20 Things You Don’t See In Mainstream Porn

It’s not so much what we see—but what we don’t see.

Fantasies influence our expectations, whether we like it or not, so it’s still good to take stock of what is left out of porn.

Awkward Moments. Sex can be awkward, from the strange conversations to the struggle to take off certain articles of clothing.

Peeing after sex. It is so important for women to pee after sex, as it prevents UTI’s and flushes out any bacteria—but you’ll never see this in porn.

Love. Most performers don’t have an existing or deep connection to the person they’re having sex with, so things like laughter and true chemistry on-screen are hard to find.

The clean up. Sex in real-life is messy…but sex in porn is often even messier. But you will never see a wipe or towel on camera.

Water breaks. Even pornstars have to hydrate…

Shyness. Most performers are paid actors, which can of course play a roll in appearing comfortable on-screen and with their bodies.

Communication. We already discussed initial consent, but we also don’t see much communication during sex in porn. There is rarely a discussion when there’s a change in position, and sex toys just magically appear.

Condoms. Most porn scenes don’t involve condoms, but that doesn’t mean there’s no protection in place. STI testing is a huge part of working in porn—performers are required to get tested every 14 days. We also can’t see if performers are on the pill or have an IUD.

Pubes. Rarely see them.

Vaginismus. An involuntary muscle spasm that prevents vaginal intercourse—sometimes this happens, and can be perfectly normal— but you’ll never see it on-screen.

Erectile Dysfunction. It’s the same with E.D., you’ll never see a man struggling to get hard, not achieving a full erection, or ejaculating prematurely.

Period Sex.

Arguments ending in “you’re not getting any”. This would not result in good porn.

Putting in the time for her. 15 minutes for oral sex doesn’t seem to be on the schedule, but putting in the time for your partner should be standard practice IRL.

Real pleasure and arousal. Arousal and pleasure can take time and often having some sort of connection with your partner—both of which, porn does not usually show.

Sex toys. Toys like butt plugs for anal prepping and the use of a vibrator during hetero intercourse typically aren’t seen. Basically toys that facilitate the receiving partner’s pleasure for their sake alone aren’t typically shown.

And just in case you needed one final reminder…porn IS NOT real life sex, and shouldn’t be used as a benchmark for “good sex”. There is much more to explore <3.