A FORMAL INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL FETISH DAY

What do you know about International Fetish Day? Have you ever wondered how this day came about? Do you know how International Fetish Day is celebrated? Here's everything you need to know about International Fetish Day.

International Fetish Day originated in the UK. It occurs on the third Friday of January to celebrate fetishes, offer support and awareness of the fetish community, and oppose restrictive pornography laws that target extreme sex acts.

What is a Fetish?

A fetish is an intense sexual interest in a specific object, activity, body part, or scenario. Some of the most common fetishes include bondage, spanking, power play, cross-dressing, and foot fetishism.

International Fetish Day is about much more than celebrating kinky sex. There is a huge stigma around fetish, BDSM, and kink. Kink is not a protected status in law, which means people can be discriminated against for nothing more than their sexual proclivities.

Attwood & Smith (2010) discovered that the International Fetish Day grew out of a response to the United Kingdom's extreme pornography laws. The laws made it a criminal offense to create, distribute and possess some types of pornography, including imagery depicting consenting adults engaging in acts that are legal to perform. These laws were passed partly in response to the murder of Jane Longhurst, who died in 2003, where the prosecution claimed the murderer's viewing of extreme pornography had led to the act. The BDSM and fetish community members felt that the laws were unfair because they discriminated against consenting adults performing fringe sexual activities. The members also felt that the laws were nonsensical because they made it legal to perform activities like photographing them. International Fetish Day arose in direct response to poorly thought-out inconsistent and discriminatory legislation. International Fetish Day responds to and protests against anyone who would marginalize, abuse, or criminalize people for their victimless, consensual sexual practices.

How Is International Fetish Day Celebrated?

The perverts wear purple movement was an early form of Fetish Day Celebrations and required the members of the BDSM and Fetish communities to wear an item of purple clothing on the day. Activists often use International Fetish Day to support the BDSM community and against discrimination against fetish. International Fetish Day is also an excuse for kinky parties and companies selling sex toys. You can celebrate international fetish day in whatever way you feel meaningful. You can go out and party, wear purple clothing or have fun with your partner at home.

Get Involved In the Fetish Community

Munch

Webster & Ivanov (2019) stated that a munch is a social gathering for those interested in BDSM. Such social gatherings are usually held at restaurants and bars and do not involve play, People with the same interests meet and talk so you can go if you are a beginner. Jumping right into a munch might seem intimidating to many people, but if you have an invite, you can't afford to miss it. The meet-ups are great and a low-pressure way to meet people with similar interests.

Dungeons

Attending a dungeon party is also an incredible way to get started in the fetish world. Many cities in the United States have world-class dungeons available to people with fetishes. Professionals run dungeons, and they offer paid services. Some people will dominate you or be submissive to you. The fees are moderate to highly-priced, but dungeons also offer locations and work with local kink clubs to provide their equipment and furniture for night parties. You can attend a party, watch, or bring a partner and play together.

Spoil Yourself

You can pick up something new for your particular fetish if you are in the mood for a private celebration. You can opt for a new collar if you and your partner are into pet play. However, if you are working with a budget, you can look around the house for creative ideas that add new twists to your fetishes.

Books

You can learn from books. The world of kink and BDSM publishing is wide and growing rapidly. You can find the basics in many books. You don't have to hide behind the curtains when going to adult bookstores for you to find your preferred reading material. Adult bookstores are modern stores with nice selections of books, clothes, sex toys, and implements of pleasure.

Events and Workshops

Events and workshops may involve well-known kink and BDSM professional speakers, discussion groups, and demonstrations, as Brown (2010) revealed. Some people use a rope or a bondage strap during BDSM activities. These are skills anyone can learn with enough guidance and practice.

What will International Fetish Day Be Like in 10 Years?

According to Sanborn & Harris (2019), in a landmark ruling where for the first time, the British Government changed the extreme pornography guidelines to recognize that depictions of consensual activity shouldn't generally be prosecuted. The ruling takes consent seriously and recognizes full and freely exercised consent as a gold standard. The study above described this step as the culmination of two decades of work is the greatest step forward against sexual censorship in recent years.

The study above noted that the work was not over. Depiction of certain consensual activities is still criminalized, especially breath play and impact play, where one is left with more than trifling and transient marks. Harver et al. (2007) revealed that experts expect the next frontiers to fight for sexual freedom will explore to what extent an individual can legally consent to what might be considered sexual assault. Such debates will draw the legal limits of bodily agency and what someone can consent to under the law.

Conclusion

International Fetish day, which was brought into existence on January 16, 2009, was established to recognize and support the BDSM community. Members of the BDSM community are encouraged to be more open regarding their sexuality. People come from every corner to celebrate their differences and similarities on International Fetish Day. Attend fisting parties with a partner or solo to enjoy sexual activities like bondage rope plays. Use a dungeon hole to experience the different sexual pleasures of a sub.

References

Brown, T. O. (2010). "If Someone Finds Out You're A Perv:" The Experience And Management Of Stigma In The BDSM Subculture (Doctoral Dissertation, Ohio University).

Harvey, A., Garcia-Moreno, C., & Butchart, A. (2007). Primary Prevention Of Intimate Partner And Sexual Violence: Background Paper For WHO Expert Meeting May 2-3, 2007. Geneva: World Health Organization, Department Of Violence And Injury Prevention And Disability, 2.

Sanborn, F. W., & Harris, R. J. (2019). The Cognitive Psychology Of Mass Communication. Routledge.

Webster, C., & Ivanov, S. (2019). Events Are Bound To Happen, Spank You Very Much: The Importance Of Munch Events In The BDSM Community. Event Management, 23(4-5), 669-684.