What Is Vore? The Psychology Behind Vorarephilia
In Selena Gomez’s Sunset Boulevard music video, there’s a striking moment where she literally eats Benny Blanco. To most, it looks like playful surrealism. But to those familiar with sexual psychology and fantasy, it taps into a real fetish: vorarephilia, or “vore.”
Vore is one of those fantasies that live quietly in the background of internet erotica, kink subcultures, and even pop culture. It’s the fantasy of being swallowed—or swallowing someone else—usually without harm and almost always in a metaphorical or symbolic way. And like many fetishes, it tells us a lot about how we experience power, intimacy, and desire.
What Is Vorarephilia?
Vorarephilia, or vore, is the erotic fantasy of being consumed or consuming someone, often in a surreal or exaggerated way. It might show up as a giant lover swallowing a tiny person, a mythical creature devouring its prey, or a partner imagining being fully taken inside another.
It’s not about violence or cannibalism—it’s about the fantasy of being wanted so intensely that someone desires to take you in entirely. Or vice versa—wanting to absorb someone so fully that they cease to exist outside of you.
Why Is This Arousing for Some People?
From a psychological perspective, vore is rich with meaning. It often expresses themes we all recognize: the longing to be loved completely, the thrill of power or surrender, and the fantasy of intimacy without boundaries.
1. Total Surrender or Total Control
For some, the fantasy centers around being completely consumed—a kind of ultimate submission. It taps into the desire to let go, be overtaken, and feel deeply held. For others, being the one who consumes is about domination—having all the power, taking in another person in every way.
This reflects the core erotic tension many people feel around power dynamics—something we explore a lot in kink, roleplay, and even in fantasies that don’t seem “sexual” at first glance.
2. Merging, Intimacy, and the Hunger for Connection
There’s also something tender about vore. The idea of being inside someone—or holding someone inside you—can reflect a craving for deep connection and closeness. It blurs the line between physical and emotional intimacy.
In a world where so many feel isolated or disconnected, this fantasy becomes an exaggerated form of the wish to be fully seen, fully desired, and fully taken in.
3. Fantasy as Safe Exploration
Because vore is impossible in real life, it lives entirely in fantasy. This makes it safe for people to explore intense emotional or erotic themes without real-world consequences. It also allows room for creativity, imagination, and storytelling—qualities that are often deeply tied to erotic identity.
Where Does This Show Up in Culture?
The fantasy of being consumed is not new. It’s been present in mythology, folklore, fairy tales, and religious texts for centuries. Think of stories where gods devour mortals or characters are swallowed by beasts and reborn transformed. These narratives reflect our collective fascination with power, destruction, transformation, and surrender.
In pop culture, vore-adjacent imagery shows up more than you might think. Francis Ford Coppola’s 1981 film One from the Heart includes dreamlike sequences that echo this theme—an influence felt in Gomez’s Sunset Boulevard video. And if you dive into online erotica, art, and kink spaces, vore is alive and well—explored through giants, monsters, mythical lovers, and everything in between.
Types of Vore Fantasies
Vore fantasies vary widely, but some common themes include:
- Soft Vore – Being swallowed whole without harm; associated with comfort, surrender, and intimacy.
- Hard Vore – More graphic and violent; involves biting or digestion. Less common in mainstream erotica.
- Macro/Micro Vore – Involves size difference, often between giants and tiny people; highlights dominance and power.
- Endosomatophilia – A related fantasy involving being inside another’s body without harm.
What Does Vore Say About Us?
Ultimately, vore reminds us that desire isn’t always neat or logical. It’s shaped by emotion, imagination, and the stories we carry. Whether we’re drawn to being consumed or consuming, these fantasies give us language for something deeper—our need to be known, to feel powerful or vulnerable, to connect beyond the surface. In exploring them, we learn more about the vast, creative ways we seek closeness, expression, and meaning in our erotic lives.
