Since 2009, the third Friday of January has been celebrated by the international community as International fetish day. It was started in Great Britain to support and against discrimination of fetish and BDSM cultures. It was celebrated for the first time on January 21, 2008.

Fetishism is not a disorder, but it can become dangerous when it poses a health hazard or reduces a person’s ability to function normally in everyday life. The mission of the holiday is to bring information about the deviant communities to other people and prevent social misunderstanding.

This day is dedicated to erotic fetishism – a type of sexual behavior (when objects or parts of the body become a stimulus for the manifestation of one’s sexuality) and is celebrated by every person who has some kind of fetish. Leather clothes, high-heeled shoes, women’s underwear, toys – all this can act as irritants. Absolutely any thing can be the object of a fetish for someone, and their varieties are limited only by imagination.

• During the celebration, members of the community wear purple clothes. In this way, they mark their belonging to fetishists.