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What is your fetish?...another from FOX NEWS

Furry animal costumes. Clothing made of leather. Latex. Medical instruments. Feet. Pie. Balloons. Gloves. Feathers. Dominance and submission. Velvet. Tattoos. Swimming. Having trouble imagining what all of these things have in common? Believe it or not, they are all fetishes.

Fetishes are defined as things or acts or body parts that a person needs to see or do or touch in order to have an orgasm. Taken too far, that is when one's desire leads to job and relationship ruin, their presence requires one to seek medical treatment. But when enjoyed with moderation, well, then they're simply another means to pleasure.

The funny thing about fetishes is that one man's desire can be another man's nightmare. And what things people fetishize runs the gamut. Generally, though, they fall into five major categories.

1. Body Parts --You know that expression, "He's a leg man"? Well that may be the indication of a fetish if the person you're talking about gets heightened sexual pleasure by looking at or touching a person's legs. And the body part doesn't have to be a stereotypically sexy one. An overwhelming number of people have foot fetishes, even going so far as to "worship" them or request that theirs be "worshipped."

2. Things to Wear -- This can mean anything from a furry bunny costume to a tight leather skirt to nothing but latex. Often the fetish has to do with the way the material that the clothing is made of feels, looks, smells, and even sounds. High-heeled shoes are a common fetish. Full-body furry animal costumes are another. Masks would be a prime example. Sometimes the partner with the fetish desires to wear the item and other times it's their partner they want to see all decked out.

3. Actions -- These too are as varied, and sometimes surprising, as are the people who have such fetishes. You never know. Some people are turned on by watching bowling or engaging in it. For others, it's horseback riding. For some, a shower drives them wild. One fetish involves watching women in bikinis pop balloons. Another is being cared for like a baby.

4. Food Stuffs -- This can mean eating the food in question, feeding it to one's partner, or even simply playing in it while having sex. It can mean sweets or vegetables, liquids or solids, crumbly or sticky. For some people the texture, the taste, the sight, and/or the smell can provide sexual stimulation. The sight of a jar of olives can have some folks running home to their partners while other people would have no reaction at all.

5. Control -- Both having it and relinquishing it can be a fetish. For some, being the boss can be a true turn on, while others find heightened pleasure in being completely controlled, even going so far as to be bound, made to sleep on the floor, lick their partner's boots, or act as a servant to his partner and/or others. Many people in power find the role reversal hot and the same goes for those who spend all day being bossed around. Different is sexy.

The unfortunate thing is that too many people feel embarrassment or shame about having these desires and so either don't partake or feel so terrible when they do partake, that it hardly seems worth the doing. But there really is no need. It's no different really from the different positions people enjoy or whether one prefers the lights on or off. Or whether one chooses to use sex toys or pornography.

It's all a matter of preference.

Fetishes are highly personal and it's unfair to deem some "normal" and others not. And there's no hierarchy to them other than in terms of how elaborate they might be. It's important to talk to your partner about fetishes, lest he or she live with an ongoing sense of shame or, worse, seek out someone else with whom to engage in their fetish. The best part about having a partner is that you can be your whole self with him or her, kinks and all.

The point is this: A fetish can be anything that heightens the act of sex and may, in some cases, be required in order for the person to reach orgasm. The fetishized item or act or material or food does not have to be inherently sexy, and often is not. It's all up to you and who you play with. And as long as you and your partner are OK with it, no one is being hurt, and everyone involved is a consenting adult, then there's really no reason not to follow your fetish.