When it comes to porn, there are hundreds of categories that cater to every fantasy and sexual orientation. But one of the categories which proves consistently popular over the years is lesbian porn – particularly with women. Of course, women who identity as lesbian and bisexual will be watching this content. According to a 2021 Gallup survey, 1.3 percent of women actually identify as lesbian and 4.3 percent of women identify as bisexual in the US. But the popularity of the category year after year suggests it must be resonating with straight women too.

Now, a new study has revealed why women prefer lesbian porn. The research, published on the journal Sexualities, found that this preference is driven by a desire for authentic depictions of pleasure, a lack of degradation, and a more relatable sexual experience. The study suggests that the fact that some straight women seek out lesbian porn demonstrates ‘the fluidity of sexuality’ and ‘the potential for individuals to explore their desires unfettered by the supposed implications of their sexual identities.’

The number of women watching lesbian porn has steadily grown over the past few years. Since 2014, Pornhub has published its ‘Year in Review,’ which analyses metrics such as searches, videos watched, duration on-site, etc, to list the top categories and trends people are searching for. Over the past few years, ‘lesbian’ porn has reportedly been the most popular searched-for category among women on Pornhub. The number of women watching porn is also growing. Worldwide in 2024, women accounted for 38% of all visitors to Pornhub. The proportional growth in 2024 was +7%, quite a significant jump, suggesting there may be some changing perceptions around women viewing porn.

A 2016 study by the University of Essex found that straight women actually prefer to watch lesbian porn. The study involving 345 women found that a majority of straight women are sexually aroused by videos of attractive women. Even if they reported that they are only interested in men, 74 percent of straight women were strongly aroused by both sexes.

The results of the Sexualities study are in line with Porn Hub’s trends. For 2024, authenticity came out as a top trend on Pornhub, under a trend the site labelled  ‘demure desires’ (a word popularised by TikTok creator Jools Lebron after a viral TikTok which garnered over 50 million views). Under this umbrella, searches for  ‘mindful pleasure’ (+122 per cent), ‘ethical porn’ (+92%), ‘simple sex’ (+55%) and ‘authentic sex’ (+43%) all surged, suggesting people are wanting to get a bit more real with the content they’re consuming.

One of the authors of the study, Rotem Avgar, a PhD student at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, shared her thoughts in the journal. ‘I came across data from Pornhub Insights that surprised me: I hadn’t expected so many women to be watching pornography on a mainstream site, and I was also surprised by the Lesbian category’s popularity among women – as the common perception is that mainstream lesbian content is produced for men and primarily watched by them,’ she said. ‘Also, the numbers were so high that it seemed unlikely all the viewers were lesbian or bisexual – an understanding further reinforced by writings from straight-identifying women who described a preference for lesbian pornography. This led me to look into the encounter between women’s expectations of the category and the pornographic content itself in an attempt to understand what the viewing experience offers them.’

One of the reasons why women could be more drawn to lesbian porn is the focus it places on female pleasure. Typically, mainstream porn has been focused on male pleasure – the purpose is to get the man off. Porn tends to be male centric, made by men and for men. It’s no secret that the depiction of perfect bodies, lengthy sex sessions and prevalence of acts such as choking, gagging spanking are unrealistic – and often degrading to women. This pornography reinforces traditional gender roles, putting male pleasure front and centre. In the videos analysed by the study, there were fewer instances of body modifications such as breast implants or heavy makeup. The lesbian videos also lacked overt displays of coercion or degradation.

Although lesbian porn is often directed by men, it puts more of a focus on female pleasure with extended foreplay, oral sex, and visible female orgasms. In the videos analysed by the study, nearly all participants engaged in both giving and receiving pleasure, and every video featured at least one female orgasm.  
The study also found that fantasy and exploration played a part in shaping women’s preferences towards lesbian porn. Although the women in the study didn’t necessarily identify as bisexual or lesbian, they reported that watching lesbian porn allowed them to fantasise about new possibilities. Research generally suggests that while the vast majority of men and women are stable and unchanging in their orientation and identity, when it comes to those who are fluid, female sexuality is more fluid than male sexuality.

Of course, it’s totally ok and normal for straight women to want to explore their fantasies through lesbian porn. But it’s important to remember that fetishisation of the LGBTQ+ community is still a real problem in porn. Unfortunately, lots of mainstream porn isn’t necessarily made for a lesbian audience at all but for cisgender, heterosexual men, and can misrepresent LGBTQ+ individuals and relationships.

Sex Expert Dr Emily May tells Grazia that more women prefer lesbian porn because it ‘often shows sex in a way that feels more relatable,’ continuing ‘there’s a stronger focus on mutual pleasure, intimacy, and connection, rather than just performance or a male-driven fantasy. It’s less about questioning sexuality and more about seeking out content that reflects how they actually experience or want to experience desire.’