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Newsflash: Women React to Erotic Images

Jill

Shocking, just shocking:

Women are turned on by erotic images just as much as men, a study claimed yesterday.

US researchers found more brainwave activity when women were shown pictures of writhing couples than when they saw any other photograph.

Professor Audrey Anokhin, from Washington University, said: “That surprised us.

via Feministing.

36 thoughts on Newsflash: Women React to Erotic Images

  1. Pardon if this winds up a double or triple post – I’m having trouble with comments…

    Any thoughts on the “women respond to erotic images” surprise and the fact that this research is going to be useful for better understanding mental illness? Sounds like a throwback…

  2. Jill, you missed the kicker:

    Experts hope the results will help them better understand some mental illnesses.

    Are they implying that women liking porn is a mental illness?

  5. Verily, the fabrics of the porn world and the romance novel universe will be ripped asunder as the fundamental assumption “women are not visual” has been disproved and all the equations built on said assumption are in one fell swoop obsolete. Who the hell let the cat out of the bag here? Next thing we know, they’ll be saying we evolved or something.

  6. Why this simply can’t be. Women who see risque and off color pictures or movies are supposed to twitter and blush…and that is the sluts! Real women would simply faint away at the merest glance. Silly people.

  7. Hummn…

    Hummn…

    But is it preferred entertainment? Do women get off looking at erotic images? Study says yes, personal anecdote says yes. But how does this information help us understand anything? Do women like to look at erotic images? Do they seek out erotic material? Will movies with more scenes of naked studs sell more tickets?

    I have never meet a woman who has the same voracious appetite for erotic images (and what I am talking about here is erotic images that are aimed specifically at women) that matches even a nomal guys interest in porn (erotic images that are aimed specifically at men, and I am specifically excluding men who are obsessed with porn). I am not familiar with any women who display even a small subset of the width and breath of sexual fetishisation that is clearly discernable by men in their consumption of erotic images (example: where are the women who have an “kink” for hairy men, guys with tiny members, or “guys who ware glasses”).

    I am however taken aback by the volume and verity of romance novels that are produced and consumed by almost exclusively by women. So the question is not whether women are turned on by erotic images, but rather the marked differences in the nature of sexual stimulus between men and women.

    Is it all socialization based on the repressive nature of our patriarchal society or are there some socio-biological fundamentals at play. If the former then is there any evidence that three or four generations of feminist awareness is beginning to change things? Do more women now consume erotic images for their own pleasure? Is there any market at all for erotic images aimed a women produced specifically for their consumption (and I don’t really think that the sub-set of porn that is produced for “couples” really qualifies here as it still has to be made “male friendly” in order to be profitable).

    I’m just curious as to your thoughts about this.

  8. I am however taken aback by the volume and verity of romance novels that are produced and consumed by almost exclusively by women. So the question is not whether women are turned on by erotic images, but rather the marked differences in the nature of sexual stimulus between men and women.

    Is it all socialization based on the repressive nature of our patriarchal society or are there some socio-biological fundamentals at play. If the former then is there any evidence that three or four generations of feminist awareness is beginning to change things? Do more women now consume erotic images for their own pleasure? Is there any market at all for erotic images aimed a women produced specifically for their consumption (and I don’t really think that the sub-set of porn that is produced for “couples” really qualifies here as it still has to be made “male friendly” in order to be profitable).

    Yes, almost certainly–of course, people in general are openly consuming erotic materials at higher rates. Why don’t you read half a dozen romance novels and see what you think?

  9. Are they implying that women liking porn is a mental illness?

    Uh, I think they’re implying that any woman with increased brain activity is mentally ill

  10. Ah, it’s one of those irregular verbs English is famous for:
    I have a well-developed personality
    You are quirky
    He is eccentric
    She is crazy

  12. Well, Richard, erotic images aimed specifically at women do absolutely zero for me. Could be b/c I’m mostly attracted to women, but then again THAT kind of porn doesn’t do it for me either. Bearing in mind that I’m somewhat gender-variant, I can also say that the only written erotica that does anything for me is slash and that I do, indeed, have a kink for muscle bears. And for athletic-shaped women with small boobs.

    I think most of the erotic imagery aimed at women is hopelessly insipid. No wonder that women who think they should stick with the stuff that’s ‘made for them’ don’t have much of an appetite for it and gravitate to the written stuff instead.

  13. It seems folks are reading Richard’s comment as an opinion that romance novels are somehow less erotic? I didn’t read it that way, someone expound?

  14. I am not familiar with any women who display even a small subset of the width and breath of sexual fetishisation that is clearly discernable by men in their consumption of erotic images (example: where are the women who have an “kink” for hairy men, guys with tiny members, or “guys who ware glasses”).

    Sorry, I just can’t help sniggering at this.
    I’d advise you to check out the sheer breadth of slash written and drawn by and for women, but I think you might find it traumatizing.

