I’m guessing that if you clicked this article you’re either: (1) a woman who can relate, (2) a woman who can’t but wants to see what this is about, (3) a man who’s curious about this or (4) someone who ended up on the wrong site. All jokes aside, I think as a society we’ve become a lot more sex-positive these days. One of the side effects of this is that more and more women have begun watching porn. But you might be surprised (or maybe not) to hear that most women tend to prefer lesbian porn.
If you’re not convinced that what I’m saying holds any weight, check this out. A 2018 PornHub Insights Report (yes, that’s an actual thing) found that female viewers search for “lesbian” overwhelmingly more than male viewers on the digital porn portal. In fact, the category was actually 151% more popular with women than with men. Now, of course, lesbian and bisexual women account for some of these views, but given that 1 in 3 adult users are female, it’s highly unlikely that they fulfill the higher discrepancy. In other words, straight women are watching lesbian porn.
But why?
1. The Male Gaze
Now I could delve into the details of what women tend to prefer, but that’s for another article. One of the biggest reasons for the lack of response to straight porn is that hetero-normative porn is typically centered around male pleasure and tends to be more performative. From the shooting to the script to the editing, the focus is on providing a great experience for the male viewer. Often times, hetero-normative videos showcase super aggressive intercourse with the guy in control (no diss if that’s your thing). But penis-in-vagina penetration doesn’t typically make most women get to the finish line. Lesbian porn on the other hand (no pun intended) focuses more on foreplay, clitoral stimulation and an overall women-centric experience.
2. The Fetishization of Girl-on-Girl
Culturally (in Canada), it’s more acceptable for women to sexually experiment with women than for men to experiment with men. That’s not to say lesbian and bi women don’t face discrimination, but there tends to be a fetishization of ‘girl-on-girl.’ Two girls at a bar make out, and dudes cheer them on. Two guys make out, and everyone labels them ‘sus.’ Not only does this pose a problem for lesbian and bi women everywhere, but it also skews the viewership of lesbian porn. Nowadays, a lot of lesbian porn is found to deliver a male-centric experience. That being said, the ease with which society accepts two women interacting sexually means that a lot of straight women are more likely to experiment, especially with another woman.
So, what’s the overall message here? Am I saying that porn is sexist and homophobic? I mean I’m sure it is, but what I’m really trying to get across here is that there need to be more women-friendly experiences on the web. In a world where women are becoming more comfortable embracing their sexuality, it’s important to find content that can help them achieve this.