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A belly fetish (also known as a stomach fetish, or alvinolagnia) is a partialism in which an individual is sexually attracted to the midriff or belly.

Description

The belly is widely considered as an erogenous region, meaning it holds multiple nerve endings that make it sensitive to various sensations. Therefore, having a belly fetish usually coincides with belly-related sexual acts including but not limited to pressing a partner's belly, touching/rubbing the belly region, using sex toys and other objects (e.g., food, candles, ice, feathers, massage oils) to stimulate the belly region, rubbing one's belly against a partner's belly, or licking or sucking the navel. For this reason, belly fetishism (alvinolagnia) often co-exists with navel fetishism (alvinophilia). Overall, the belly fetish is a form of partialism.

Belly-to-belly contact

Individuals with alvinolagnia tend to enjoy having sexual intercourse in the missionary position given the position's heightened belly-to-belly contact between partners. It is theorized that this sexual desire for belly-to-belly contact is linked to the evolutionary need for ventral-ventral contact when being nursed as an infant or to entice feelings of being nurtured and loved. One participant of a social experiment involving belly-to-belly contact described the act as "a very intimate thing, even when it's not meant to be."

Evolutionary Perspective

The evolutionary need for ventral-ventral contact may arise from the need for physical contact, which is critical for human development. This connection to early human development, where close physical contact is essential for survival, could explain why belly-to-belly contact remains comforting and desirable in adult relationships. Of particular importance, skin-to-skin contact (SSC) between a mother and her child is essential for establishing healthy attachment bonds and for regulating the child's physiological responses, which overall support well-being and stability. For example, one study of 3,472 women and their infants following cesarean birth concluded that SSC infants demonstrated better cardio-respiratory stabilization and higher blood glucose levels when compared to non-SSC infants; however, the authors reportedly need larger sample sizes to confirm these physiological benefits. Another study examining the attachment bonds of 16 highly satisfied heterosexual married couples showed that simple touch not only reinforces healthy attachment but also attenuates the activation of neurological stress responses and negative emotions.

Belly-to-belly contact might also play a role in sexual selection, where close physical proximity and the sharing of warmth could be seen as indicators of a strong, nurturing partnership and the ability to provide nurturance to offspring. This contact, whether in sexual or non-sexual contexts, can strengthen interindividual bonds, contributing to a sense of security and mutual support.

Psychological and Socioemotional Perspective

For some, belly-to-belly contact can be a deeply sensory experience, evoking feelings of comfort, safety, and connection. The warmth and softness of this contact can be soothing and contribute to emotional regulation, much like how infants are calmed by close physical contact with their caregivers. In adult relationships, this contact can reinforce a sense of closeness and emotional intimacy, extending beyond romantic contexts to include friendships and family bonds.

These psychological undertones of ventral-ventral contact may also contribute to emotional and/or physiological arousal during objectively non-sexual belly-to-belly contact, which may happen when hugging or cuddling while wearing skin-revealing clothing (e.g., crop top, bikini); taking part in some forms of partnered dance (e.g., bachata (dance), salsa (dance), tango (dance)); or participating in sports involving belly-to-belly contact either due to the sports' nature (e.g., wrestling, mixed martial arts) or as a strategy for obtaining rest, breaking-up an opponent's rhythm, heightening camaraderie during play, and/or eliciting post-play celebration (e.g., boxing, beach volleyball).

Neuroscientific Perspective

Belly-to-belly contact can stimulate release of oxytocin, the "bonding hormone," which plays a key role in forming social bonds, enhancing trust, and reducing stress. Touching sensitive areas like the belly further amplifies this "bonding" effect, as sensitive touch can stimulate neuronal firing in the brain's reward center, the nucleus accumbens (NAc). As a result, belly-to-belly contact neuropsychologically augments the emotional intimacy between two individuals.

• NAc (Green), Sagittal Sections

Moreover, as the torso contains numerous vital organs, belly-to-belly contact stimulates pathways related to thermoregulation and homeostasis. A study of 51 newborns found that SSC with belly-to-belly touch was significantly more effective at regulating newborn body temperature and homeostasis than using radiant heat alone. Therefore, belly-to-belly contact may help calm the autonomic nervous system, reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation.

Cultural background

Western culture

Some assume that alvinolagnia is a cause of the prevalent western fashion of female midriff exposure. In the Victorian era, a small waist was considered the main trait of a beautiful woman. The advent of bikinis in 1946, the cheerleading fashion of the 1970s and low-rise fashion started in the early 1990s have contributed to widespread fascination of the belly region. Specific breakthroughs of the belly region being featured in American media include Cher in the 1970s "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour", as well as the character Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989 film). Midriff exposure also became common in the culture of 20th-century music with many famous female pop stars appearing on and offstage and in music videos with their midriff exposed. Some get attracted to women wearing a crop top or bikini.

