Gender Gap in Attitudes Toward Pornography Widening, Men Want More Porn

More and more free porn websites are bombarding the internet lately. A new study by researchers from University of Maryland has revealed that men are increasingly becoming more accepting of online porn but women remain more opposed to pornography. The researchers said, "As a result, the gender gap in attitudes toward pornography has been widening over time."

The study led by Lucia C Lykke found that both men's and women's opposition to pornography have decreased significantly over the past 40 years. This suggests a cultural shift towards 'pornographication' affecting attitudes.

Lyke said, "However, women remain more opposed to pornography than men and men's opposition has declined faster, so the gender gap in opposition to pornography has widened."

The research team examined gender differences in opposition to pornography from 1975 to 2012, measured by support for legal censorship of pornography. They analyzed the 'General Social Survey', a sociological survey used to collect data on demographic characteristics and attitudes of residents in United States.

Beyond observing the changes in opposition to pornography, the researchers also sought to discover connections between trends in public opinion and the evolving trends in pornographic content. Previous research has suggested that women are especially concerned about the negative effects of pornography.

Philip N Cohen, professor of Sociology and co-author of the study, said, "So, as pornography has become more accessible, and more violent and degrading towards women, this remains a serious concern for many women. Pornography has become so ubiquitous that most people probably don't realize that a large portion of Americans still favor laws against the distribution of pornography- 38% of women and 26% of men in 2012."

The study findings might have substantial implications for cultural and legal issues pertaining to pornography, especially on the internet where its cheap or free availability raises new questions about the efforts to suppress its prevalence.

The statement said, "The legal environment surrounding pornography may or may not shift to reflect popular opinion but researchers, however, will remain interested in its impact on our culture and the intersection of pornography and gender dynamics."

The study was published in Social Currents.

Source-IANS