    Let’s put it this way. J.K. Rowling came up with Polyjuice potion, which allows a person to assume the shape of somebody else for an hour. Not only is there plenty of porn involving creative use of polyjuice, but fans have used that idea to invent polyjuice brothels.
    And that’s one of the tamer examples I can think of, by women for women (usually about men). In fandom, I’ve seen just about every kink and fetish remotely feasible and many that are only possible in a fantasy world. You’d be surprised how many smut writers/artists have created works involving the Giant Squid.

    Maybe you’re just hanging around with the wrong women… ;}

  15. Seriously, Rick — have you ever read a romance novel?

    I’ve never read one that didn’t involve a rape scene between the two principals early on.

    Of course, my aunt didn’t go in for Harlequin, but still.

  16. It seems folks are reading Richard’s comment as an opinion that romance novels are somehow less erotic? I didn’t read it that way, someone expound?

    I was reading it as a suggestion that maybe men and women are just different. Which, man, romance novels are not the way to go if you want to argue against the clear impact of socialization on sexuality.

  17. I’ve never read one that didn’t involve a rape scene between the two principals early on.
    I have, but primarily among the Regency subgenre and in romances geared towards the teen or YA market.

    And, yes, I do have a couple 20+year-old paperbacks like you describe buried in a box somewhere as a guilty pleasure.

    Mind you, I seem to recall a strong feminist push in the 1990s to change the dominant tropes away from “woman falling for her rapist” romances. But I don’t know how well that worked, because I haven’t mainstream romance novels since high school, and don’t really care to.

  18. Oookay, I was thinking more along the lines of Judy Blume’s books for grown-ups when I’m talking written erotica that doesn’t do anything for me. Clearly I have the wrong sort of thing in mind if we’re talking about rape novels. I find that even less arousing. Ick. Is this where the whole myth of the rape fantasy comes from? “Women buy these books, thus they actually want what’s in them to come true?”

  19. Oookay, I was thinking more along the lines of Judy Blume’s books for grown-ups when I’m talking written erotica that doesn’t do anything for me. Clearly I have the wrong sort of thing in mind if we’re talking about rape novels. I find that even less arousing. Ick. Is this where the whole myth of the rape fantasy comes from? “Women buy these books, thus they actually want what’s in them to come true?”

    I doubt it needs any actual support. I have heard romance novels used to argue the enormous distinction between rape fantasy and rape; i.e. the former being a contradiction in terms, since the fantasizer is omnipotent as far as the fantasy is concerned. A story in a book that you can pick up and put down at will is a good way to illustrate the difference.

  20. To respond and further comment …

    As for the width and breath of slash fiction and such … sure I have seen it, it doesn’t surprise me, but it’s not the same as images. Same for romance novels, sure they are erotic, explicit and all of those things but they are written, not visual.

    The post was about erotic images and the “old saw” was that men are more visual and the EM made the comment, “as the fundamental assumption “women are not visual” has been disproved”. But has it? That is basically my question. nothing in the responses to my comment have even made a dent in the notion that women respond better to cerebral erotic stimulation and men responded better to visual erotic stimulation.

    As for “Hanging around the wrong women I don’t think so, but I will say that the GF seems to me to be an outlier when it comes to what turns her on. I mean she is turned on by me, which makes her taste suspect right away [grin]. Seriously, though she is much more visual then most women I have known well enough to discern such a metric and when she shares with me what she has learned from other women about their consumption of erotic material she will confirm that she is much likely to consume visual material then any of her female friends.

    Again, I’m certainly not suggesting that women are not getting their toes curled by whatever, I‘m merely pointing out that there seems to be a gender difference that has little to do with socialization. The other thing I mentioned was fetishes, while slash fiction certainly covers every base imaginable, I’m not entirely sure that it it’s really about fetishes. I mean there are men who are sexually turned on by plump women, turned on by feet, hair color, big breasts, little breasts, hairy women, shaved women, the list goes on and on forever. I know of no subset of women who seem to be, for example, turned on by excessive body hair on men, or by images of men engaged in auto eroticism. Fetishizing specific traits seems to be almost the exclusively male (and please if I am wrong about this enlighten me).

    There are a few exceptions I can think of, women who are turned on by exhibitionism or sex in public. I have run across a few of those who not only find that such activities genuinely add to the experience but who also seek out partners who will specifically engage in that type of sex becasue they place a premium on that type of sex. I suppose you could throw bondage in there as well although I have no personal experience there.

    But getting back to the visual image thing any further thoughts, comments, or two-bit opinions?

