“It’s interesting that a significant number of straight men watch gay porn because it seems so unlikely,” explains Doctor Sam Miles, social science researcher at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. However, he reasoned: “If you think about it, there’s no reason why they wouldn’t. Some gay men watch straight porn, so it should not come as a surprise that the reverse can also be true. It stands to reason that some of these men want a different ‘flavour’ sometimes”. Related: Study shows that women really like watching gay men have sexĪ wider tide of openness and acceptance, coupled with the #MeToo movement also means “some straight men might find the way that women are treated in straight porn demoralising”, says Doctor Sam Miles. “Gay porn tends to have a less obvious power imbalance between actors” and offers a fresh perspective.ĭoctor Martin J. Downing, a research scientist for Public Health Solutions, also reckons straight-identifying men watch gay porn to switch things up. “One’s sexual identity does not always reflect his or her sexual attractions and experiences,” he said.
“Some heterosexual-identified men may experience sexual arousal from the homosociality or patterns of male bonding (including BDSM) inherent to gay male pornography”.
“It is important to note that the type of porn you watch doesn’t determine your sexuality,” insisted Ruby Stevenson, education and wellbeing coordinator at Brook. “There’s such a huge variety of porn available that it’s no wonder consumers are switching up their viewing habits and watching a variety of content”.Īccording to Ruby, straight men watch gay porn because they are simply being inquisitive. Straight men also find solace in fantasising about being with another man even if they aren’t gay, because of the curiosity derived from the close platonic bonds between men.ĭr Sam Miles told PinkNews: “Gay porn tends be based on a narrative of hypermasculinity – often very ‘manly’, muscular men – and this might appeal to straight men as an intriguing and different kind of sexual relationship to what they normally see in their regular porn.” Straight men watch gay porn to see what other male bodies look like “Watching a variety of porn can be a healthy way for people to explore fantasies without or before they explore something in real life,” notes Ruby.Īlix Fox, sexual health expert for BBC Radio 1 and ambassador for ONE condoms and Brook young people’s sexual health charity, told PinkNews: “I’ve lost count of the number of queries I’ve received from straight-identifying men who’ve been watching gay porn and are confused about the implications that may have regarding their sexuality”. Related: Age checks for watching online porn to be delayedĪlix Fox agrees. “Gay porn offers a convenient, discreet way to look at what other people are packing,” she explained.
“Plenty of men find it compelling – and perhaps reassuring – to be able privately take their time examining a variety of other dudes’ body types and genitalia too. Some straight-identifying men are actually gay or curious “Many folks wonder whether their own dangly ballsack/circumcision scar/twink bod is ‘normal’, but it’s not seen as socially acceptable to closely examine other men’s parts in public situations”.ģ. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) said in 2017 that the number of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people in the UK had hit 1 million for the first time. A landmark figure for the community, the high – but not high enough – figure also tells a sadder tale. Many LGBTQ+ people are closeted and watching gay porn in private.
The actual number of gay people in Britain is likely to be 10 percent, says the Kinsey report.