Coulrophilia is aparaphilia towardclowns.[1] There is an associated subculture dedicated to it, and it may intersect withcoulrophobia, the fear of clowns.
The coulrophilia community is related to theBDSM community, with both often using props andfetish fashion as a means for sexual arousal. Coulrophiliacs may consume pornography depicting people in clown costumes, or may use such costumes and clown personas in sex.[2][3] Some self-described coulrophiliacs have cited the silliness and lack of seriousness displayed by clowns as a point of attraction,[2][4] while others have stated that they enjoyerotic humiliation.[4] Notable clown sex workers includeHollie Stevens,[5][6] Miss Quin,[2][3] and Sugar Weasel.[7]
Members of the community may communicate online, using forums, websites, andsubreddits.[2] Since 2017, the termclussy (a portmanteau of the wordclown with the-ussy suffix) has been used online by people attracted to clowns.[8]
Coulrophilia may intersect with coulrophobia, with some members of the subculture being sexually aroused by their fear of clowns.[9] Following the2016 clown sightings, according toPornhub, searches for clown pornography on its site increased by 213%, with women being 33% more likely to search for it than men.[2] Similarly, the websiteXHamster reported that searches for clown pornography increased by 50 percent in the same time period.[10] Around the same time, the filmIt was released, creating an online group of fans that were sexually attracted to the characterPennywise.[4][11] Similarly,Geiru Toneido, a fictionalhomicidal clown fromPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice, has developed notoriety online for her sex appeal.[8]
.svg)