Rewiring Your Brain: The 7 Benefits of Watching (Ethical) Porn
Is it okay to watch porn?
There’s always been a big debate on this topic, especially because most mainstream pornography streaming services are depicting sex in a totally unrealistic way. From idealizing slim, white heterosexual couples to putting a spotlight on large, circumcised penises and neutral-looking vulvas, there is typically a sole focus on male pleasure. Everyone else, if represented at all, is generally done so in a very fetishized way. Put simply, the porn industry, overall, has a lot of work to do to ‘get better.’
Naturally, this is not the porn we at Between Our Thighs are watching. While you might find something in the midst of streams, a video that can get your pulse racing, it does not mean that it’s ethical. However, with a plethora of ethical porn sites available out there, the benefits of watching porn can be made accessible to everyone in a guilt-free way.
Decide for yourself if there are positive effects of watching pornography — ethical pornography — by reading our roundup of reasons why we think it’s good for you.
Watching porn is a form of safe sex
One of the benefits of porn is that, due to the fact you are not engaging in any form of sexual activity with another person (unless, of course, you’re watching it with a partner as a way of building arousal), it’s the safest form of ‘sex.’ Whether you’re surviving a dry spell or are splitting up time sleeping with other people, there’s no risk of sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy when watching porn!
Porn can help you figure out what you want sexually
Sometimes, seeing a sexual act performed by another person can spark something. “Hey, I’d like to try that out myself.” Watching porn can also do the opposite, giving you a better idea of what you don’t want during sex. Either way, it can help you become more sexually self-aware.
Ethical porn can set a sensual mood
Watching other people have sex (or engaging in sensual acts) can boost your libido. When watching alone, it often leads to masturbation, which is good for you! Have your sex toys out or your hand ready for some manual labour.
You might (positively) rewire your brain sexually
By “rewiring your brain sexually,” we mean creating a more sex-positive education. Pornography can also help you get better in bed and be an incredible sex partner, giving visual lessons — if you are looking for them — on improving techniques for giving a handjob or fingering a vulva, or even giving blowjobs or performing cunnilingus. With porn, nothing is too taboo.
While it’s great to focus on achieving personal pleasure when it comes to sex, it’s important not to be entirely selfish all of the time, especially with a long-term partner. One of the many benefits of porn is seeing how to achieve this!
You can learn more about your kinks and fetishes
Are you looking for another great reason? How about how it normalizes both you and your partner’s desires. While talking to your partner about your kinks and fetishes is a great starting point, showing them what you want can make things even more passionate.
It can be a great way to see your fantasies acted out
So many people have sexual fantasies that they have not yet realized. Whether it’s one they are uncertain of how to make a reality, are ‘testing the waters on,’ or know that they will never act on it, but would like to see someone else engage in it, ethical porn is a great way to experiment with your fantasies.
There’s a removal of the guilt and shame surrounding sex
Perhaps the most important point of all, the positive effects of watching pornography include removing many stigmas, judgments, and apprehensions concerning the topic of sex. We live in a society that still has quite a way to go before normalizing people’s different sexual interests. However, in porn, we can see the satisfaction that our desires can bring to us, when consenting adults act on them.
So, can watching porn be beneficial? We would argue that yes, it can be — as long as it’s ethical pornography.
From the way that it can positively rewire your brain sexually, teach you more about the sexual needs of both yourself and your partner(s), and can often lead you through a journey of self-fulfillment and awakening, there no reason why ethical pornography cannot be enjoyed by everyone who is wanting to watch it.
Do you watch porn? If so, do you agree that there are positive effects to watching pornography? If you do not watch porn, why do you believe it’s unbeneficial? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