Despite the prevalence of alvinolagnia, midriff exposure, and sexual belly-to-belly contact throughout Western pop culture, it is rare for belly-to-belly contact to be featured in Western media under a non-sexual tone. Nonetheless, non-sexual belly-to-belly contact in Western media generally represents either the establishment of a non-sexual friendship or the strengthening of an existing bond between two people. For example, the North American sitcom Will & Grace features two characters, Jack and Karen, who initiate and periodically bolster their long-lasting friendship via non-sexual belly-to-belly touch, a quirk so infamous that it appeared on the show's holiday special. More recently, non-sexual belly-to-belly touch became a key characteristic of Bayley and Sasha Banks' The Boss n' Hug Connection, a former women's professional wrestling tag team known for engaging in a post-match celebration involving belly-to-belly hugs.

In animated media

Belly-to-belly contact, when discussed in context of cartoons and animation, refers to the close physical interactions between characters, which can convey intimacy, empathy, or conflict. This type of contact plays a significant role in visual storytelling, impacting viewers' emotional responses and social perceptions.

Psychological impact

The psychology behind belly-to-belly contact (see above) suggests it can enhance the emotional connection between the character and the viewer. In animation, belly-to-belly contact may symbolize closeness or confrontation, depending on the inherent context. For example, characters in a supportive embrace may evoke feelings of warmth and safety in the viewer, whereas a more confrontational stance may communicate tension or conflict.

Role in character development

Belly-to-belly contact may be crucial in character design and development, especially when characters require complex relational and emotional dynamics. As a result, animators may use belly-to-belly contact to express complex narratives, allowing the viewer to infer a character's feelings and motivations via their physical closeness to or distance from other characters.

Educational value

Belly-to-belly contact may also serve educational purposes. In children's cartoons, belly-to-belly contact may teach valuable life lessons regarding relationships, interpersonal boundaries, reading one's bodily sensations, and emotional intelligence. For instance, seeing characters resolve their conflict via physical touch can assist younger viewers in understanding empathy and social skills.

Humor and comedy

Cartoons may use humorous physical interactions to invoke audience response. For example, characters may inadvertently collide, often resulting in exaggerated reactions, playful chaos, and/or belly-to-belly contact. Such slapstick humor engages viewers visually and enhances character dynamics by showcasing the complexity of characters' interpersonal relationships and dynamic socioemotional states. More specifically, cartoons may use belly-to-belly contact to exaggerate physical comedy. For example, characters aiming for a gentle embrace may accidentally collide with unexpected force, leading to humorous outcomes. This visual form of humor also relies on slapstick humor that resonates with audiences of all ages, making it a powerful tool in animated narratives.

Middle Eastern culture

The eastern art of belly dancing places the female midriff on center stage. The dance movements of the torso are considered to be seductive.

Indian culture

The bare female midriff is considered attractive and erotic in India. Baring the midriff has always been a fashion in Indian women attire. Indian women have traditionally worn saris that bares the midriff, especially South Indian women. The exposure of midriff in a sari is considered to be erotic. The midriff is revealed in other traditional female attires like Ghagra choli. Belly chains known as kamarband in India when worn with low-rise saris and lehengas are considered sensuous. Most Indian women wear belly chains during weddings and other ceremonies as a show of culture and tradition. Nowadays, women have been pairing these chains with western outfits, mostly to draw attention to their figures.

Men are intrigued by the demure floor-length attire and tantalising display of a bare midriff in the back. Indian actress Ileana D'Cruz had commented that there were shots where a big porcelain seashell was thrown on her belly and flowers decorated around her waist during the shoot of her debut film and stated that the belly and navel is supposed to be a mark of a woman's beauty in South Indian films and they believe that the waist line is the most attractive part. Indian singer Chinmayi once tweeted against a fan's request for saris during performances, saying, "Groups of men take photographs of my waist + side of my chest, circle it and upload it on soft porn websites", adding that she "get messages on how they're masturbating to it".

Some Indian men are aroused by pinching a woman on her midriff bared by the sari.

Accessories and tattoos

Some people wear accessories like belly chains, navel piercings, tattoos etc., to enhance the appearance of the belly. It can be a delicate thin or heavy thick chain.

Navel piercing and navel tattoos have become more common among young women. The trend of piercing or tattooing the navel became popular in the 1990s. It is popular among middle-aged women. Some belly chains attach to a navel piercing; they are called "pierced belly chains". Similar to navel piercings, hip piercings are also popular among women to express a bold personality.

Some get stomach tattoos to attract attention of the onlookers, but these tattoos are more commonly preferred by women. There are many variations in design, from tribal to flowers. Some women even get these tattoos drawn on their lower backs and flaunt them in low-rise jeans, shorts or skirts.

Sometimes, looser clothing such as scarves or skirts around the female waist and curves can be sexually appealing. Scarves wrapped around the waist are common among belly dancers.

See also

• Cultural views on the midriff and navel
• Vorarephilia, which fetishizes being inside of the belly

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• Sexual fetishism
• Paraphilias