Do you watch porn regularly? No? You should do! Although, that depends on the type of porn. The word porn inevitably makes you think about the cliched sex movies shown late at night on the TV that everyone (admit it!) secretly watched as a teenager. But here we’re talking about women’s porn, which is becoming increasingly popular. Read on to find out more.
There’s a lot of choice out there: porn genres and preferences
When we talk about porn, we generally mean porn movies. However, pornography can be found in many media: photography and graphic art, literature, movies, and even audio books. They all focus on the naked human body, human sexuality, and the act of sexual intercourse. This type of voyeurism can bring refreshing variety to your sex life as part of your foreplay.
We tend to differentiate between soft porn, which sticks to fairly standard sex practices, and hardcore porn which includes close-ups of sex and parts of the genitals. Let’s start by explaining that you can find porn for every taste and fetish. Hentai (for all the anime and manga fans out there), gang bangs (group sex), BBW (Big Beautiful Women) … the list is long and varied.
According to the annual report of a porn movie website, in 2022 two porn categories dominated in Europe: searches using the words anal and lesbian were particularly frequent. But of course, every country has its own preferences. The most popular genres of porn in Germany include:
- Anal
- Lesbian
- German
- Outdoor
- Threeway
Although predominantly men consume porn on the website, the proportion of women is constantly increasing around the world. In Germany, around 26 percent of the platform’s visitors are women. The frontrunner in 2022 was the Philippines where 53 percent of visitors were women.
Short history of pornography: It’s almost as old as humanity itself. Pornographic images, including genitals, date back to pre-Antiquity. Indian reliefs from the 1st century BC or even Roman frescoes from the 1st century AD explicitly depict people having sex. In the city of Pompeii, pictures of penises were painted on facades to show the way to the nearest brothel (really very practical ).
And pornography has always had its finger on the pulse: pornographic images were first taken shortly after the invention of photography in the 19th century. The same goes for moving pictures. The first porn movie was shot in the late 19th century.
Mainstream porn – one-sided and quite dangerous
Porn movies, which generally lack any plot and erotic sophistication, are referred to as mainstream porn. For the most part, they typify the male gaze on sex. The focus is solely on the man’s needs. In addition to straightforward vaginal penetration, popular elements include anal sex, blow jobs, and cum shots, where one or more men ejaculate on a woman’s body. No real attention is paid to female desire – women mostly just moan at the right time. Many women think porn like this is boring, chauvinistic, and not remotely exciting.
Mainstream porn needs to be enjoyed with care: sex is portrayed in an exaggerated, one-sided way (generally from the male perspective), and consequently leads to unrealistic expectations about what happens during sex. Even the bodies shown are exaggerated and do not represent reality: large breasts, thighs with no cellulite, and larger-than-average penises all convey an unrealistic body image. This kind of porn can cause long-lasting damage, particularly for anyone who lacks sexual experience. The bodies and genitals on show can trigger inferiority complexes, while the intercourse can also convey a completely perverted image of sex and role models.
Disclaimer: If you enjoy watching mainstream porn, of course that’s completely fine. At this point, we just want to point out various negative aspects of these movies.
The female gaze in porn
The alternative is the “female gaze” in porn. There’s been a real boom in porn for women that shows sex from the female perspective over the last few years. And no, it isn’t all cuddling, long talks, or gently making love. Many women want to watch authentic sex movies. Women’s porn shows people and bodies which the viewers can identify with – and where female desire is the focus.
Say goodbye to the cliché of cuddly porn: porn for women can be very varied and go right to the point: from vanilla man-woman constellations, through fetishes like urination, gang bag, and rough sex to lesbian games, it’s all here. However, this porn focuses on women, their desire, and their needs.
According to the porn movie portal we mentioned earlier, the most searched words for women in 2022 were:
- Lesbian
- Japanese
- Threeway
Women’s porn, also known as feminist or ethical porn, goes even further and ensures that sex movies are produced in a morally acceptable way. The actors can or must wear condoms, to protect their health – something that isn’t always guaranteed in mainstream porn. All actors must be legally old enough to perform, and are not forced to do anything they do not want to do. They also ensure that the performers are fairly paid and that all aspects of sexuality are portrayed responsibly.
What women can learn from watching porn
Porn doesn’t just increase your own desire, either as part of foreplay with your partner or for masturbation. It can also be educational – particularly for women. The Swedish porn director Erika Lust, a pioneer in the field of women’s porn, constantly talks about preferences and porn’s potential to educate.
Often women have no idea what they like in sex or what feels good for them. Because women are still being taught by the media or their upbringing that their role in life is to satisfy men. For a long time, female sexuality has not been the focus: movies, music, literature, or media have shown a purely heteronormative, male perspective which objectified women.
Women’s porn, or even feminist porn, shakes up this construct. It is empowering to watch other women have sex, see how they experience desire, what desire does to them, and how they have real orgasms. Porn that features real women, with authentic and unsanitized bodies, can also help to eradicate uncertainties about their own bodies or their own sexuality.
Alternatives to porn movies
But you don’t always need to turn to porn to ramp up desire or get inspiration. Here women clearly have an advantage over men: women can be aroused in so many more ways. Here are two alternatives to porn movies.
Audio porn
Audio porn relies on the power of your imagination, so it can be even more arousing than the movie equivalent. Whether it’s a porn radio play, an imitation of phone sex, or masturbation instructions, there’s something for everyone. Here too, women have thought about what women want, and created websites where you can find the best audio soundtrack to your desire.
For bookworms
Whether you loved 50 Shades of Grey or were seduced by After Passion – erotic literature has finally gone mainstream. The range available in bookstores is growing every year. But there’s also plenty of suitable reading material online, including erotic fan fiction, where the fans of TV shows, movies, or book series send the main characters on sexy adventures. Follow your fictional lover across the pages. Fantasies guaranteed!
So: not all porn movies are made equal
As you can see, that it’s worth making porn part of your sex life. Porn can get you in the mood, inspire you, and even teach you something. If you think mainstream porn is too boring, we recommend trying women’s porn. It’s diverse, places value on female desire, and is often filmed very esthetically. It can enrich your sex life. If you don’t have a lot of experience with porn, and you don’t feel comfortable watching porn with your partner, why not make it part of your masturbation routine. Once you feel surer of yourself, why not suggest watching a porn movie with your partner for your next foreplay? One thing’s for sure: it’s worth making porn movies part of your sex life!
Image sources: pexels-matheus-bertelli-2608519, pexels-alexander-krivitskiy-8467547, pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4827115
