Versatility in anal sex in gay pornography

Abstract

ABSTRACT The exploratory project described in this article provides additional information about the prevalence of different types of versatility in anal sex in gay pornography. Versatility refers to the same performer both topping and bottoming (or being both the insertive and receptive partner in anal sex), and this can occur within a video or between videos, as well as in videos with two performers or more than two performers. While versatility has not been a central focus of previous research, incorporating it into future research may expand our understanding of the well-researched connection between performers’ masculinity and sexual position. I conducted a content analysis of 441 videos released by four mainstream studios between 1 June 2022 and 30 June 2023. I present findings regarding the prevalence of versatility within and between the videos, as well as differences between the studios. Two major implications are that versatility is prevalent enough to justify more attention from researchers and that the prevalence of versatility appears dependent on which studios are included in a project’s sample. I also discuss limitations and related suggestions for future research.