Object sexuality or objectum sexuality, in German objektophil (OS), [1] is a pronounced emotional and often romantic desire towards developing significant relationships with particular inanimate objects. Those individuals with this expressed preference may feel strong feelings of attraction, love, and commitment to certain items or structures of their fixation. For some, sexual or even close emotional relationships with humans are incomprehensible. Object-sexual individuals also often believe in animism, and sense reciprocation based on the belief that objects have souls, intelligence, feelings, and are able to communicate.[2] Contrary to sexual fetishism, the object to an OS person is viewed as their partner and not as a means to an end to enhance a human sexual relationship.
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In Feb 2008, Erika Eiffel, an object-sexual living near San Francisco, California founded OS Internationale, an educational website and international online community for those identifying or researching the condition to love objects. The website generated a flood of international media interest.
Eiffel, whose name derives from her marriage to the Eiffel Tower in 2007,[3] has been featured as a spokesperson in a variety of international articles, radio talk shows, and television programs and documentaries worldwide.[4]
The logo for the OS Internationale is the Swedish Red Fence, Röda Staketet, and represents the fence of Mrs. Eklöf Berliner-Mauer who was the first acknowledged OS person to go public. The fence symbolizes transparency and division.[5]
Prior to 2009, object-sexual relationships were treated as curiosities and sensationalized in the media. Medical, psychological, and sexological professionals categorized OS as a paraphilia, though without specific data or inquiry into this condition.
In February 2009, Dr. Amy Marsh, a clinical sexologist, contacted OS Internationale with questions about objectum sexuality. With the consent and cooperation of Erika Eiffel and twenty-one English-speaking members of the OS Internationale organization, Dr. Marsh conducted a survey designed to provide the membership with data which could be given to interested professionals and media representatives. This is the first known instance of quantitative and qualitative data collected from this community, and provided insights which encouraged Dr. Marsh to accept object sexuality as an orientation, not a paraphilia. The research results were published as "Love Among the Objectum Sexuals" in the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality.[6]
Objectum Sexuality flashed into mainstream and has been the subject in a wide variety of international media stemming from ABC News Good Morning America and the Tyra Banks Show where they featured Erika Eiffel and her "marriage" to the Eiffel Tower discussing how her object love empowered her to become a two time world champion in archery and her role as a spokesperson for OS.[3]
Also featured was clinical sexologist, Dr. Amy Marsh to whom ABC News raised the question about objectum orientation versus paraphilia[7]. Dr. Marsh shared insights from her recent survey research and revealed that she supported OS as a legitimate orientation with further study required.
When questioned by Tyra Banks regarding childhood trauma being a factor in being objectum-sexual, Dr. Marsh revealed that her research does not indicate trauma being a factor. She stated there would be more OS individuals if that was indeed the case.
In the summer of 2009, Erika Eiffel was invited to give a one-hour presentation to sexology students and sex therapists and educators at the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality[8] in San Francisco, CA. The presentation took place during the eight-day Sexual Attitude Restructuring (SAR) program given annually at the Institute. The presentation was moderated by Dr. Amy Marsh and it was taped and is now preserved in the Institute's library archives.
Dr. Marsh, writing a weekly column called "Love's Outer Limits"[9] for Carnal Nation, began with three columns called "People Who Love Objects".[10][11][12] She has also published "Love Among the Objectum Sexuals" in the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, March 2010.[6]
National Geographic did a special in 2011 in the TV series Taboo. The character of Leigh Swift from the television comedy drama Boston Legal, is a self-proclaimed “objectophile”.
Richard Burgi made a guest appearance on Nip/Tuck portraying a plastic surgeon with a strong sexual and emotional attraction to furniture (couches in particular), referring to himself as someone with object sexuality and quoting text from the OS Internationale website.
In July 2010, The Music Theatre Company produced a musical stage play titled "Erika's Wall"[13] telling the love story of Erika Eiffel and her long-time relationship with the Berlin Wall.
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