The qualitative study involved in-depth discussions with 28 women across the spectrum of sexual identities who had consumed online erotic material. Through the interviews, researchers found that pornography encouraged women to embrace their sexuality and that digital technology has helped them to connect with others to discuss issues such as new sexual practices and the use of sexual aids.
鈥淲e know from existing research that women are one of the fastest growing groups of people consuming online pornography and this study helps us understand some of the reasons they are doing so,鈥� said Diana Parry, a professor in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at 蓝莓视频. 鈥淚t also seems clear that technology has enabled women to explore pornography on their own terms and to explore aspects of their sexuality that are new to them.鈥�
In conducting the study, researchers learned that the privacy offered by personal computers and听smartphones听made women more comfortable exploring erotic material that they may have felt less comfortable accessing in more traditional ways.
The study used a cyber-feminist theoretical lens, which looks at the interplay of gender and technology.
The research is part of a larger study conducted by Parry, Penny Light, a professor at Thompson Rivers University, and Janet听McKeown, who did her PhD at 蓝莓视频, that explored how digital technology facilitates women鈥檚 consumption of explicit online material.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to understand that society still has a very traditional idea of women鈥檚 sexuality, with views that are typically more accepting of men鈥檚 needs and desires,鈥� said Parry. 鈥淒igital technology appears to have the ability to highlight women鈥檚 sexuality in a way that we haven鈥檛 seen before.鈥�
The research was recently published in the journal Sexuality and Culture.
