Exhibitionism
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- Although the implications of each may overlap in special circumstances, generally, exhibitionism is not to be confused with indecent exposure.
Exhibitionism, known variously as flashing, apodysophilia and Lady Godiva syndrome,[1] is the psychological need and pattern of behavior to exhibit naked parts of the body to another person with a tendency toward an extravagant, usually at least partially sexually inspired behavior to captivate the attention of another in an open display of bare "private parts" — i.e., parts of the human body which would otherwise be left covered under clothing in nearly all other cultural circumstances.
Typically, the part(s) of the body exposed when referring to "flashing" are bare female breasts and/or buttocks. In theory, however, flashing and exhibitionism can also involve the genitalia or buttocks of either gender. A "male flasher" stands in stark comparison to this definition as the latter usually refers to a male indecently exposing his penis to an unwilling observer.
Usually, flashing is done as a momentary "thrill" to inflate the ego of the flasher while having the "added bonus" of increasing the sexual arousal of the recipient(s). Exhibitionists who view exhibitionism as a lifestyle as opposed to a rare thrill, however, more carefully select their target audience and make the exposure brief, inconspicuous and apparently unintentional. While all exhibitionism is, whether on the end of the giver or the receiver, ultimately a sexual fetish, many practitioners see it as an art form. Night clubs and goth bars encourage mild exhibitionism to enhance the venue's atmosphere. This all contrasts with non-sexualized social nudity, in which the exposure is not connected with sexual expression, such as sunbathing or swimming at nude beaches or other participation in public nudity events where nudity is the norm.
Some exhibitionists wish to display themselves sexually to other people singly or in groups. This can be done consensually as part of swinging or group sex. When done nonthreateningly, the intent is usually to surprise and/or sexually arouse the viewer, giving the exhibitionist an ego rush. Some people like to expose themselves in front of large crowds, typically at sporting events; see streaking. A similar phenomenon is when, at the conclusion of a sporting event, a woman may flash her breasts while sitting atop someone's shoulders in a dense crowd of people. Other exhibitionists like to go beyond physical exposure and use the internet to distribute their stories and pictures on websites, sometimes using webcam feeds and other amateur methods. A further purpose here could be to further sexually arouse the recipient by giving the impression that the exposure is "first time" and/or "innocent."
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[edit] Implications
According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th Edition, where all psychiatric conditions are represented as numerals to avoid confusion, exhibitionism is classified as 302.4, and many psychiatric definitions of exhibitionism broadly define it as "sexual gratification, above and beyond the sexual act itself, that is achieved by risky public sexual activity and/or bodily exposure." Beyond bodily exposure, it can also include "engaging in sex where one may possibly be seen in the act, or caught in the act."[citation needed]
Exhibitionism does not, and cannot, have any legal implications for either the exposer or the person being exposed to, because both exposer and exposed are implicitly consensual (the exposer wants to be seen, and the exposed welcomes the opportunity to look). Likewise, exhibitionism also does not necessarily imply alterations of the psychiatric condition of the average, everyday individual, unless the individual does such actions compulsively in an effort to grab the attention s/he feels entitled to yet does not get in other aspects of life. In psychiatry, exhibitionism is only considered a paraphilia once the practice begins to interfere with the quality of life or normal functioning capacity of the individual.
However, if the exposing individual shows an aggressive or criminal behavior, that is indecent exposure and is a separate phenomenon from exhibitionism and flashing.
Reasons for the various types of exhibitionism are varied. The person can act on the basis of competing to be the "first" in a trend; on the basis of adhering to a particular fashion; ostentation; posing; being bombastic, and many other things. These forms can appear either isolated or as a group of manifestations.
[edit] Types of exposure
- A female displaying her bare breasts with an up-and-down lifting of the shirt and/or bra, is known as flashing, presumably because it is similar to a camera's flash bulb in its briefness.
- Displaying one's bare buttocks — both in a sexual, exhibitionistic context (almost always by females) and also when done (usually by men) for shock value, is known as mooning and, in Australia and New Zealand, sometimes as a browneye. Mooning originated as, and in many cases still is, an intentionally rude and offensive gesture, similar to the finger (for "fuck you"). Other than that usage, however, the intent is usually erotic, similar to flashing. In most cases there exists a double standard in mooning wherein it is acceptable and even widely encouraged for an attractive female to display her bare buttocks, yet generally discouraged, at least among the Western heterosexual male population, for men to show their bare buttocks to women, or to other men, with the same intent. The reason for this is assumedly because the same desire to see bare buttocks is generally not experienced by women for men the way it is for men towards women.
- Anasyrma is lifting up one's skirt to expose bare genitals, for varied reasons, but most often to please the exposer with a display of the exposed's bare genitals. Martymachlia, meanwhile, is a paraphilia involving sexual attraction to having others watch the execution of a sexual act.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
| This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2007) |
[edit] External links
- Exhibitionist Post A sociological study of biographical experiences that is trying to determine if there is such a category as "healthy exhibitionism".
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| See also | Sexual fetishism · BDSM |