變異的性行為

以下的內容簡要描述眾所周知的變異的性行為：戀物癖（fetishism）和施虐受虐癖（sadomasochism）。繼而，這兩種變異的性行為以多種變異形式出現，因而難以對它們做出有意義的概括。儘管如此，正如概述中所言，在我們討論之前做出這些定義也許是有用的：

正如我們的描述所顯示的那樣，這兩種性變異的真相比較起來要簡單得多：事實上，我們正要闡述多方面和多維度的行為，而且可以說我們對它們仍知之不多。

例如，大多數性變異和其它性行為的起因並沒有取得一致的意見。一些個體非常可能天生就對某種特殊的性愛偏好就具有確切的生理特徵或傾向，但是，毋庸置疑，起決定性的影響是社會環境。特殊的個體恰好以特殊的方式與他們的特殊環境相互產生作用，而特殊的環境決定他們不尋常的特殊的性偏好。唯有一點是確定無疑的：沒有任何人會故意去選擇他自己的性興趣。

心理學家和各個專業的理論學者已經對兒童早期或晚期、青春期、甚或成人期的某種類型的心理條件作用（conditioning）[1]進行了估測。毋庸置疑，大致上看，他們的估測全都是正確的。但是，當一涉及到細節，證據則仍不確定。對“矯正”棘手的戀物癖傾向和施虐受虐癖傾向的各種各樣的方法也有相同的情形。心理分析、催眠術、認知與行為療法經過試驗卻出現了矛盾的結果。對嚴重的性妄想症（sexual obsession）和性強迫症（sexual compulsion）使用一些藥物治療，有助於降低性欲和削弱非意願性幻想的專注力。

幸運的是，戀物癖和施虐受虐癖多數時候不會以危害和威脅社會的方式出現。甚至，在最近數十年裏，這兩種性變異逐漸發展成一種特殊的新式亞文化：組織機構、俱樂部、雜誌、時事通訊、網站和特殊商店等等，以這些方式通告普通大眾和給具有相似的性傾向的個體提供交友的機會。他們已經以這種方式著手把自己構建成了性少數，而且要求不受到打擾。

Two Examples

The following sections briefly describe two of the best known variations in sexual behavior: Fetishism and sadomasochism. Both of these, in turn, appear in many different variations, and thus it is difficult to summarize them in a meaningful way. Still, as an introduction, these rough, preliminary definitions may be helpful:

As our descriptions will show, the reality is a little more complicated than that: In fact, we are dealing here with multifaceted, multidimensional behaviors, and much about them is still unknown.
For example, there is no agreement about the causes of these and most of the other sexual variations. It is quite possible that some individuals are born with a certain disposition for certain erotic specializations, but the decisive influence is undoubtedly their social environment. It is the specific way in which specific individuals interact with their specific environment that determines the different specific outcomes. Only one thing is certain: No one deliberately chooses his own erotic interests.
Psychoanalysts and various learning theorists have speculated about some form of conditioning in early or late childhood, in adolescence, or even in adulthood. Undoubtedly, in this general sense, all of them are right. However, when it comes to specifics, the evidence remains inconclusive. The same is true for the various methods for “correcting” troublesome fetishistic and sadomasochistic tendencies. Psychoanalysis, hypnosis, cognitive and behavioral therapies have been tried with mixed results. In severe cases of sexual obsessions and compulsions, some drug treatments have helped in reducing sexual urges and the mental preoccupation with unwanted erotic fantasies.
Fortunately, most often fetishism and sadomasochism appear in socially harmless, unthreatening forms. Indeed, in the last few decades, they have become the basis for the development of special new subcultures: Organizations, clubs, journals, newsletters, web sites, specialty shops etc. inform the general public and offer like-minded individuals opportunities to meet. In this way, they have begun to constitute themselves as sexual minorities which demand the right to be left alone.