  21. Again, I’m certainly not suggesting that women are not getting their toes curled by whatever, I‘m merely pointing out that there seems to be a gender difference that has little to do with socialization. The other thing I mentioned was fetishes, while slash fiction certainly covers every base imaginable, I’m not entirely sure that it it’s really about fetishes. I mean there are men who are sexually turned on by plump women, turned on by feet, hair color, big breasts, little breasts, hairy women, shaved women, the list goes on and on forever. I know of no subset of women who seem to be, for example, turned on by excessive body hair on men, or by images of men engaged in auto eroticism. Fetishizing specific traits seems to be almost the exclusively male (and please if I am wrong about this enlighten me).

    Why is the visual/verbal distinction less likely to be a product of socialization?

  22. Fetishizing specific traits seems to be almost the exclusively male (and please if I am wrong about this enlighten me).

    See above re: slash. Yes, you’re wrong. If I were looking from as great a distance at, say, mainstream porn, I’d see as much homogeneity as you seem to. How many short, stocky, small-breasted, hirsute women show up in Playboy?

  23. I’m reluctant to post links that might attract unwelcome attention to certain sites, but *trust* me there’s plenty of fetishization. Someone I know maintains themed lists of Harry Potter slash fanfic, and you wouldn’t believe both the variety and specificity of people’s tastes.

    Re:visual/verbal distinction as a product of socialization, I’ll just point out that it’s much easier for prose to slip under the radar than visual images. Unless you’re reading over my shoulder, it’s not so easy to tell whether one is reading smut or a technical journal — onscreen or (if one uses a bookcover) in print. In contrast, photos are much more noticeable and thus less desirable if one doesn’t want to get caught.
    Furthermore, creating photos and videos require willing models.
    In the fan communities, I’m much more likely to see drawings or photoshopping of existing images, or fanvids which remix existing film into something funny and/or suggestive. All the work of one talented person with a computer.

  24. Piny and Lis Riba,

    My premise is based on what seems to be available in the marketplace. While this could also be a product of socialization it seems to me that sex content, is a more or less underground phenomena. Sure, there are more or less mainstream publications, Piny mentioned Playboy which is certainly a homogenized “product”, I am talking about the narrowcast stuff that appeals to the fetish market which does not seem to be a mainstream product but accounts for an unimaginable percentage of internet sales. This is what I’m talking about and there seems to be no parallel of content that is aimed at or consumed by women. The images of naked men that one might find are all produced to appeal to and consumed by gay men.

    As for slash fiction, and the issue of fetishes, are you saying there is a preponderance of (or at least a healthy subset) of slash fiction that deals with women who are particularly turned on by say excessively hairy men or guys with red hair or tiny phalluses and that this content is produced specifically for women that at least a large minority of women consume?

    I’m not talking about the 50 different combinations of sex acts and partners that Hominy Granger is involved in or that the themes contained in this content run the gamut from S&M to golden showers, I’m talking about stories about women who are attracted to men with a specific characteristic such as overly hairy guys (to name a theme seems to be a guy favorite). Are there groups of women who get together and share their fantisies of doing it with fat guys? Are there website that women go to to see pictures or read stories about guys with very small or very large … you know [grin]

    as ofr the visual thing I have never run across erotic images of men produced for heterosexual woman that are actually consumed by heterosexual women (unless gay men have stopped buying playgirl). I have also never run across women who admit to and actively seek out erotica in any form, visual or cerebral that focuses on men with specific traits as I have mentioned. I mean saying you like men with dark hair is not the same as having some more or less exclusive attraction or a significantly heightened attraction for dark hair.

    And I have read a pretty good cross section of slash fiction so unless what you talking about is being hidden away on a web sites that cannot be accesses by anyone sporting a Y chromosome, then I would be interested to see an example of what it is you think I haven’t seen.

    (BTW your point about links to these type of sites is well taken so don’t take the above as an explicit request for links. I’ll have to take you word that what I am describing is available, but again I remain extremely skeptical that you both aren’t conflating a broad range of topics in slash content that include fetishes with content that is aimed at women with particular fetishes).

    Anyway thaks for your comment it has been intresting (and I’ll be on the lookout for the women who are turned on by fat, hairy, men with small …..)

  25. Anyway thaks for your comment it has been intresting (and I’ll be on the lookout for the women who are turned on by fat, hairy, men with small …..)

    Try the Ron Jeremy collection. Okay, it’s not small….., but still.

  26. I’m not talking about the 50 different combinations of sex acts and partners that Hominy Granger is involved in or that the themes contained in this content run the gamut from S&M to golden showers, I’m talking about stories about women who are attracted to men with a specific characteristic such as overly hairy guys (to name a theme seems to be a guy favorite). Are there groups of women who get together and share their fantisies of doing it with fat guys? Are there website that women go to to see pictures or read stories about guys with very small or very large … you know [grin]

    There’s a difference between wanting something and feeling entitled to ask for it, or even to consume it. There isn’t much visual slash in this country, but that doesn’t mean that women don’t consume gay porn that’s the visual equivalent of a lot of slash. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that there are women into bear culture.

