Fart fetishes are among the fastest growing desires — the smellier the better

Charlie Sawyer

Published January 30, 2026 4:36pm Updated February 3, 2026 8:49am

How do you like your farts in the morning (Picture Getty Images)

Better out than in right?

Arousal isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. Some people might get turned on by the smell of Tom Ford’s Oud Wood, for others, it’s flatulence that gets them going.

Eproctophilia, or a fart fetish as it’s more commonly known, ‘is by no means a ‘new’ fetish in the realm of adult entertainment,’ Angie Rowntree, Founder and Director of the ethical porn site Sssh.com, tells Metro, ‘and it can sit alongside adjacent interests like booty worship, rimming, and anal play.’

But there are signs it’s becoming more popular, with new research from adult site Clips4Sale putting flatulence-related content among the 10 fastest-growing fetishes of last year, identifying a 38% growth in views in 2025.

In fact, farting might actually be having an impressive rebrand as we speak. Only recently, a survey from dating app Wisp found that over half of Brits do believe getting flatulence out in the open is good for a relationship, with 54% claiming passing wind in front of each other is the secret to a happy relationship.

Of those who were open to passing wind in front of their other half, a massive 17% stated the best time to mark the relationship milestone was ‘within the first 24 hours’…

So, could farting be the new frontier?

Left daydreaming — For some people, there’s nothing more enjoyable than a fresh fart on a summer’s day (Picture: Getty Images)

What’s so sexy about a fart?

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Eproctophilia is a paraphilia involving sexual arousal from flatulence. You know the common thought regarding liking the smell of your own farts? Well imagine that, but on a much more widespread and intimate scale.

Arousal can be associated with either smell or sound, or both, and it’s typically integrated into ‘humiliation dynamics.’

Gigi Engle, a certified sex and relationships psychotherapist and author of ‘Kink Curious’, tells Metro: ‘Like many kinks, it’s less about the act itself and more about the meaning layered onto it. The taboo, or social ‘impropriety,’ can heighten arousal because the nervous system reads this vulnerability and exposure as intense emotional and/or sexual stimulation. In consensual erotic contexts, that charge can get eroticiced.’

For others, Gigi explains, ‘it can connect to domination and submission.’

‘Bodily control (or in this case the illusion of losing it) can be a part of power exchange. One partner may take on a dominant role by directing the scene, while the submissive partner eroticizes surrender, awkwardness, or degradation in a negotiated, consensual way.’

Intimate moment between a couple in warm orange light, close-up kiss anticipation — Fetishes are a totally normal element of sexual exploration (Picture: Getty Images)

That said, Gigi emphasises that not everyone into this kink is interested in humiliation: ‘Some experience it as playful, silly, or even as quite intimate. Sharing something socially coded as ‘gross’ can actually create bonding through trust and acceptance.’

Given the negative social connotations surrounding farts, there hasn’t been a wealth of research or understanding devoted to eproctophiles.

But one of the most insightful studies was released in 2013 wherein Professor Mark Griffiths, a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, wrote about a 22-year-old man ‘Brad’ who believed he had this particular paraphilia.

Published in the Journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, Brad revealed he spent significant time fantasising about flatulence, explaining that the arousal was directly linked to the person releasing the fart rather than just the act itself.

Having first realised he had a sexual affinity for flatulence at the age of 16, Brad also indicated that he first experienced fart-based arousal whilst with a male friend, and up till that point, he had considered himself heterosexual.

Professor Griffiths indicated in his study that much more research needed to be done when it comes to rare paraphilia given that so many of them have been entrenched in negative social connotations.

What is the science behind this?

Take a big sniff, you know you want to.

A Superdrug survey that asked over 1,500 Europeans and Americans about a range of acts they’d normally be afraid to admit, found that more than nine in 10 individuals from either gender relished the odour of their own farts. But why?

Research has shown that one of the reasons why we might find the smell of our own gas appealing is because of our digestive system.

Do you like the smell of your own farts?

Each of us produce a unique combination of bacteria and sulphur compounds.

But while our brain is accustomed to our own unique, consistent brand of gut bacteria, most people tend to find the foreign scent of other people’s digestive combo unpleasant.

However, that’s not of course the case for everyone.

Gigi notes how those who experience eproctophilia likely fit into a category of people who value strong sensory components when it comes to arousal.

She notes: ‘Fetishes often link to smell, sound, or the visceral reality of bodies. When arousal pathways get wired to those sensations (often, but not always, through early associative experiences) they can become lasting erotic triggers.’

‘I have a fart fetish and it’s ruining my life’

For those who have eproctophilia, it can sometime be hard to open up and be accepting of their particular sexual fetish. There may be concerns about getting into a romantic relationship, in fear that their partner might not be accepting.

Responding to a post in the r/NoStupidQuestions subreddit titled ‘Would you leave a partner over a fart fetish?’ there seemed to be an overwhelming number of people who wouldn’t be comfortable being with an eproctophilic – particularly if they were expected to engage in the fetish themselves.

Other posts exemplified that people with this paraphilia were struggling with both self-acceptance and anxiety surrounding social stigma. One young adult shared on the r/mentalhealth: ‘I have a fart fetish and it’s ruining my life.’

Explaining that he was considering seeking therapy, the anonymous user also indicated that his autism was meaning he would often hyper fixate on his fetish, something that was interfering with his day-to-day life.

Closeup of couple with relationship problems having emotional conversation while lying in bed at home — Some people may not feel comfortable sharing their fetish with their partner (Picture: Getty Images)

‘It’s been hard for me to focus on anything because sex is all I can think of and I keep telling myself to stop watching fart porn but I just can’t no matter how hard I try,’ he shared.

Given the kinds of ridicule that consenting adults who enjoy fetish play can often face, Angie understands why some people don’t feel safe talking about their fetishes with partners and or admitting it to themselves.

However, she emphasises that there’s no shame whatsoever in exploring this side of yourself: ‘Adults with fetishes are human, humans are complicated–and we bring all of that and more into our adult sex lives. This is why, fetishes or not, I always want to stress the importance of open communication, consent, and listening to your partner without judgment.’

Another eproctophiliac, Raj, spoke with Metro about what he wishes more people knew about the fetish: ‘I want more people to know about eproctophilia in general but especially in the kink community. When I started going out in my local community, I felt energised at first feeling like these are my people but the more time I spent or any time I talked about my fetish and desires, it seems like walls went up even though these are ostensibly communities of acceptance and understanding.’

He continues: ‘What I learned, from my experience, is there’s kinks which are unspoken yet acceptable in these communities (impact play, rope, etc). My desire is to expand that narrow scope of acceptability so kinksters and fetishists of all types can feel like they have a community that’s not just each fetishist keeps to their own kind.’

Gigi adds to this, sharing: ‘As with all kink, the important framework is consent, communication, and mutual comfort. No fetish is inherently ‘wrong’ if it’s practiced safely and enthusiastically by adults. What matters isn’t always why someone is turned on by something, but whether everyone involved feels respected, safe, and genuinely into it.’