While pornography is widely considered to be a world made by men and for men, more and more women are watching porn and making porn too.
Sometimes men are referred to as “visual creatures” as if women aren’t—the idea being that men are turned on visually and prefer hotter women and want to see it all up close. Supposedly, women are more emotional and don’t care what you look like, and don’t want to see sexual acts but prefer story, emotional context, and sensuality.
There’s SOME truth to this, of course, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love raw sex, hot men (and women!) and porn. We just want it made differently.
Women have always enjoyed sneaking a peek at nudie magazines and videos and reading Playboy. When Playgirl failed, miserably, to attract a female audience, I have to wonder if it was the lack of erections, not the presence of gorgeous naked guys.
Do Women Watch Porn?
According to PornHub, the most popular porn tube in the world, one third of their audience is women. There are lots of reasons why women watch porn.
So yes, women watch porn, and this is why..
We want to be aroused while jerking off.
The most common reason that women watch porn is the same one as you! We enjoy being sexually aroused and masturbating with visual enhancement. Some women watch porn frequently when masturbating, and some watch it occasionally, but we do like to watch.
We feel it enhances sex with our partners.
Watching porn together with our lovers before or during sex can be exciting. It can help us communicate what we want or talk about what we don’t like as well. It can initiate discussion about positions or techniques that work or don’t work, and help us share our fantasies or understand your fantasies.
Read: The Benefits of Porn for Men and Women
We are curious about kinks and fetishes or sexual practices.
Women might be curious about how a fetish works and how it looks in action. We might want pointers on how to be dominant or what kind of outfits we can wear for a certain kink of yours. We might want to see different bodies and how they look compared to ours—BBW bodies, transgender bodies, different races.
We might want to see what more penises look like or how other women’s vaginas look.
We are bisexual or bicurious.
Most women are bisexual to a point, even if we don’t call ourselves that. Female sexuality is very fluid and sensual and most women fantasize about other women, even those who have no real desire to get naked or make love with another woman.
Some of us love sex with women as much as with men, or for variety. Some are not very attracted to other women sexually but are curious just the same. One of the main reasons women watch porn is to see other women and experience that fantasy, or fulfill that curiosity.
We want to learn more about you, or to please you.
Sometimes we watch porn about a certain kink or a certain kind of girl or a certain kind of fantasy or scenario to understand YOU better and figure out what you like and why you like it, to see where we can enter into that scene or satisfy you more.
Read: Tips for Watching Porn as a Couple
Sometimes we watch because you want us to or because we think it will give you pleasure if we participate in porn watching.
Why Some Women Don’t Watch Porn
There are reasons why some women don’t watch porn, or don’t want to watch SOME porn.
We don’t find it exciting.
Some women don’t like porn in general or specific kinds of porn because they aren’t exited or aroused by it.
We are ashamed of our desire.
Others don’t watch porn because they feel guilt and shame about sexual desire and curiosity.
We believe it is harmful to women.
Lots of women believe porn, or certain kinds of porn, is not feminist—it objectifies women or is harmful to women in other ways. They may be made without consent, with women who aren’t of age, or perpetuate stereotypes or violence. While lots of feminists are sex positive, they may want only to watch ethically made porn or porn made by women.
Read: 4 Porny Moves that Don’t Work with Women
Religious beliefs prevent us from watching.
Some people choose not to indulge in porn due to cultural or spiritual beliefs.
We prefer other kinds of porn to what is available on video.
The idea that women don’t enjoy sexually stimulating entertainment was blown to pieces by the outrageous success of the Fifty Shades industry. Millions upon millions of women were reading lurid, hardcore material and getting off on it emotionally and sexually. Clearly, the made-with-women-in-mind thing was effective here.
Women have always devoured erotic literature, from corny but steamy romance novels to racy memoirs like Anais Nin and Nancy Friday. Our porn does involve story, and a lot of dirty words.
We also love BDSM or power game erotica, often disguised as mainstream entertainment like rock ‘n’ roll or cinema. Vampire movies, bad boy rock and all manner of sensual S and M are extraordinarily popular with women!
6 Types of Porn Women Like
When we do watch porn, these are the kinds of porn that women like.
1. Porn made by women.
Women like to watch porn made by women or with women in mind. Porn that has some context and story.
2. Inclusive porn, diverse porn, ethical porn.
We like to watch porn that celebrates rather than objectifies.
3. Dirty, secret porn.
We don’t only watch feminist porn or politically correct porn. Lots of women find regular smut, or cut-to-the-chase porn exciting and may even be turned off by too much emphasis on checking all the “women” boxes (pardon the pun.)
4. Gay porn.
Gay male porn is extremely popular with women. This may be due to the emphasis on male beauty, and the mystery of sexuality where women aren’t a part of it. The lack of objectifying women can be hot, too, or just the pure raw male sexuality.
5. Lesbian or bicurious porn.
On the other hand, we also love a lot of pussy licking, girl-on-girl, and threesome porn.
6. BDSM
Far and away the most popular theme in women’s lust lit and movies is related to games of power and control, pain, domination, submission, or otherwise to do with BDSM. We love the wardrobe, the psychology, and the arousal.
Read: How to Get Out of Your Porn Rut
What kind of porn do you like watching? What porn does your lover like to watch?
Tell us what you think