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Alternative Sexualities: Objectum-Sexuality
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Rating: 3 user(s) have rated this article
Posted by: sexmaster, on 6/22/2010
, in category "Extra for Experts"
Views: this article has been read 76 times
Abstract: Homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual orientations are all so very “everyday”. In this article, we explore an alternative orientation: objectum-sexuality.
Objectum-sexuality is the sexual, romantic or spiritual orientation towards objects. Objectum-sexuals have relationships with non-human partners (no, not real dolls). Perhaps the most well-known objectum-sexuals are Eija-Riitta Berliner-Mauer, who married the Berlin Wall in 1979 (taking “his” name), and Erika La Tour Eiffel, who you guessed it, married the Eiffel Tower. These women have been described as being 'diagnosed' with the 'condition' of objectum-sexuality, or as having a plain old fetish for objects.
Mrs La Tour Eiffel:
Yet research shows that objectum-sexuality is more than just a fetish. A fetish or paraphilia is a condition where a person requires a particular object, such as a shoe, to be present while the person is masturbating or having sex with another (human), in order to achieve orgasm. The Marsh Spectrum of Human/Object Intimacy (by Dr. Amy Marsh), which is built upon findings from a survey of members of OS Internationale, shows that some objectum-sexuals experience full-on relationships with their object partners. These relationships can include sexual desire, emotional and romantic attachment, sense of object personality and gender, and spiritual connection. Thus objectum-sexuality appears to be a fully-fledged sexual orientation. Further, some of these people have no interest in sexual relationships with humans, and in that sense describe themselves as asexual.
Interestingly, most of the survey respondents were women. Some respondents identified as trans-men, and one as 'pre-op trans-neuter'. There were also a few biological men, but no trans-women. A common assumption made about objectum-sexuals is that their 'condition' is a result of Asperger's Syndrome, Autism, ADHD or childhood sexual abuse. Although all of these conditions were present among some survey respondents, none of the conditions were prevalent enough to show any major causality or connection.
While not all OS-ers strove for sexual gratification with their 'partners', some went as far as masturbating to 'pornography' – that is, youtube videos depicting particularly attractive examples of their objects of desire (quite literally). This may open up a new can of worms for censors.
As for monogamy, some OS people have one or two 'steadies' and enjoy long-term relationships with them. But an unconventional love, by definition, doesn't always comply with social norms: polyamory is commonplace. That is, an OS-er might have one 'primary' lover (even long-distance, such as Eija-Riitta Berliner-Mauer and her beau) while enjoying secondary relationships with other objects.
Objects
A non-'OS' might expect, that if you are going to fall in love with an inanimate object, it will probably be something that resembles attractive human physical features (like the doll in Lars and the Real Girl, or Sal9000's Nintendo wife). Not so (unless you count the Eiffel Tower as a very pointy, spindly phallus). What attracts OS people to objects are their functions, designs and textures.
Well-loved objects include bridges, towers, the Statue of Liberty, buttons, fences, soundboards, robots, trains, flags, fairground rides and cars.
Fairground ride:
Vehicles - 'Mechasexuals'
Most of us have heard avid car-lovers refer to their cars as “she”, or express a wish to spend time cleaning, polishing and maintaining their car. Many would describe a shiny lamborghini as sexy, and run their hands over the leather upholstery. But how many of these petrol-heads would feel a romantic and sexual attraction towards their automobile, and wish to masturbate behind the exhaust pipe while the engine was running? At least one person, a member of OS Internationale. You can be sure that he knows how to turn his lover on.
But how do they have sex?!
While some objectum-sexuals stimulate themselves whilst holding or looking at their objects (and refer to this activity as 'sex', rather than masturbation), others point out that as their partners are not human with genitalia, their lovemaking is not done the 'human way'. They instead commune with their partners through simple touch, conversation, 'telepathically' and by, of course, using the objects for their intended function. One OS Internationale member pointed out that despite the possible one-sidedness of such relationships, members feel loved by their objects. And that's what's important.
Nature – 'Ecosexuals'
Dr. Annie Sprinkle (artist, sexologist, ecosexual, author, lecturer, educator and thespian, according to her website) described herself and her partner, in the fourth issue of Filament magazine, as ecosexuals: they have so far married the Earth, sky and sea, and proposed to the moon. They lead sexological walking tours in which the eroticism of nature is discussed and experienced – trees, rocks and even particular views are thought of as sensual and sexual.
To sum up:
It is tempting to make jokes about objectum-sexuality, with references to objectification, objects of desire, turn-ons, and pushing one's buttons. It fact, this article has done so twice. Such jokes reflect a general lack of ability to understand OS, which is understandable considering how rare it is. How many kids are brought up aware of such a romantic inclination? Barbie might have left Ken for Cindy, sure, but she never got married to her toolkit. Further research is needed to determine whether OS is a genuine sexual orientation or simply a kinky condition. Yet if is revealing itself to be the former, perhaps we should try to afford it a tad more serious consideration.
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