you are able to have “normal” sex without it, then it is a fantasy or a turn on but not a fetish.

It’s not worth analyzing, especially if you have a partner that will indulge you occasionally.

20

Regular sex doesn’t appeal to me. I’m one of those rare people who prefers fantasy to reality!