Men are very visual creatures, not least of all when it comes to sex. Walk down a crowded street, and you’ll likely see at least one guy overtly checking out an attractive woman. So overcome is he at the mere sight of her, that he’s forgotten how to be subtle. If a man can be dumbfounded at the sight of a fully-clothed woman, it should be no surprise that men love looking at naked women. Boy, do they—thanks in great part to the male love of watching attractive, nude women doing sexy things, the porn industry generates well over an estimated $10 billion a year in the U.S. alone (“Porn in the U.S.A.” by R. Leung, 60 Minutes online). It’s safe to say that, if they’re pulling in that kind of money on an annual basis, there are a whole lot of men partaking in porn viewership. But why do they do it, and how can you tell if their viewing habits are normal or not?
The Real Reason Men Like Porn
Some women are completely comfortable with their significant other’s porn consumption, but many are not. Oftentimes, women feel that their boyfriend or spouse must not be satisfied with their sex lives at home if they also want to view porn. The truth is that the vast majority of men who watch pornography aren’t doing it for any of those reasons. It doesn’t reflect on their love for their partner or how happy they are about the sex they’re having at home. They just enjoy the novelty and fantasy of it. Porn is like a dirty dream that doesn’t require your subconscious to do any work. Plus, as mentioned above, men are so visual when it comes to arousal that it helps them to have actual images to view. Perhaps women aren’t as into porn as men because they’re better at inventing their own fantasies. Girls can close their eyes and imagine a sexy situation involving themselves, but men need to see something right out in front of them.
Is Your Sex Life Suffering?
Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with a guy who enjoys porn. You should only be worried if your sex life is suffering. If your boyfriend or husband can’t become aroused without watching porn, or he hardly ever wants to have sex with you but is regularly masturbating to porn, you need to have a talk. But if he wants to use porn every once and awhile, and it isn’t diminishing the quality of the sex you two are having, then more power to him. Perhaps you should even try watching some porn with him—who knows? You might find some ideas worth experimenting with in your own bedroom.
Women Like Porn Too!
In fact, despite the stereotype that men love porn and women don’t, many members of the fairer sex have enjoyed their share. In a recent Glamour Magazine column by Rebecca Webber (entitled “Are You Normal About Porn?”), the author revealed that 31% of young women have viewed porn within the past year, and 51% of women have watched pornography with their boyfriend. Though they also noted that 31% of women consider porn degrading, the numbers show that many women are either curious about or enjoying pornography. In fact, 47% of women reported liking porn featuring a man and a woman. Only 20% enjoyed less vanilla sex, so men take note—if you want to bring porn into your bedroom, start with something a little less adventurous. Try to get your partner’s input– that way you’ll pick material that will turn her on, too.