On the 3rd Friday of the year, people in the BSDM and fetish community celebrate International Fetish Day! Started in the UK, International Fetish Day was started as a protest to the harsh pornography laws and a celebration of those in the fetish community. Kinks and fetishes have been around since the beginning of time but many discussions and writings of the past are not well shared with the world, if not heavily buried beneath misinformation and judgement from those who steadily hold societal norms. Those within the community use this day to showcase to the world that the fetishes they engage in consensual acts between adults and that their private encounters should not be used against them.
Kink vs. Fetish
There is a specific difference between a kink and a fetish despite many people using them interchangeably. Kinks are something that may be tried one or are engaged in on an infrequent basis and are not required to be engaged with in order for a person to reach sexual gratification. A fetish – as HotOctopuss defines it – is simply an “an intense sexual interest in a specific object, activity, body part or scenario.” To better explain this, think of using handcuffs: When trying them, using them on occasion, or even is every encounter you have with a partner – a person engaging in a kink could be thought of as a “this is fun, but I don’t need this to hit my climax” whereas a person with a fetish is “I absolutely need to use handcuffs in order to feel satisfied.” This translate into other areas such as bondage, impact play, sensory play, power play, humiliation, age play, and many more.
How You Can Support
One of the ways you can show your support for the fetish community is by wearing purple. In the beginning years of this national holiday, it was advertised that ‘Perverts Wear Purple’ to show solidarity within the fetish community and celebrate. You can also get involved in the community by joining a munch, heading to or hosting a play party or just gifting you or your partner some new toys when you can start to explore your curiosity. You can find many products at Fantasy Gifts NJ to help you start and we also encourage you to join FetLife to find more information and even start connecting with those that share the same fetish as you!
