'Macrophilia' kink explained as Sydney Sweeney's latest Euphoria scene sparks controversy

Euphoria is back in the headlines again as yet another kink has been spotlighted on the show.

Fans have been waiting with bated breath for the third season of the HBO show, which will likely be the last one we see on our screens.

And the producers haven't been holding back, with every week seemingly creating a new controversy. So, what's happened this week?

In episode five, titled This Little Piggy, Cassie, played by Sydney Sweeney, has been picking up a huge following on her OnlyFans account.

She created her profile on the subscription-based platform so she could raise $50,000 to spend on flowers for her wedding, diving headfirst into the world of internet fetishism to make cash quickly.

In the latest instalment, Cassie dives into another 'larger-than-life' fetish.

She grows into a giant, bursting out of her catsuit, in scenes reminiscent of Godzilla.

She then goes on a wild rampage of the streets of LA, where she terrorises residents and flicks a police helicopter effortlessly out of the sky with her ponytail.

Of course, it gets raunchy too, as the scene ends with the larger-than-life Cassie's breasts smashing through an office window, as her 'fan' Frank licks her nipples.

While seemingly just a strange and surreal scene, this is an example of a sexual kink called macrophilia.

What is macrophilia?

Macrophilia, often referred to as a 'giantess' kink (GTS), is a sexual fetish or attraction where an individual derives arousal from fantasies involving giant people, particularly female giants, or from being small in comparison. The term literally translates to 'lover of large', referring to a fetish for people of immense size.

In Euphoria, we see Cassie live out Frank's fantasy in a video she sends to him.

She's holding a tiny man figure, and says to it: "You're so small, I could fit you in my pocket. I wonder where else I could fit you?"

Frank is pleasuring himself at the other end of the phone, obviously.

How popular is macrophilia?

Speaking to Cosmopolitan, sociologist Sarah Melancon, a clinical sexologist and lead researcher at womens-health.com, said: "Macrophilia is a term describing sexual fantasies related to giant persons, wether male (giant) or female (giantess).

"If we consider how often giant and giantess-type stories appear in our culture, it isn't surprising that some people find these themes erotic."

Following a surge in popularity in the early 2020s, including being termed a 'fetish of the year' in 2024, the popularity of the giantess fetish has continued to grow, with searches for it on websites like Clips4Sale showing major popularity in 2026.

Marriage and family therapist Pam Shaffer also explained the psychology behind the kink.

She told Cosmopolitan: "It centres around the erotic feeling of being 'helpless' as the giantess dominates those beneath her, forcing them into sexual slavery of crushing them with her strength."

Dr Justin Lehmiller, the director of the social psychology graduate program at Ball State University told Men's Health that the fetish is likely tied 'to a broader interest in dominance and submission, given that most porn and erotica in this area depicts a giant person wielding power over someone much smaller'.

What other kinks are shown in Euphoria?

It's not the first clip that Cassie has engaged in kink play for her fans - putting on dog ears for 'puppy play', dressing as a baby with a diaper and pacifier and even 'sploshing' - posing topless as she holds an ice cream that drips down her chest.

New episodes of Euphoria season three are available to stream on HBO Max, as well as Sky and Now TV.