Locktober: The annual month-long chastity challenge in the kink community

Locktober is an annual month-long observance within the BDSM and kink communities where participants engage in chastity practices. The event involves wearing a device, typically a male chastity cage made of metal or silicone, which restricts sexual access and can limit the ability to achieve full erections.

While traditionally part of power-exchange dynamics where a dominant partner acts as a ‘keyholder,’ the practice is seeing increased interest. According to Clips4Sale, chastity was named its 2025 Fetish of the Year following a 71% surge in related content sales. Dan Berman, CEO of KINK3D, notes that for practitioners, the practice is intended to intensify sexuality rather than act as mere repression.