Love Island contestant Jake Cornish sent social media into a frenzy during last night’s launch show as he admitted to having a foot fetish.
During his VT, water engineer Jake, 24, said his type is “blonde, blue eyes, little feet and little white toes” and confessed that he likes “sucking toes”.
Later in the Love Island episode, Jake was seen recording fellow islander Toby as he was dared to suck Kaz’s toes.
But why do people develop fetishes, and especially in this case, a foot fetish?
Love Island star Jake Cornish reveals foot fetish
Well, Sexologist for Peaches and Screams Katie Lasson has explained exactly why a fetish can develop.
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She told Entertainment Daily!: “Sexual fetishism involves not only an abnormal passion for inanimate objects and body parts, but also some kind of activity: a fetishist who has acquired the object of lust can smell, lick, stroke, bite, masturbate on it or in it, or even try to eat it.
“But these are all serious cases, very often a fetish is just an additional factor of arousal, not a necessary attribute, without which it is impossible to achieve sexual pleasure.
Foot massages can also be more intimate than sex
“Let’s say you’re aroused by a muscular man’s chest or heavy hair – it’s definitely some kind of fetishism.
“But if that’s not the only criterion for choosing a partner, then everything is fine with you.
“The leader of all fetishisms is definitely foot fetishism. Remember the movie “Pulp fiction” and the legendary dialogue about foot massage?
“For a foot fetishist, foot massage can be an even more intimate act than traditional sex.”
She added: “By the way, Quentin Tarantino is one of the most famous foot fetishists, and Uma Thurman should be grateful for her size 42 feet. Why?
“Usually foot fetishists are attracted not only by beautiful feet, but also feet of non-standard size – very small or, conversely, very large.
“But foot fetishists can be aroused not only by size, but also, for example, the smell, so it is a mistake to think that such a reaction is caused only by cleanly washed feet.
“Conversely, unwashed, stinky feet can cause a true orgasm, although all of this is, of course, very individual.”
Meanwhile, Ruby Payne, in-house sex expert at online sex toy shop, UberKinky, explained why feet fetishes are so common.
“It’s no wonder we as a society love feet when you think about it!”
She told us: “If you had to rank body parts by their sexiness, feet and toes would probably not be up there.
“But a fondness for feet is actually one of the most common fetishes out there. Podophilia is its official name.
“In society, feet – particularly women’s feet – are extremely sexualised. A woman stepping out of a sports car in a movie always steps out slowly, feet revealed first.
“High heels are slipped on in slow motion, with toes painted red, and the very best shoes saved for the most special occasions.
“It’s no wonder we as a society love feet when you think about it!”
Why are feet fetishes so common?
She continued: “Podophiles’ love of feet is unlikely to be the foot itself, but could be about what it represents in terms of dominance and submission.
“Playing with and caressing this part of someone’s body is the ultimate symbol of intimacy.
“But where does our obsession with extremities come from?
“Infamous psychologist Sigmund Freud theorised that feet were fetishised because they bear a resemblance to penises.
Why do people develop foot fetishes?
“But now many people believe that foot fetishes, or indeed many fetishes, can originate in teenage or even childhood years…
“…although these links are somewhat loose.
“From a scientific point of view there are several schools of thought.
“From a psychological perspective, it is thought that feet become fetishised because of early childhood imprinting.
“This is where sexual responses become paired with non-sexual objects – such as feet – in the very early stages of a psychosexual development.
“From a neurological perspective, a foot fetish might develop because the genitals and feet share a close proximity in the brain’s somatosensory cortex.
“Your podophilia may simply be down to crossed wires in the brain!”
Love Island continues on ITV2, tonight, at 9pm.
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