  27. Plus, slash involves a lot of different kinds of bodies; it’s really difficult to find a male character who hasn’t been subject to slash. You want hairy? Try werewolves.

  28. My premise is based on what seems to be available in the marketplace. While this could also be a product of socialization it seems to me that sex content, is a more or less underground phenomena. … I am talking about the narrowcast stuff that appeals to the fetish market which does not seem to be a mainstream product but accounts for an unimaginable percentage of internet sales. This is what I’m talking about and there seems to be no parallel of content that is aimed at or consumed by women. The images of naked men that one might find are all produced to appeal to and consumed by gay men.

    Again, these kinds of things are being produced by women, for women, on a gift economy rather than for sale.
    I haven’t bought smut in who-knows-how-long, because I can find all I want freely online.

    So, no wonder you’re out of luck if you’re expecting to find equivalency in commercial sites. Why should I spend money, when I get stuff as-good or better with no obligation to repay the creator beyond thanks, reviews, and recommendations?

    I mean saying you like men with dark hair is not the same as having some more or less exclusive attraction or a significantly heightened attraction for dark hair.

    I do think there’s a difference between strong fetish preferences and… (not sure the right term here — paraphilia?) an inability to find arousal *without* that element.
    Are you referring to the latter?
    If so, I can’t answer conclusively, since I don’t know fellow slashers that well.

    As far as fetishization is concerned (in regards to what I’m willing to write openly about here), long hair is probably one of the more common bodily traits I see referenced. [We’re talking like the movie portrayals of Lucius Malfoy or Legolas and longer…] That may be cross-cultural, because there’s a lot of imagery of long-haired men in Japanese manga geared towards female audiences.

  30. Piny/Lis Riba

    Sorry, but RPS (Real Person Slash) isn’t really my thing.
    Forgive me, Piny, I’m sure you’re wonderful and I’d love to meet you in person, but I’m not going to commit to such a pairing sight unseen…

  31. I’ve never read [a romance novel] that didn’t involve a rape scene between the two principals early on.

    Are the gender roles ever reversed?

  33. http://yubanet.com/artman/publish/printer_37393.shtml

    Same stuff, longer article. The Sun, I think, isn’t known for it’s fantastic journalism…

    The Sun: “Experts hope the results will help them better understand some mental illnesses.”

    Yubanet: “Most of Anokhin’s research is centered on the genetic and neurobiological bases of behavioral traits that might be associated with increased vulnerability to alcoholism and addictive disorders. He believes this study could contribute to that work by detecting differences between responses to images with different emotional significance. Because many psychiatric disorders also are associated with poor processing of signals associated with reward and pleasure, as well as sexual disturbances, he believes the way the brain processes emotional pictures, including erotic materials, might help scientists better understand some forms of mental illness.”

  34. Piny/Lis Riba

    Sorry gang there was a post attached to this as well as a [grin] signialing my clevernees at the visual pun, I did not in any way want to suggest that … oh never mind.

    Just, sorry … I’ll og away for now [grin]

  35. I figured that was the beginning of a post that somehow got lost in the ether, but I couldn’t resist the joke either. [Invertebrate punster: spinelessly unable to resist a pun, so slug me.]

  36. I’ve never read one that didn’t involve a rape scene between the two principals early on.

    So…you haven’t read any romance novels published after 1985? I haven’t run across one of those in years.

    But then, I do avoid Catherine Coulter on purpose…..

    This is what I’m talking about and there seems to be no parallel of content that is aimed at or consumed by women. The images of naked men that one might find are all produced to appeal to and consumed by gay men.

    Well, yes. But until rather recently (like, two minutes ago) it was considered common wisdom that girls and women did not like reading graphic novels/comics as much as the guys do – period. Proof being sales and what is marketed to whom. And yet….within just the last year the number of graphic novels in the kids section of the store I work at has at least doubled – and most of the titles are either aimed at girls (Baby-sitters Club, Babymouse, My Little Pony) or both boys and girls (Bone and Sesame Street – and one could argue Avatar as well.) And yes, they sell. Not Harry Potter sales, but respectable enough to warrant a new kids graphic novel section.

    The market is not nearly as “perfect” as it’s proponents like to claim. If it was, Marvel and DC would have gotten a freakin’ clue and put out Superman and X-Men comic books for kids to coincide with the movie releases – and not just stupid beginning reader books. I’m thinking of keeping track of exactly how many parents come in asking for X-Men comic books that are appropriate for their 9-12 year-olds – and putting it in a really snarky letter to Marvel.

    Of course, I am also eagerly awaiting the moment when hordes of Kinley MacGregor and Laurell K. Hamilton fans descend upon their local comic book stores. (Sometime in November and July, respectively.) I’ll be perfecting my evil laugh in the meantime.

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