In my interviews with straight young men (mean age = 20), watching porn was nearly a universal child and adolescent experience, usually from a young age. It was a predominant means by which they learned about sexual matters and secured sexual pleasure. Comparable data based on adolescent girls and young women are difficult to find. Indeed, little is known about porn use among adolescent young adult women—if they engage in pornography, how early do they begin, what is their motive, do they enjoy the experience, and do they discover sexual pleasure through pornography?

In their recent study, Julie Fraumeni‑McBride and Brian Willoughby focused specifically on young women and their use of pornography. Nearly 900 women between the ages of 18 and 34 who attended public schools were recruited with an online ad to participate in a survey of “personal attitudes and experiences.” The sample of women was diverse with regard to race, socioeconomic status, education level, and sexual orientation. Given their young age, nearly two-thirds were........

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