Looks Like A Lot Of Straight Dudes Are Watching Gay Porn, Science Says
Some of you might be shocked by the news I'm about to recklessly throw at you. Some of you (like me) are just going to roll your eyes and say "yeah, NO shit, girl." But I have a feeling most of you will be surprised.
So, here it goes: A new study on gay, straight and bi men's porn habits published in Archives of Sexual Behavior reports some straight men are into watching ~gay porn~.
WHAT? What about all the fist-pumping, "no homo, dude", straight male tropes in which masculinity is defined by wanting to bang GIRLS AND GIRLS ONLY? Now you're saying a lot of straight men are actually watching GAY PORN?
Well, it's definitely a little hypocritical to spew out homophobic phrases like "no homo" and then jerk off to gay porn, but girl, I don't make up the rules. If were up to yours truly, masculinity wouldn't be so limited. Gender would be fluid; sexuality would be, too. But we don't live in Zara's Universe (yet).
The study was led by researcher Martin J. Downing, PhD, who surveyed 821 men about their porn preferences. The research found 21 percent of straight men have watched gay porn in the last six months.
The research found 21 percent of straight men have watched gay porn in the last six months.
WOW. SHOCK. BOOM. MY WORLD IS CRASHING, PLEASE HELP.
I'm going to send you home with a very important PSA: It's totally OK to watch any kind of porn.
It doesn't mean you're gay, or straight, or bi or anything. Porn is just a fantasy, and our fantasies do not dictate our sexual orientations or identities.
For instance, I'll confess my own porn preference: I'm a surefire lesbian, and I only watch straight porn. I find lesbian porn hilarious, but there is a realness to straight porn (at least through my tainted, gay eyes) that I can get down and dirty with.
On the other hand, I have many straight female friends who dabble in lesbian porn all the time, and get wildly turned on by watching it.
Porn is just a fantasy, and our fantasies do not dictate our sexual orientations or identities.
According to the same study, 55 percent of gay men reported they've chosen to watch straight porn in the past six months, which further proves my theory that the kind of porn you're into doesn't translate perfectly into your personal life.
Bisexual men, the study didn't forget you, don't panic. Bi guys confessed to watching gay porn at a rate of 96 percent and straight porn at a rate of 88.3 percent.
So, what does it ALL MEAN?
Well, Downing told Cosmopolitan,
Sexual attractions and behaviors are more than just identity, research has shown that some gay men are attracted to or find heterosexual and masculine men more attractive.
And for the straight boys, Downing explains it's totally normal for straight guys to be attracted to (or even get it on) with other men.
Sexual attractions and behaviors are more than just identity
There you have it. The proof is in the study.
It doesn't matter how you choose to identify, what your sexual preference is or your gender. It's all irrelevant when it comes to sexual fantasies.
After all, you might have a label, but does your fantasy life really need one?
