In a day and age where porn grosses an estimated $14 billion annually in the United States alone, and an estimated $97 billion worldwide, sex consumption out-monies the vast majority of industries, including top-grossing Hollywood movies such as “Avatar” and “Gone with the Wind.” Statistics reported by Family Safe Media state that 42.7 percent of Internet users view porn—nearly half! But with top video downloads like “Lil’ Gaping Lesbians,” “Lia’s First Time” and “Bootylicious Girls,” (according to the Adult Video Network), I wonder if any of these porn users are women?

It’s an accepted assumption that the majority of porn consumers are male. Everything—from Web site advertisements on popular sites like Facebook and Megavideo, to magazine covers in the back rooms of local bodegas—seems to target a male audience. Even lesbian porn, one anonymous senior girl noted, “is so much more often geared toward male viewers than women viewers. [It] is often hard to enjoy because it’s not showing me what I know my body would want in that situation.”

How often do you watch/look at porn?

• In the morning, at night, during class...
• Maybe a few times a month
• Only when I get curious- ie. not often
• Ew. Never.

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What “average” heterosexual woman seeks out pornography that features overly buxom, unrealistic women, often being dominated by several men? (Think Bang Bus or Brazzers.com). Nevertheless, although women do consume porn less frequently than men (14 percent of men vs. 4 percent of women in 2002 study), one junior girl emphasized that “women should feel socially comfortable watching whatever type of porn they find enjoyable.” A freshman female agreed, saying, “We do what we want!” Though she cautioned, “It just seems like every time I look at any of it, it seems so fake, making it more of a turn-off than turn-on. The kind of porn I would be into would be the kind that seemed more real and not as planned or organized, or the kind I could sense some actual emotion. I would want to be reminded of times I’ve myself had sex, not some obscure fake fantasy.” As the senior girl mentioned above reiterated, “Anything that works for women is great. Though, I think most of the porn out there is deceiving. It reduces sex to extremes.”

These comments, although only representative of a few opinions within our Wash. U. bubble, remain in tune with studies of female fantasies. Instead of intense sexual content that focuses on genitals and the “action,” females look for a sense of intimacy, whether through simple kissing or more realistic scenarios, to feel turned on. As one sophomore offered, women aren’t looking to watch porn that “cheapens situations.” Although women might not want some long, drawn out romantic scene, some storyline may be preferred. As one senior girl said, “I don’t just want to watch ‘Freak of Cock,’ which I have, because there’s no plot! I’d like just a little bit more.”

Oh and one last thing—get some sexier male actors, porn industry! At least for me and the other women I’ve spoken with for this article, arousal is multi-sensual. So what will do the trick? Good-looking actors, interesting and believable play and a little bit of something that brings your vibrator back to reality. But not completely…