Here’s Why Straight Women Might Prefer Lesbian Porn, According To Sex Therapists

People love lesbian porn—especially women. In fact, the term “lesbian” was the most searched term among women on Pornhub in 2019 and the most searched term in the United States overall. (Though it’s worth noting that Pornhub isn’t the most historically ethical site.) It’s all fine and good that lesbian porn is getting online hype, but consider this: While lesbian porn is the top-searched item among women, only 1.3 percent of women actually identify as lesbian and 4.3 percent of women identify as bisexual in the U.S., per a 2021 Gallup poll.

If women are watching more lesbian porn than ever, why is it that less than six percent of the population consider themselves lesbian or bisexual? Could an interest in lesbian porn mean you’re looking to explore your sexuality? Or, can it just be a fun way to experience arousal? Perhaps a bit of both?

It’s an interesting and nuanced dichotomy, but just for the record, “it is absolutely normal to enjoy lesbian porn if you are a straight woman,” says Wendasha Jenkins Hall, PhD, a sex educator and researcher based in Atlanta, Georgia. “It is not an indicator that you are lesbian or bisexual, although there is nothing wrong with exploring your sexual orientation.” In fact, watching any kind of porn is all about figuring out what brings you pleasure, according to Jenkins Hall. If lesbian porn aligns with what arouses you, go ahead and watch, she advises.

That said, you might still be wondering what exactly lesbian porn offers women that other porn categories don’t. Ahead, experts weigh in on the inclinations toward lesbian porn and what makes the category so popular:

Women’s sexualities are allowed to be more fluid.

“Culturally, it’s more acceptable for women to experiment with their sexuality than men,” Jenkins Hall explains. “But that doesn’t mean straight women are undercover lesbians or bisexual. For straight women, lesbian porn is an avenue by which they can explore their sexuality.”

In short, because society is more accepting of woman-on-woman experimentation, there’s less shame regarding women’s curiosity toward watching lesbian porn, even if it doesn’t match their actual sexual orientation.

Lesbian porn centers vaginal and clitoral pleasure.

“Simply put, lesbian porn—especially porn produced by women or femme-identifying people—centers female pleasure,” says Jenkins Hall. Mainstream heterosexual porn, however, is more focused on portraying women’s pleasure from the male gaze (a.k.a. what men would *like* to watch or feel happen during sex rather than what pleases women).

“Women are often props for the male gaze and their sexual gratification in mainstream porn,” Jenkins Hall notes. “It’s basically penis and ejaculation-centric. On the other hand, lesbian porn can be more sensual, softer, and more realistic in its portrayal of sex and orgasms.” Lesbian porn is also more likely to feature foreplay, sex toys, and clitoral stimulation, all of which are more conducive to producing a female orgasm than penetration-focused videos.

You can relate to it better than other kinds of porn.

If you’re a woman or vagina-having person, you might be able to identify with the feelings and sensations being portrayed in lesbian porn more than the ones in heterosexual porn. “Lesbian porn mirrors more real life scenarios and body parts more than straight porn,” explains Janet Brito, PhD, a clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist based in Hawaii. “Women are able to watch themselves, and imagine themselves being touched in similar ways.” Meaning, if you find yourself watching porn and thinking if only… it might just be because you’re longing for similar stimulation from your sexual partner(s), not necessarily because you identify with lesbian sexuality.

The bottom line: It’s okay to watch lesbian porn if you want to.

Women are looking for porn that appeals to their needs, and since a lot of heterosexual porn doesn’t address what straight women *actually* desire, it makes sense that they’d look elsewhere. So, if you love lesbian porn, don’t overthink it. You’re allowed to watch whatever turns you on—even if it doesn’t fit the traditional narrative of sexuality and sexual orientation.

“Acknowledge that we live in a shame-based environment that discourages sex positivity, and that you are being open to exploring sexual scripts and scenes that honor your arousal template through lesbian porn,” Brito explains. “The popularity of lesbian porn shows that straight women’s sexuality is fluid, and that they’re able to exercise flexibility regarding experimenting with a variety of sexual fantasies, and become aroused by a variety of narratives, sexual acts, and bodies.” And isn’t that kind of a beautiful thing?

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