Transformation fetish

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Drawing of a transformation scene.

Transformation fetish is a form of sexual fetishism in which a person becomes sexually aroused by descriptions or depictions of transformations, usually the transformations of people into other beings or objects. It can be considered a paraphilia. Most transformation interests are not paraphilia-based, typically having their roots in mythological or literary accounts of transformation.

[edit] Overview

The TF community does not seem to have a specific name for its members; often the generic "TF fan" is used, however this term is also applied to people who have a non-sexual interest in Transformation fiction. The internet community consists mainly of webpages featuring artwork or stories dealing with transformations, although there is no distinct barrier between fetish and non-fetish material.

Note that sexually based transformation fetish materials are not necessarily centred around BDSM or pain-infliction fetishes, as is sometimes claimed; the "thrill" of the material comes from the transformation aspect itself, and other fetishes triggered as a consequence of the transformation could be considered to be side-effects. The overtly sexual aspect of the fetish shares characteristics with various roleplay-centric fetishes in that there may or may not be any actual sexual activity involved.

Most TF media share a few characteristics. They involve a human (of either gender) being transformed into another form. The means of transformation are varied and include viruses or strange chemicals, magic spells or curses, and sex with a creature/person of the form being transformed to. The transformation is usually non-consensual, with the transformer often becoming confused, scared, or angry as the changes take place, although some transformations are gladly accepted and even chosen by the individual.

[edit] Categories of transformation fetishes

Authors and artists usually separate themselves into one or more subgenres.

[edit] Animal transformations

Main article: animal transformation fantasy

The most common form of TF is the animal transformation, involving the transformation of a human to an animal. The most common transformations are to mammals, especially foxes, canines, cattle, and horses, although transformations to reptiles, fish, birds or amphibians do exist. This particular subgenre of the transformation fetish often involves themes of bestiality or zoophilia. Not all animal transformation fetishists share the attractions, however.

[edit] Furries

Furries, also known as anthros (short for anthropomorphic animals), are usually depicted as half-human, half-animal hybrids, with the appealing characteristics of both highlighted. Furries are usually bipedal and have the ability to walk, talk, think, and essentially do anything like a human. Many in the TF community, even those with an interest in TFs other than animal, adopt a made-up identity as a furry, known as a fursona. Like the TF community, not all Furries are involved with the fetish aspects of anthropomorphic media. There are some large differences between the communities, and a great number of furries do not consider themselves part of the TF community. However, the overlap is broad enough to warrant mention on this page. For more on this distinction, see Yiff: Debates and Sex and furry fandom.

[edit] Inanimate transformations

The transformation of people (usually women) into inanimate objects in stories and pictures as a form of sexual fetishism. The most common object is a statue, but there is material involving transformation into almost anything, including pantyhose, clothing, cigarettes, etc.

[edit] Statuephilia

Main article: statuephilia

Transformation into statues, mannequins or dolls, or of a living being frozen in place for long periods of time. Also related is transformation into robots. Transformations of this type are sometimes referred to or noted as being caused by Pygmalion syndrome.

[edit] Age regression/progression

Age regression and Age progression, often shortened to AR and AP respectively, are a subgenre of Transformation Fetish wherein the victim's bodily age is increased or decreased. Though there are some stories where the victim's mental age changes with their body, by and large most AR / AP media feature the victim retaining their original mental level of maturity, whatever it may be. This is often a point of plot development within many stories, with the victims usually having difficulty adjusting to how self-sufficient or helpless they may be in their new state as compared to their old state.

A typical Age Regression story features an adult, usually one in an esteemed position or one with many resposibilities (such as a high position in a corporation or a parent of young children) encountering a situation that causes him or her to become younger. Typical causes include all manner of magic and pseudo-science, though a variety of fictitious medical conditions have also been concocted by writers. The most prevalent of these is the aptly titled Age Regression Virus, which is usually shortened to AR Virus or simply ARV. In these stories the victim will gradually regress, eventually reaching the physical body of an infant or a small child, and then will "bounce," or stop regressing. Many writers have written stories about the AR Virus, and thus the details outside of the basic definition will often differ. One commonly agreed-upon symptom of contracting the AR Virus is frequent excretion of bodily fluid of some manner, presumedly as a method of jettisoning the millions of cells the body casts off as it shrinks.

The typical Age Progression story usually has children as victims, who will increase drastically in physical age but not mental maturity. Unlike Age Regression this usually occurs all at once, rather than in a gradual curve. A staple of these stories, resultingly, are the tearing of clothes the victim wears as they grow, which usually occurs too quickly for the victim to remove them.

[edit] Body modification

The transformation of a body's shape or size, for example, by shrinking, growing, or gaining muscle mass. Shrinking and growing have their own fandoms in the microphilia and macrophilia fandoms, with more emphasis on the results of the transformations than on the transformations themselves.

There's also the type of modification that involves addition/removal/repositioning of body parts. The transformations may involve arms, breasts, legs, heads, fingers, eyes, heads, torsos, non-human parts such as wings, tail, digitigrade legs, and the form of humantaur, which means a second torso after the hip, with extra arms or extra legs on hip height. Stories of such transformations tend to involve implants, diseases, radioactivity, magic rituals, or sometimes they simply happen mysteriously.

A related category of modification is Conjoinment, in which two or more individuals have their bodies merged or fused to some degree and thus have to share a bodily form.

Most animal transformation sequences revolve mainly around the growing of pointed ears, extended muzzle (eg. canine/werewolf), growth of claws, pointed teeth and growth of tail. Often the muscles will enhance (mainly in male transformations) will sprout fur/scales/feathers, etc...

[edit] Spiritual possession

A type of transformation fetish where the person is aroused by the idea, description, or depiction of a person being spiritually possessed by a spirit, demon, etc. Usually the person is altered slightly or greatly by the possession. The possessed person's (usually an adolescent) voice changes into something different (usually more mature). In other cases the person after being possessed has a different outfit, height, etc.

[edit] Transgender

A type of transformation fetish where the person is aroused by the idea, description, or depiction of a person of one gender transforming into a member of the other gender; usually the stories depict magical changes. Many of these stories involve magical talismans, rings, or necklaces, and they often involve the 'victim' being involved in sexual situations as a member of the opposite sex. A typical plot involves a person becoming the opposite sex, engaging in various forms of sexual activity, and eventually becoming so satisfied with their new forms that they decline to change back, even if a cure is readily available. There are, however, sites that attempt to do TG literature without the sexual content. Characters still rarely, if ever, get reverted to their original gender.

[edit] See also

• Macrophilia
• Microphilia
• TG (fanart)
• Robot fetishism
• Statuephilia
• Yiff

[edit] External links/Sources

• Transformation Board
• The Siren Song - Started back in 1997 - this site is home to original TG TF art, comics and animated shorts.
• AR Archive - Age regression and progression stories and media.
• TFCentral - A transformation themed portal providing forums, hosting, blogs, and live chat.