Do Women Watch Porn Too, Or Is It Just Guys?
Many men wonder if women also watch pornography or if only men enjoy that entertainment. Studies show that watching porn is not confined to just one gender. Read on to explore the reasons women watch porn, how to identify a pornography addiction, and the various ways therapy can help if porn is harming the intimacy in your relationship.
Women watch porn too
Generally, pornography refers to visual materials depicting sexual acts with the primary purpose being to arouse the viewer. While porn typically has a negative reputation for reinforcing patriarchal standards and objectifying women, recent studies show that many women watch porn for various reasons, including pleasure, empowerment of feminine sexuality, education for sexual performance, or other reasons. Google Analytics from 2022 show that approximately 36% of worldwide users and 29% of US viewers on the world’s most popular pornography website were female.
“Women watched pornography for diverse reasons: to feel sexually empowered, to enhance sexual arousal, and for masturbation purposes.” — Women in Relationships and Their Pornography Use
Why do women watch porn?
While the reasons a woman watches porn are unique to her, sexologists have compiled a list of reasons women may consume pornography.
Curiosity
Some women watch porn because they are curious about a certain kind of sex or want to learn how to perform a specific sexual technique. Porn is easily accessible and offers information without directly asking another person, allowing women to keep their desires anonymous.
Sexual satisfaction
Many women experience lust and use porn when they feel aroused as a masturbatory aid to increase their sexual satisfaction and help them achieve orgasm.
Feminist porn
Some pornography producers recognized a gap in the market for porn geared more toward women, with a feminist tone and sexual images focused on the whole body and the act rather than strictly the genitals. Feminist porn may include stories to give the sex context and focus on foreplay and connection between partners.
Spicing up the sex life
Many women watch porn with their partners to add variety to their lovemaking and introduce new techniques or themes. Porn could be viewed before sex to increase arousal or during sex to heighten erotic play and fantasy.
Exploring fantasies
Sexual fantasies are common, and many people imagine unique situations that arouse them. Some women may watch porn because it allows them to indulge in fantasies they may never want to enact in real life. The nature of pornography invites the viewer to imagine themselves in the situations depicted, making it ideal for exploring fantasies and emerging desires before taking the risk of sharing with a partner.
What types of porn do women like?
According to 2022 Google Analytics data, the most-used porn site reported that lesbian pornography was the most popular category among women, as it has been since the site started tracking viewing data in 2014. Lesbian porn tends to be less aggressive than straight porn and focuses on women and their pleasure. Japanese, threesome, ebony, and mature rounded out the top five porn categories among female viewers in 2022.
How pornography habits differ in men and women
Watching porn isn’t confined to one gender or sexual orientation. However, there are some differences in the porn viewing habits between males and females.
- Studies show that males tend to view porn more often than women, with many men reporting that they watch it one or more times per week. The same studies showed that women viewed porn an average of several times per month.
- High porn use among men may correlate with reduced abilities to achieve orgasm during self-sex, impairments to sexual function, and reduced partner sexual satisfaction. In contrast, women instead showed increases in the same areas with high porn consumption.
Can porn be healthy?
Whether it’s used as a visual aid to help a single person achieve sexual satisfaction, a couple to help balance uneven arousal levels, or to empower your sexuality, there can be many ways porn can provide positive, healthy benefits to your sex life.
“Pornography can have a positive influence on individual’s sexual wellness, mental health, relationships, body acceptance, self-esteem, sexual knowledge, increase safer sex behavior, and self-acceptance in gay, lesbian, bisexual and other sexual minority individuals.” — The Benefits of Pornography
When does porn become unhealthy?
While porn can offer some benefits, there comes a point at which pornography consumption becomes a problem. With porn to cater to nearly any sexual desire or kink available instantly to anyone with an internet connection worldwide, when does porn become a problem?
How porn can cause harm
- Porn could promote risky sexual behaviors, such as unprotected sex, among younger viewers who lack the experience to understand that porn isn’t necessarily a realistic representation of sex.
- You could develop a porn addiction that could harm your relationships and make it difficult to function in many aspects of your life.
- Distorted perceptions and beliefs about sexuality and relationships
- Negative effects on self-esteem
- It may become difficult to get aroused without porn.
- It can interfere with physical or emotional intimacy in a relationship.
- One partner may prefer to watch porn over being intimate.
- It may be difficult to achieve orgasm without porn.
- You may develop unhealthy or unrealistic ideas and expectations about sex and relationships.
What is pornography addiction?
While porn addiction is not recognized as a diagnosable condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), many mental health professionals describe the behavior as “problematic pornographic use.” As with many forms of addiction, the behaviors become a problem when the cravings interfere with your ability to function in one or more areas of your life, cause significant distress, you struggle and fail to stop indulging in your addiction, or you lose interest in other things in favor of watching porn.
Some people may develop porn addictions due to neurochemical differences in their brain composition, altering how they react to behavioral stimulation. Cultural factors, such as expectations about sex, relationships, and appearance, can affect whether one develops a porn addiction. Relationship, stress, or psychological problems can also influence whether you form a porn addiction. Ultimately, mental health professionals don’t have a single answer to why some people have compulsive porn use problems and others don’t; it is likely a combination of biological and environmental factors.
