Pornography is defined as material deemed sexual, given the context, that has the primary intention of sexually arousing the consumer and is produced and distributed with the consent of all persons involved. This could include film, images, videos, texts, and books, and dates back to prehistoric times, with cave drawings as some of the earliest discoveries of porn.

Seen largely as a public health issue, many research studies have attempted to conceptualize the effects of porn on sexual health and overall societal views of sex. However, many of these only focus on men’s porn use, which may leave out some insights into women’s porn use and its effects.

A recent research review looked into 21 studies involving men's and women’s porn consumption and its effects on social, mental, and sexual well-being. The goal of their research was to enhance understanding of how porn consumption influences women’s sexual experiences and overall sexual health in intimate relationships.

Men Consume Porn More Often Than Women

The results of all studies showed that men tended to consume porn more frequently than women. Men who consumed porn more often were also more likely to masturbate than women who consumed porn frequently. In fact, regardless of porn consumption, men tended to masturbate more often than women.

Men who consumed porn more often also reported lower sexual functioning scores than women who consumed porn more often. This means men who consume porn often may be more likely to experience sexual dysfunction – specifically, erectile dysfunction.

The increase in sexual dysfunction among frequent male porn users may also be related to the lower levels of reported sexual satisfaction found in the reviewed studies. This is in line with research that details porn as being harmful to sexual behavior and erectile function in men. Even though engagement in sexual activity is high, sexual satisfaction tends to be on the lower end.

Porn Use Affects Sexual Expectations Differently

Men who consume porn (in general) were more likely than women to bring what they consume into their partnered sexual activities. They may also be consuming porn for their own sexual excitement. Those who consume porn should be wary of relying too heavily on it for sexual satisfaction purposes, however. Problematic use can lead to adverse sexual health outcomes, such as erectile dysfunction.

For women, frequent porn consumption may increase their sexual flexibility (what they are comfortable with). Researchers state there may also be more of a psychological or relational element to women’s porn consumption. This is in line with research that reports women are more likely to consume porn if recommended by a partner. Additionally, research on porn and body image has stated that women who consume porn may be more likely to have low body image (men too) because they may compare themselves to porn stars on their screen.

One of the biggest “cons” discussed publicly regarding porn consumption is an increase in sexual violence or perversion. This may be influenced by porn through a person’s own sexual scripts, which inform someone how to behave in sexual situations. While porn may enhance women’s sexual scripts, men who consume porn often may have their scripts formed entirely from porn (according to the researchers). This could translate negatively to partnered sexual interactions, whether that’s performance anxiety or distress at a lack of similarity to a porn video.

Regardless, researchers state that while porn consumption is prevalent across different genders, the implications for sexual health are complex and require more research before making any definitive statements.

Key Takeaways

• Porn is consumed by many individuals, especially with the rise in technology.
• Men tend to consume porn more often than women, along with masturbating and bringing pornographic themes into the bedroom.
• Women who consume porn often tend to have higher sexual function and sexual satisfaction than men who consume porn often.
• Porn may inform each gender’s sexual scripts differently – men may be more likely than women to assume porn and real sex are the same.
• Researchers state that porn is generally not harmful to health unless in the case of problematic porn use.
• If porn use is excessive, compulsive, or distressing, it may be beneficial to speak with a sexual health therapist.

Resources

• Shafaati Laleh, S. S., & Yıldız Karaahmet, A. (2026). Gender differences in pornography use and sexual health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdag021