Do you watch porn?

[RadandMad]

I've been reading a convo on Twitter where several people are claiming - including a woman - that women watch porn as well as men. My first reaction is, this isn't true. Sure, I've watched it from time to time, usually in the company of men, but it's so boring, so divorced from real sex/real bodies, that I'd almost rather do anything else.

Am I wrong? I realise I'm asking a group of women who are probably going to have a more cynical view of pornography, but I'm having a hard time believing women have a porn habit even remotely comparable to men's.

I find it depressing that so many people think that those who choose not to watch it do so because of prudishness or repressed sexuality.

And in addition to the serious points you make about the harms of porn, it's pretty sad that some people don't realise that others simply don't need porn because they've got very good sex lives without it.

'Sex positivity' is a sly, pernicious idea which tries to paint people who don't espouse it as 'prudish' or 'sex negative'. On the contrary! A lot of so-called 'sex positive' ideas are encouraging being positive about 'negative' sexual experiences, often exploitative of women - porn, prostitution etc, normalising of practices which can be physically harmful.
I - and many others - are positive about positive sex. Good sex between freely consenting adults to their mutual pleasure, with no one being exploited, no pressures applied.

I find it depressing that so many people think that those who choose not to watch it do so because of prudishness or repressed sexuality.

And in addition to the serious points you make about the harms of porn, it's pretty sad that some people don't realise that others simply don't need porn because they've got very good sex lives without it.

'Sex positivity' is a sly, pernicious idea which tries to paint people who don't espouse it as 'prudish' or 'sex negative'. On the contrary! A lot of so-called 'sex positive' ideas are encouraging being positive about 'negative' sexual experiences, often exploitative of women - porn, prostitution etc, normalising of practices which can be physically harmful.
I - and many others - are positive about positive sex. Good sex between freely consenting adults to their mutual pleasure, with no one being exploited, no pressures applied.

Sorry, it double posted.

So many women on this thread who have no empathy for other women. That's sad.

No, there's no way of knowing what you're watching isn't abuse, and a lot of the women involved are treated terribly. Plus so much of it is sick, even the mainstream stuff, why would I want to watch some poor woman suffer?

@BendyLikeBeckham

it's a very difficult question because it is so wide.

It's like asking, do you like music, or art, or food?

Opera is not grunge, and porridge is not curry.

Porn can range from the exploitative, to the plastic, to the poverty stricken, to the women-led empowered, to the amateur couples posting the sex they had last night online and everything inbetween.

Personally, I like some of the amateur stuff with ordinary people having fun. Maybe I'm a bit of a voyeur. It's like watching your neighbours get it on .

The professional stuff is godawful.

What @BendyLikeBeckham said.

Porn is not one homogeneous mass of the same style of video. I avoid the professional stuff and prefer amateur couples or individuals. I don't watch it often but do occasionally.

No. Absolutely not and I can’t be with a partner that does either.

I don’t eat KitKats, but clothes from BooHoo or eat cheap chicken either. It’s not that hard. Our entitlement to have things to the detriment of others is what’s fucked up this world.

Plus so much of it is sick, even the mainstream stuff, why would I want to watch some poor woman suffer?

Totally agree with this.

I don’t think people who don’t watch it are prudish, I don’t watch it as I grew out of it and it’s boring to me personally.

No.

Porn bores the tits off me, so to speak.

Nothing like 'enhancing your sexual experience' with potentially exploitative/abusive filmed prostitution. And no, you can't tell. And 'amateur' can be just as exploitative. Couldn't live with that on my conscience and I don't understand how any woman can.

And in addition to the serious points you make about the harms of porn, it's pretty sad that some people don't realise that others simply don't need porn because they've got very good sex lives without it.

Or, conversely, some people simply do not need sex (any more) and so are not interested or turned on by watching it or reading about it.

@IAmFleshIAmBone

Nothing like 'enhancing your sexual experience' with potentially exploitative/abusive filmed prostitution. And no, you can't tell. And 'amateur' can be just as exploitative. Couldn't live with that on my conscience and I don't understand how any woman can.

I mean if it's animated or a single man on his own (as a couple of examples) I'm pretty sure you're safe, but you crack on.

No, I don't watch porn. I might if I had unsupervised access but my son in law is chief tech and would definitely notice if it turned up on my devices.

No, never. The chance of watching filmed abuse and coercion is way too high.

Can you explain how he's involved in exploitative and abusive filmed prostitution?
The point is that it's not possible for the viewer to know the circumstances in which the film was made and uploaded. Perhaps he has an off screen coercive partner. Perhaps somebody has paid him to do this. It is impossible to tell.

I think you might get a different answer not posting on the feminism board since the posters on here are usually very active and proactive in their search and defense of women's rights. Unfortunately not all women are so focused or aware.

In answer for me, I have on occasion. Its not something I seek out or would look to do again.

I can't think of anything less arousing then porn tbh