Is It Okay to Watch Porn?
If you have access to the internet, there’s a good chance that you’ve encountered online pornography. It’s pervasive: In the U.S., porn sites receive more traffic than Twitter, Instagram, Netflix, Pinterest, and LinkedIn combined. In many respects, porn is a normalized part of our culture. At the same time, the subject remains taboo and clouded with shame. The messaging is mixed at best.
As you examine your ideas about gender and sexuality, you might wonder whether or not it’s okay to watch porn. Well, there’s not one neat answer. However, you can learn to reflect on the role of porn in your life while nurturing your well-being in the process. Our Prevention Education team provides workshops on topics related to sex, from individual behaviors to broad cultural attitudes towards it. Here’s their take on the topic.
The reasons you seek out porn are completely normal
Most people seek out porn as a way of exploring their desires, identity, and pleasure. You might use it while figuring out what you’d like to try or how to please your partners. These impulses are 100% natural and should be embraced. Before you log on, however, keep in mind that porn is not an accurate depiction of healthy sexuality. Like most media, it is highly staged and edited—and it can reinforce negative beliefs. For example, 88% of the most popular porn videos scenes in 2010 feature violence against women. In 2019, researchers found 40% of videos on PornHub displayed aggression on average, while categories titled “Asian”, “Latina”, or “Interracial” ranged between 65-74%. If you decide to consume porn, approach it with the same mindset as a fantasy or horror movie. Acknowledge that it’s not reality while being aware that some images and ideas—welcome or not—may stick with you.
Exploitation in mainstream porn
The concept of consenting adults creating sexual content to share with others for profit wouldn’t be inherently harmful in a world where everyone has equal access to power and the means to support themselves. But we know that isn’t the world we live in. Unfortunately, many people depicted in porn lack other options for meeting their basic needs. Some are coerced or even forced into it. Porn could not and would not have such an enormous presence in our culture without rape and sex trafficking.
The overlap between porn and sexual exploitation looms large. This dynamic is well-documented by major news outlets. In his investigation of Pornhub, arguably the most popular porn site on the web, writer Nicholas Kristof found that the platform “is infested with rape videos.” His research showed that the platform profits from child rapes and revenge pornography while offering “spy cam” videos of women in the nude, along with “footage of women being asphyxiated in plastic bags.” Even though consenting adults make many of the videos on porn pages, the sites still profit off content that glorifies violence and operates in ways that fuel sexual harm.
How to think critically
While you can choose not to look at porn, you might also decide that it suits your sexual experiences. So, how can you approach porn critically? Here are a few ideas to consider:
- Are the people in the pornography being coerced, hurt, or abused? Because this medium is scripted and edited, it can be tough to tell if the actors genuinely consent to what they are doing. A good question to ask: “Would I want to be treated this way?”
- Does the porn contradict your values? Pornographic content can escalate quickly and start to include themes you reject, such as violence or racism. Take a break if you realize that you’re uncomfortable with the depictions, roughness, or aggression.
- Is porn disrupting your life? If you find yourself choosing porn over your normal daily activities, it might be time for a pause. Reflect on what draws you into pornography and why.
- What conversations are missing from porn? Do you ever hear communication about STIs or consent?
- Who is this porn made for? How are race and gender treated?
- What does the belief that porn is a great way for women to make money say about how women and their work is valued?
- How do you feel before, during, and after watching porn?
There’s not a neat answer
You get to decide whether or not you watch porn. It’s a choice that needs to align with your values — That self-awareness is key to any healthy sexual experience.
If you’re struggling with the issue of porn or want to build your knowledge around the subject, check out some of our favorite resources:
Want to bring these conversations to the classroom? CAASE’s Prevention Education programs can help! Participants in our free Chicago workshops learn to think critically about issues like porn while discussing topics like gender, consent, sexism, and sex trafficking. Learn about scheduling these innovative and engaging workshops at no cost to students or support our impactful programs by donating today.
CAASE published this piece on March 3, 2022. It was authored by KT Hawbaker and edited by Hayley Forrestal, based on interviews conducted with Ryan Spooner and Hannah White from our Prevention Education team. Learn more about our staff here.
