Today’s post is quite exciting for me, because it represents something I’ve been itching to do for a while. I love helping people and providing sex education, and one way to do that is to answer questions that people ask about sex and sexuality. I recently had a reader write to me with a question, and although I replied privately, I also wanted to take this opportunity to address the subject on my blog so that all of you can read about it.
The reader who wrote to me is a heterosexual man who has a foot fetish. He is interested in finding female partners online who are interested in indulging his fetish by chatting and sending pictures. He wanted to know how he could go about finding receptive partners in a respectful way. I had a number of suggestions for him that I wanted to share with you. These don’t necessarily apply only to foot fetishists, but anyone who is online seeking partners for sexual or fetish play.
The mere thought of looking for partners for fetish play can be nerve-wracking. For starters, most fetishes are still looked upon with a degree of fear and many are misunderstood. A lot of people who have kinks also hold a lot of shame around those desires. Add to that the nerve-jangling fear of rejection and social anxiety and you get a kinkster who would prefer to cower in the corner than put themselves in the vulnerable position of looking for a play partner. Luckily, the internet has provided a multitude of options when it comes to looking for someone to explore with. But there are a few things to consider before you throw yourself in headfirst….
Choose your platform carefully
One of the biggest mistakes people make when searching for partners online is not looking in the right places. There are so many different social media platforms that allow us to connect with other people, but not all of these are ideal for finding partners to engage with sexually. Instagram and Facebook are fantastic for sharing pictures with your friends, but they’re not the place to trawl for people to play with. If you imagine the internet as a city, then Instagram and Facebook are like the public park. Just like people don’t go to the park looking for a hookup, most people aren’t using these sites to find sexual partners. Therefore, approaching strangers on Facebook or Instagram with requests for fetish play is likely to cause distress. You wouldn’t walk up to a strange woman at the park and demand that she shows you her genitals, so you shouldn’t message a stranger on Facebook asking the same.
On the other hand, there are a number of sites and apps that are filled with people who are actively looking for people to explore with. These are like the kink clubs, the singles bars and the hotspots in a real life city. If you look on these sites, you’re automatically off to a better start because you’re working with a pool of people who are open to meeting people to talk about kinks, who are interested in hooking up or online play. Fetlife is a great place to find like-minded individuals who share your fetishes. You can join groups devoted to particular kinks, find events nearby and make friends. Tinder is good if you’re looking for dates or hookups and dating sites are a good place to meet people who are interested in meeting potential partners. For fetish play though, I’d start with Fetlife to meet people who are interested in your specific kinks.
Treat people as whole, not just a collection of body parts.
When you send a message to a new friend or potential play partner online, it’s really important that you treat them like a whole person, not just as the life support system for the particular part you want to engage with. That’s objectification and it’s not cool. Rather than leading with a message that says “I want to see your feet, send me a picture” open with something a little more casual. Introduce yourself, ask what they’d like to be called and see if they’d be interested in chatting. Ask questions about them and answer their questions honestly. This helps your new friend to feel more comfortable and makes them much more receptive to a request for play when you offer one.
Respond to rejection gracefully
It’s likely that you’ll experience some rejection when you begin chatting with potential play partners. There are going to be people who are not interested in your particular kink, or who are not looking for someone to play with. Whatever their reason, if they do turn you down, accept it gracefully. Resist the urge to demand an explanation, call them names or plead with them to change their mind. Treat their “No” with respect and thank them for chatting with you.
Bring in a professional
If you’re not looking for an ongoing relationship, it might be worth bringing in a professional play partner to fulfil your fantasies. Many escorts, adult performers, pro-dommes and cam models specialise in fetish work. A bit of research online is likely to turn up a few professionals who will be able to indulge your kink and give you the play that you’re craving. This is especially true if the play you’re dreaming of is very specialised, unusual or requires particular equipment or training. In the case of a foot fetish, there are loads of camgirls and porn performers who will sell pictures of their feet to you, and many even sell their socks and stockings to their customers. If you’re shy about meeting people online, paying a professional can be a great option.
Finding play partners for fetishists can be a minefield. But the internet has given us so many avenues to search for likeminded people who may be interested in exploring with us. As long as you’re looking in the right places and treating people with respect and courtesy, you’ll be off to a great start and hopefully you’ll find that special someone who will share your erotic kinks.
Do you have any suggestions for meeting potential play partners online? If so, please feel encouraged to leave a comment.
