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Foot Fetishism in Culture and History

A fetish can be described as a sexual preference for an object that is non-
sexual (Lowenstein, M.D.). Foot fetishism in particular is a pronounced sexual
preference for feet or footwear. It can also be referred to as foot partialism,
foot worship, or podophilia. According to a behavioral neurologist by the name
of Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, the presence of foot fetishes in certain
individuals is believed to be caused by the feet and genitals occupying
adjacent areas of the somatosensory cortex in the brain. The somatosensory
cortex is part of the parietal lobes of the sensory cortex that processes the
sensations of touch and temperature on certain parts of the body. This could
possibly entail some neural connection between the feet and genitals
(Bruckner).
Desirable traits for feet can vary from fetishist to fetishist regarding shape,
size of the foot or toes, jewelry, odor, and footwear. Preferred forms of sensory
interactions also vary from fetishist to fetishist. Common forms of interactions
include kissing, licking, tickling, toe sucking, foot jobs, trampling or stomping, and
shoeplay. Foot and footwear fetishes are some of the most common fetishes in
the world. The female foot has a strong presence in many cultures throughout
history (Bruckner).

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Foot fetishism can be traced as far back as the Song Dynasty in China
(960-1279 A.D.) with the practice of foot binding. Foot binding is considered a
bit of a controversial subject in history, because despite the crippling pain it
caused, women willingly submitted to the practice to improve their social
standing. Some scholars believe foot binding was an act of female subjugation.
Bound feet were considered an attractive trait because it maintained
subservience. With bound feet, women were unable to wander very far from
home which ensured dependence and chastity(Lim).
The ideal length of the foot and depth of the cleft between the heel and
the sole for a bound foot was 3 inches. Feet that were this length were called
san tsun gin lian, or golden lotus. Many women with bound feet would wear
tiny silk slippers to entice men. It was common for men to be aroused just by
looking at the slippers. Men enjoyed drinking from the slippers as well as
masturbating while looking at them. During sex they fondled the bound feet
and sometimes the high arch of the foot was used as a site of intercourse (Wise).
In the Qing dynasty, pornographic books were published that listed 48 different
ways of playing with bound feet (Lim).
In 1912, foot binding was outlawed but still practiced in various parts of
China. In 1949 when Communists came into power, another ban on foot
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binding was issued. Foot binding is no longer practiced today, but there are still
women alive that had their feet bound as a child (Lim).
During major epidemics of sexually transmitted diseases in the Western
World, history suggests that the popularization of foot fetishism increased as a
response. In the Thirteenth Century there was a gonorrhea epidemic. Literature
during this time began to include paeans, or songs of praise, to womens feet.
Troubadour poetry also began to focus on womens feet. The poetry of this time
frame described the ideal foot. Womens feet were most attractive when they
were narrow with high arches and there were no folds of skin between the toes.
The toes were somewhat long with the big toe being the longest. This idealized
foot is often referred to as the Troubadour foot. With the end of the gonorrhea
epidemic also came the end of the foot fad (Bowman).
In the Sixteenth Century, a syphilis epidemic occurred in Europe which
brought with it an increased interest in the female foot. During this period, there
were painters who specialized in the female foot, just as there were painters
who specialized in breasts. Popular footwear was designed to draw attention to
the foot by displaying the base of the first two or three toes, creating the idea of
toe-cleavage. The ideal foot of this era was very similar to that of the
Troubadour foot of the Thirteenth Century, but an elongated second toe was
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now fashionable. Prostitutes in brothels were presented to customers clothed,
but with bare feet. When treatment with mercury was discovered as a cure for
syphilis, the practice of foot fetishism dwindled (Bowman).
In the early Nineteenth Century a new epidemic of syphilis reappeared
and encouraged another renewal of foot fetishism. Brothels began to specialize
in foot eroticism on a large scale and the Troubadour foot once again
appeared in many of the Victorian-era schools of painting. However, because
of the proprieties set in place during this era, the female foot was treated as a
forbidden fruit and was often hidden from the publics eye. Female feet were
removed from photographic tintypes while images of men had their boots
exposed. The style of dress for women covered their feet completely. This
continued until 1909 with the introduction of Salvarsan 606, a drug used to treat
syphilis (Bowman).
In the late part of the Nineteenth Century and the early part of the
Twentieth Century, Isadora Duncan changed ballet significantly by dancing
bare foot and gained many followers throughout Europe. English dairy shops
sold Trilbys, which was vanilla ice cream in the shape of a female foot. Also
during this time, the Cinderella story was retold with foot fetishistic overtones.
This emergence of foot fetishism during this time was due to the lack of response
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in physicians to all plague-related hypotheses that did not directly relate to
disease symptoms. Foot fetishism was seen as a safe-sex alternative (Bowman).
During the emergence of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, foot eroticism
once again gained popularity in pornography. However, instead of mentioning
feet in most of the titles of the pornography, it is merely implied with titles like Leg
Action, Leg Show, High-heeled Women, Silk Stockings and Leg Tease. Also
fashion and teen magazines began to show the bare feet of females in
advertisements and pictorial articles. In the 1990s, female models increased
focus on the foot by posing with their bare feet touching the backs, chests, legs,
buttocks, and faces of male models (Bowman).
Foot eroticism is still very popular in our modern culture. Several well-
known female celebrities like Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson,
Fergie, Jennifer Lopez and Reba McEntire have their own shoe lines with sexy
shoes (Newman). Foot jewelry like anklets and toe rings are common
accessories in everyday dress. French pedicures and painted toe nails are
everywhere. Foot eroticism often appears in television, movies and music.
Quentin Tarantino, a popular director with a confirmed foot fetish, often has
shots of womens bare feet scattered throughout his films. Songs like In These
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Shoes talk about female dominance and stepping on the backs of men much
to the mens enjoyment.
Some scholars believe that in Western Culture, the foot represents a
symbolic form of feminine power. It allows women to control and distance
themselves from sexual intimacy. Foot eroticism generally portrays women in a
more dominant role while other pornographic material is generally degrading.
In Western Culture, foot-kissing is emphasized as a sign of respect and
submission. In many of the fantasies written for erotic foot magazines, men who
are otherwise intimidated by a womans beauty, wealth, or status are diverted
by focusing on her feet (Bowman).
Foot fetishism has been a part of human sexuality for many centuries and
in several different cultures. In China, foot binding represented the subjugation
of women. In Europe during times of STD epidemics, foot fetishism became a
popular safe-sex alternative to traditional intercourse. Today, feet are
considered a symbolic form of feminine power. In all instances, foot fetishism
has inspired types of footwear and foot accessories as well as forms of grooming
that are considered attractive.