New numbers from Pornhub are sparking fresh conversations about who’s really watching gay male porn—and why. According to the platform’s annual Pride Insights report, 47 percent of viewers of gay male porn on Pornhub are women. That stat might surprise some, but it’s not exactly new.
Pornhub first noticed the trend back in 2014, and by 2015, confirmed that gay male content was the second most-watched category among women. So what’s driving the interest? Academic Lucy Neville has some answers. In her 2018 book Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, she surveyed more than 500 women and found that many were simply drawn to watching men.
Neville wrote, “A good number… like looking at naked men.” But it goes deeper than attraction. Neville explained that gay male porn often flips the script on the traditional “male gaze” in straight porn, where content is built for heterosexual men. For straight women and queer women alike, gay porn can offer a more comfortable viewing experience that doesn’t objectify female bodies.
She also noted its importance for trauma survivors. Neville added,
“It’s one of the few types of sexually explicit media they can enjoy without feeling triggered or re-traumatised.”
With young adults aged 18 to 24 making up the largest group of viewers, Pornhub’s findings shed light on changing habits and a growing desire for safe, inclusive, and affirming content in adult media.
