Yes, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. And yes, porn should not be mistaken for medical advice, sex therapy, or reality. True, consent is key, and porn that respects women is best, and yes, there is a nasty underground you want to avoid supporting.
We talk often enough about these important issues, but does anyone ever talk about the many benefits of porn? There are lots!
Porn is kind of like soda or cake—it’s no replacement for a nourishing meal. Too much can be unhealthy. But the right sweet at the right time can be fantastic and a healthy part of your sexuality. We respond to imaginative erotic scenarios, novelty, and beauty—porn can be all those things.
I reject the idea that porn is in and of itself degrading to women. Thankfully this idea is no longer as popular or prominent as it once was. Men are no longer ashamed of being turned on by naked bodies and sexual imagery, and lots of women eagerly participate in watching AND making porn.
Here are some often overlooked benefits of porn for men and women.
6 Benefits of Watching Porn
1. Porn is an outlet for sexual desire, satisfaction, and frustration.
We don’t always have access to sex, even if we are polyamorous! Maybe there’s a pandemic going on. Maybe both of our spouses are away on business. Maybe our saucy hookup friend ghosted us, or moved on. Maybe we are sick and don’t want to spread germs.
There are many reasons why we might be in a dry spell. Porn can benefit us by filling that gap temporarily, and keeping our hormones and pipes in working order.
2. Porn encourages masturbation.
Masturbation is important even when we aren’t dying from desire. Maybe you don’t “forget” to masturbate, but there are times during your life when your libido is low. A lagging libido could be caused by depression or pregnancy or age or illness. Whatever the reason, it’s important to get it on with your hand from time to time. Use it or lose it, as they say.
Masturbation can prevent prolapsed vagina and thinning vaginal walls. It can prevent prostate issues in guys. It primes us for our future partners.
Read: The Sacred Connection Between Masturbation and Pornography
3. Porn might decrease violence against women.
While correlation is not always causation, it is interesting nonetheless that the frequency of rape and sexual violence goes down when men have more access to porn. Far from causing sexual violence, which porn is often accused of, the increased accessibility of porn in history and in different countries coincides with decreasing rates of sexual violence.
4. Porn intensifies women’s orgasms.
Women may not be as interested in pornography as men, or use it as often, but we do enjoy it a lot. We get excited by sexual imagery, whether on screen or in our minds. Porn makes my orgasms more frequent and more intense. Some women who thought they were not orgasmic at all are able to achieve orgasm with porn and sex toys.
Read: What Porn Turns Women On
5. Porn is a shared experience.
Porn isn’t just for solo gratification or for when you aren’t getting laid. It can be part of an exciting shared encounter, whether in a relationship or with a casual date. Sharing fantasies, kinks, and sexual arousal means pleasure and intimacy, another benefit of watching porn together.
6. Porn helps us expand our repertoire.
Porn lets us “try out” sexual experiences in a kind of virtual reality form. We discover new pathways to pleasure through creative role plays and performances in porn.
How do you benefit from watching porn? Dare to share in the comments.
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