EXCLUSIVESex expert reveals the type of porn you should REALLY be watching
- Typical pornography depicts unrealistic standards around sex
- Ethical porn focuses on the feelings of the performers and effects on viewers
- This type of porn usually emphasizes consent and pleasure for all parties
It's no secret that watching pornography can be extremely detrimental to not only your mental health but also your sex life.
Porn that's popularized today promotes violence toward women and unrealistic expectations about what sex is supposed to be like.
But 'ethical porn' - a genre of porn where everything is done consensually, performers' feelings are prioritized, and the footage isn't made solely with the male gaze in mind - is challenging all that.
Ethical porn was coined in the early 2010s and has recently gained popularity.
Angie Rowntree, founder and director of Sssh.com, an award-winning ethical porn site, told DailyMail.com that ethical adult films are made with care, and that results in a better and even healthier result in viewers.
'Ethical porn - with its focus on consent, mutual pleasure, and emotional tone - doesn't just scratch the itch,' Rowntree said.
'It makes you feel seen, connected, and respected.
'That changes the whole experience.'
Ethical porn is a type of adult film where everything is done consensually, performers are treated well, and the male gaze isn't prioritized (stock image)
Rowntree explained that because ethical porn often leads more into story, character, and emotion, you're more likely to explore what turns you on while watching.
'You start paying attention to the slower build, the little moments, the energy between people,' she said.
'Suddenly, you're not just thinking that's hot - you're thinking that's me, or I want that, or maybe even I didn't know I wanted that until just now.'
She said that this can make solo sex much more fulfilling and eventually even partnered sex too.
This is because the better you know what you like, the easier it is to translate that to a partner.
And ethical porn helps you with that translation as well.
'One of the things that ethical porn tends to do really well is show how people actually talk about sex,' Rowntree said.
'Not in a stiff, checklist-y way, but in small, natural moments - checking in, asking what feels good, and offering feedback without shame.'
Ethical porn focuses on connection and can help viewers feel more in-tune with their desires (stock image)
She explained that these kinds of scenes aren't just throwaway ones, they're typically baked into the tone of the movie.
Scenes like this reinforce consent as foreplay and that honest communication doesn't have to be awkward.
'When we see open, kind communication on the screen, it becomes easier to carry that into our own lives,' Rowntree said.
And one of the most rewarding aspects of ethical porn seems to be that it's not just about the climax, and makes room for people to think about sex as a more connected act.
'No, not every ethical film is a slow burn or a deep romance,' Rowntree said.
'Even in the fun, playful, high-energy scenes, there's an underlying sense of trust and presence.'
She said that because performers are prioritized, that energy that they're all in the experience together really comes through the screen and creates an exciting experience.
'It reminds us that great sex isn't just physical,' she said. 'It's relational and real.'
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