Porn consumption among young men with non-exclusive sexual orientations

What is it about?

Research on pornography tends to focus on the potential harms of porn, and doesn't examine the experiences of the consumer. This article asks young men who don't identify as exclusively gay or exclusively straight what they feel about watching porn. They find it has benefits--helping them understand their sexual identities and desires; helping them explore sexual practices; and a source of relaxation. We argue that porn consumption should be considered a casual leisure activity.

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Why is it important?

It provides a different approach to the majority of research which focuses solely on harms. It develops a more sophisticated understanding of how porn is interpreted by viewers. It provides important new empirical data on men with non-exclusive sexual orientations.