Signs of porn addiction
- You spend excessive money on pornographic materials and may even neglect necessities to feed your addiction.
- The inability to stop watching porn despite your desire to do so
- Your porn consumption leads to you engaging in risky sexual behavior.
- Feelings of shame after watching porn
- You find yourself watching porn at dangerous or inappropriate times.
- Anger or defensiveness are your first reactions when someone mentions your porn use may be problematic.
- You may notice that you require increasingly extreme types of porn to achieve satisfaction.
- Sexual encounters with another person are less satisfying.
- You feel the need to hide your porn consumption.
Reach out for help
If you or your partner is consuming porn at a concerning rate, you may benefit from speaking to a qualified online therapist to help you identify and reshape unhealthy behaviors. If porn is affecting your relationship, therapy could help you explore those issues together with the support and guidance of a mental health professional.
While porn can help enhance sexual experiences and arousal, it can also lead to many negative feelings and relationship problems when its use becomes excessive. If your relationship has intimacy issues related to porn, consider working with a licensed therapist online through a virtual therapy platform centered on relationship issues. Therapy can help you explore the underlying issues and find ways to address concerns as a couple. You can also learn practical communication skills and coping strategies to manage negative feelings or navigate stressful situations.
Studies show that couples therapy is equally effective online or in person. Both groups in the study showed similar improvements in relationship satisfaction and decreased symptoms related to stress, depression, and anxiety. Online therapy is often more affordable and has shorter wait times. The wide variety of virtual therapists available makes it much more likely for you and your partner to find a couples therapist that makes you both feel comfortable.
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Takeaway
Pornography consumption isn’t restricted to one gender or sexual orientation. While it can become an addiction, in moderation, porn can be a healthy thing to share with your partner. The information presented in this article offers insight into why women watch porn, when it becomes a problem, and how to address the issue once it arises.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Do girls watch porn?
Yes, women watch porn. It is a common misconception that the entire porn audience is men. Some women watch porn and find themselves interested in a particular porn star or focus their porn usage on sexual preferences that may feel taboo. It’s important to remember that what you do when you’re on your own is up to you and you alone.
Many popular porn sites have special categories that are geared toward women who watch porn. Some women watch gay porn or enjoy watching women pleasure themselves. A free site Pornhub is a very popular porn site. Though they do gear their porn audience for men primarily, there is no such thing as women’s porn. What porn you like is completely dependent on what you find stimulating. As time goes on, you may find yourself more comfortable with your relationship with porn.
Though feminist porn is appealing to many women, it’s a stereotype that women are only interested in sensual videos. Many women might find themselves more turned on when they see other women experiencing pleasure, so they may feel more connected to porn that’s focused on that.
One great aspect of porn - it’s safe. You aren’t at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections or feeling like boundaries have been crossed with a sexual partner. For a person who may have some fears around that aspect of sex, porn can be a great option.
If you don’t feel comfortable watching porn, or it doesn’t feel fun for you, that’s completely okay. No two people are going to have the same sexual interests, desires, or urges. Though porn is interesting for some people, not everyone is interested in seeing other people engage in sex. This doesn’t mean that you are prudish or that you can’t find pleasure in other exciting ways.
Can girls watch porn?
Yes, they can, and they should if they get pleasure from it. Many women watch porn to learn more about their sexual desires. The porn audience is vast, and all different kinds of people enjoy watching porn. Many women find it to be a safe, flexible way to explore their sexual interests.
People sometimes struggle to understand why their partner wants to watch porn, especially if they already have an active sex life. The porn audience includes not only single people but also those who are in relationships. Some couples even enjoy watching porn together. If your partner brings up this option and feels like you would be more comfortable exploring feminist porn, then it’s important to express that.
Some women prefer watching feminist porn that focuses more on women’s pleasure and works to have safe, ethical practices on their sets. Finding a porn site that interests you is a special journey that can be completely personal to you.
Though you may have preconceived ideas of who makes up a porn audience, every person has their own sexual desires and interests. Porn can be a great way for women to explore sides of their sexuality they may not have in the past. Societal pressures can sometimes make women feel like they need to be ashamed of being sexual, but it’s important to explore who you are as a sexual being. Sex is a part of adulthood, and being comfortable talking about it will only benefit you in the long run.
Though some women don’t find satisfaction in porn, many do. Either way, it’s important to understand your own sexual desires are important to explore. The more that you understand yourself as a sexual person, the better your relationships will be. Understanding your own sexual needs will only serve you in your life.
If you’re struggling to understand your own sexuality or it’s causing problems in a relationship, consider seeking out a therapist specializing in sexuality. They may be able to help you understand the root cause of your discomfort. Many women struggle with feelings of shame or struggle with connecting with their sexual side, so know that you are not alone.
Whether you’re interested in learning more about feminist porn or just get connected on a deeper level to your sexual side, you shouldn’t feel ashamed to watch porn. Every porn audience is different because everyone has different tastes and preferences. That may be porn geared toward women, or it could be more focused on kinks. The world is your oyster; you just need to dive in.
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