The results of our survey suggest that in this environment, for some young gay men pornography is helpful in providing positive images of same-sex relationships that are not available elsewhere.Ĭertainly at the moment, most schools are not filling that gap. Although there is a welcome increase in visibility for LGBT people, depictions of gay sex are not the norm. The same can’t be said for young gay men. Young heterosexual people are surrounded by images of sex and pleasure – in films, music videos, magazines, everywhere. The concerns about body image and distinguishing fantasy from reality which are raised when talking about the impact of porn on young women are just as valid here, but there are also other factors at play. This was highlighted by our Boys Who Like Boys survey of over 1000 14-19 year old young gay men, which found that pornography is the most common source of information about enjoyable sex for young gay men.īefore there is a moral panic, it’s important to realise there’s a second half to this story these young men were more likely to rate pornography as helpful, than unhelpful. But one storyline’s been missing from the mainstream debate.
We‘re all familiar with the discussion around pornography and its impact on young people. To celebrate the pleasure principle theme for this year’s sexual health week, Eleanor Briggs looks at the role of pornography for young gay men.
