Halle Berry and sex therapist Emily Morse have shared their thoughts on how porn has impacted people's sex lives as the actress shared what she's told her partner not to do.
It's undeniable that the adult industry has impacted what people are expecting their partner to do in the bedroom, despite the fact that most of what we see online is very unrealistic.
In a recent campaign carried out by LADbible, it was found that 60 percent of people who have watched porn in their lifetime admitted that the content has shaped their expectations of real-life sex, so it's understandable that Catwoman star Berry (and many other women) feel a certain way about porn.
Discussing the matter on the Sex with Emily podcast, Berry shared: "Men often mimic what they see in porn [and] that's another thing I get to say to my guy - don't do what you see in porn."
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Berry recently confirmed that she's engaged to Grammy-winning musician Van Hunt, whom she's been dating since 2020.
She has referred to him as the 'love of [her] life' and in a 2021 Valentine's Day post, she shared images of the two of them together with the caption: "NEVER SETTLE for less than what makes your heart sing!"
On the podcast, Morse then weighed in: "She's getting spit on. I'm getting choked, and I'm like, did we consent to this? Like, what the hell?"
Berry continued the chat by saying that it would be a 'dead stop' for her if she thought a man she was being intimate with was trying to reenact a porno he'd seen.
The sex therapist then went on to say that porn without sex education is a 'complete disaster', and sex has been 'so centered on penetration', and there are 'so many other ways we can find sex'.
Elsewhere, the award-winning actress shared the one thing she refuses to do in bed now — that being faking an orgasm.
"I don't do that anymore," Berry insisted. "We had to get there so that he felt good about bringing us to orgasm. We had to say that we did it so that he would feel good about himself.
"Because what is that doing? That's putting his needs before our own."
She continued: "I'm like, 'No, I come first like you come first to you.' We both deserve to have this be a mutually enjoyable experience, so we both can roll over and go to sleep because we feel good — not one snoring and the other one looking at the ceiling, going, 'What the hell?'"
Good for you, girl.
Research dating back to 2019 suggested that Berry isn't alone in having faked an orgasm before, with 59 percent of women admitting that they had done it at least once.
These findings related to both younger and older generations, with respondents' ages ranging from 18 to 94.
How porn affects relationships
According to MentalHealth.com, excessive porn consumption can cause some issues when it comes to relationships.
Whether that be unrealistic expectations on appearances and reactions, a coping mechanism, or a lower interest in real intimacy, it can also lead to a breakdown in communication, as one half of the relationship might feel disconnected, while the other feels shame about their consumption.
It also has a physical impact on the brain as it seeks more dopamine, which could potentially lead to conditions such as erectile dysfunction.
However, for some couples, watching adult films together can help as part of shared sexual exploration. MentalHealth.com recommends a 'non-judgmental conversation' if it is becoming a problem to foster emotional transparency.
Topics: Halle Berry, Celebrity, Adult Industry, News, Sex and Relationships
Niamh Shackleton