It’s a big (and often asked) question: Who is and isn’t into porn?
If you want to know how many women watch porn, or what age people start viewing porn or the most popular ‘types’ of porn, theeeennn this probably isn’t the article for you...
There are plenty of sites out there – some of them more trustworthy than others – that offer stats on porn viewers, including the gender, age, sexuality and average hours watched by average people.
But if you’re wondering, for example, why some people might feel differently about porn to you then read on!
When you’re thinking about porn, get analytical about it. Maybe consider why certain groups of people e.g. men or women might be more into porn than others. Ask yourself questions like:
- How does porn ‘treat’ or represent certain people compared with others, e.g. men vs women or trans people; gay and straight people; white people and people of colour?
- Of those groups, who seems to have ‘the power’ in most porn, so who’s in control, and whose pleasure is being prioritised?
- Of those groups, who usually gets called names, ‘treated rough’ or demeaned, e.g. men or women?
- How much do porn actors look like ‘real people’, e.g. how many different body types or disabilities do you see in porn?
- How often is consent or safe sex portrayed in porn?
A lot of porn out there seems to push certain stereotypes and make sex look like something that’s disrespectful, unhealthy or even violent. It makes you wonder, if women do make up such a large part of porn’s audiences as some people claim, why does it represent them the way it does and in situations that can be so off-putting or demeaning to women?
It’s also got to be said, porn has become so accessible and so widespread today that a lot of people can feel pressured to do things they’re not into or don’t enjoy, because porn ‘tells us’ that’s what’s normal or expected.
So, whether you’re wondering whether someone is into porn, or what they do or don’t like about it, the first thing to remember is to respect their choices about what they don’t want to watch or do, no matter what their reasons. It’s never ok to pressure someone to do anything sexual.
While you might want to question someone’s choice about viewing pornography, it might be more useful and interesting to think about how different kinds of pornography make people feel, and to ask why pornography is the way it is.
For more information, visit In the Knowand it'stimewetalked. If you feel like your relationship with porn might be unhealthy, it might be time to put some limits on what/how much you’re watching. If that’s hard to do, try visiting eheadspace – they provide free online and telephone support and counselling to young people.
