Sex

The Real Reason 21% Of Straight Men Watch Gay Porn

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Why 21 Percent Of Straight Men Watch Gay Porn

Think straight guys are only watching porn that features women? You madame, are entirely incorrect. 

A recent study conducted by Martin J. Downing sought to evaluate the different types of porn that gay, straight, and bisexual men watched the most. 

The results weren't entirely what I expected them to be! I mean, they were all erotic, but that is neither here nor there. 

55% of gay men reported having watched straight porn in the last six months. 

21% of straight men reported having watched gay porn in the same time frame. 

Bringing up the ranks, 96% bisexual men reported having watched gay porn over the last six months. 

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If those numbers kind of make you tilt your head in wonder, you aren't alone. But there's an explanation.

Downing, who led the research, points out that sexual attraction and behavior are more than simple identity. Some gay men are attracted to straight men, which makes checking out a straight porn a no-brainer when it comes to looking for the right masturbation fodder. 

As for straight men checking out gay porn? It isn't entirely uncommon for men who identify as straight to hookup with men, or to at least be attracted to them. It makes sense that they'd be interested in watching gay sex

In my humble estimation it actually makes a lot of sense. If the work of Dr. Kinsey is to be believed, sexuality is a spectrum. No one person is 100% gay or 100% straight. Most of us fall someone less absolute on that spectrum.

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Watching gay porn when you're straight doesn't mean you're hiding your true sexuality, it means you're embracing it in all its complexities. 

For the longest time I thought that the kind of porn you watched depended on your sexuality. 

I'm a bisexual woman, but when it comes to the kind of pornography I watch I'm almost exclusively interested in lesbian porn. 

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That isn't because I don't like men, I do!

In fact, according to Kinsey I'm probably more straight than I am gay. That said, when it comes to porn consumption I prefer watching lesbian sex. 

But when I watch porn, I want fantasy, I want sensuality, I want real orgasms, soft touches, all the type of stuff that's much more easy to find in lesbian porn than it is to find in straight porn.

If we were more open with our understanding about human sexuality and our sexual preferences so many problems would be solved.

There are probably so many people out there watching porn that's different from the kind of sex they have regularly. We need to communicate that this isn't just normal, it's awesome. 

So until that's the norm, take it from me: You and the porn you watch are great!

Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cat, Batman. For more of her work, check out her Tumblr.
Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on October 13, 2016 and was updated with the latest information.