In kink, auralist usually refers to someone who enjoys giving or receiving sensual pleasure focused on sound and voice, such as whispers, breath, moans, or spoken commands. This fetish is called auralism.
Auralists may be turned on by:
- A person’s voice, tone, accent, or manner of speaking.
- Dirty talk, praise, degradation, commands, or begging.
- Moaning, gasping, breathing, whimpering, or laughter.
- Audio erotica, phone sex, or recorded roleplay.
- Music, rhythm, or particular instruments.
- ASMR-style whispers and mouth sounds.
- Sounds created during sex or kink play, such as spanking, restraints, clothing, or toys.
The sound does not necessarily need to be explicitly sexual for an auralist to get off on it. For some people, an ordinary voice, song, or sound can do the trick.
Auralism can overlap with many kink activities. Auralists may enjoy being given commands, hearing praise or humiliation, listening to a partner describe a fantasy, or using audio during masturbation or partnered play. Some enjoy blindfolds because reducing visual stimulation makes sounds feel more intense.
An auralist may also enjoy creating sounds rather than only listening to them. For example, they might enjoy making a partner moan, encouraging them to beg, or controlling what they are allowed to say during a scene. That is a possible expression of the kink, not part of its basic definition.
Auralism isn't always a fetish, though. Many people get off on hearing voices or sexual sounds without identifying as auralists.
Origins of the Term
The word auralist comes from auralism, the term for sexual arousal connected to sounds. Aural means relating to hearing and comes from the Latin "auris," meaning “ear.”
