I’m going to start by presenting two sets of facts that directly contradict one another. For context, they are about sex. First, data indicates young people (especially those aged 18–29) are having less sex and experiencing a “sex recession,” with notable declines in sexual activity starting around the early 2000s and continuing through 2024. Between 2000-2002 and 2016-2018, the rate of sexually inactive 18-to-24-year-old men rose from 18.9 percent to 30.9 percent, while for women it increased from 15.1 percent to 19.1 percent.
Second, according to the Saspod blog, Sex and Relationship podcasts consistently rank among the top-performing lifestyle categories, with a 22 percent growth in the number of sex podcasts, according to Podchaser.
These two facts that directly contravene each other can make anyone go – Huh! What? How is that possible? People are having much less sex but listening about it more? That begs the question: Why?
Less sex, more talking about it
Let’s dive into it. Nearly 70 percent of sex podcasts are categorized under health, sexuality, or fitness according to figures from Podchaser, enabling sex podcasts to benefit from the supercharged interest in health, fitness, and wellness, especially by Millennials and GenZers. Moreover, since more people in their 20s and 30s are single than in any previous generation, these single listeners are navigating dating, intimacy, and sexuality, especially in an age of digital hookups and questionable dating apps.
Also, couples seeking intimacy advice and communication tools, and sex-positive audiences curious about culture, relationships, and identity are using sex podcasts as a resource.
“Consider that most young men learn about sex from online porn,” begins Dr. Emily Morse in one of the episodes of her popular podcast, Sex With Emily. “Porn has been criticized for decades for its believed impact on viewers, especially younger viewers. Depending on the kind of porn, it can skew perceptions of sex, intimacy, consent, and violence. It is also often criticized for its graphic nature.”
Therefore, sex podcasts can act as instruction manuals to help boys and young men relearn what sex is really about, instead of the performative aspects of porn.
Moreover, sex podcasts, which has been around since the beginning of podcasting, are in a walled garden. Podcast consultant George Witt explains, “In the 80s and 90s, there was much consternation among conservative groups about magazines like Playboy and Penthouse that were displayed on newsstands for the public to see. Even online porn is only one wrong click away from being shown on someone’s phone or laptop.”
Witt asserts that few people accidentally find a sex podcast, and that sex podcast listeners have specific needs based on the slant of the show. That’s another reason for the sustained popularity of sex podcasts.
“Sex podcasts serve a wide variety of needs,” insists Witt. “There are shows about sexual competency, which just means knowing what to do. There are shows about male and female reproductive systems and how these components work. The permutations are endless.”
Sex podcasts can be informative and spicy!
One of the most popular shows is Guys We F#@$!D with comedians Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fisher. These two comedians dive into their sex lives and bring on interesting guests to spice things up. Oh, and things get spicy.
Couple with their lower legs intertwined.
Sex with Emily is a favorite among many listeners trying to gain more information and a deeper understanding of sex. Dr. Emily Morse is an author and sex therapist with tons of insight into sex and sexuality. Dr. Morse invites well-qualified guests onto her podcast, including sexual wellness experts, therapists, and doctors. Each episode lasts around 50 minutes.
One of podcasting’s enduring strengths is its ability to narrow cast to a wide variety of interests and needs. Sex podcasts are a prime example of that diversity. For example, Disability After Dark is hosted by Disability Awareness Consultant Andrew Gurza, who focuses on having real conversations about disability and sexuality. In his over 200 episodes, Gurza has covered everything from positions to inclusive language.
Two Dykes and a Mic is a weekly podcast and internationally touring comedy show, dedicated to sex positivity, queer dating and building a community filled with laughter and gayness. Hosts McKenzie Goodwin and Rachel Scanlon, are two best friends who keep listeners up to date with “Gay News,” relationship advice with “Ask a Dyke,” dating horror stories with weekly “Bumble Fumbles,” fan favorite segments like “What’s Gayer” and “Who Tops Who” and more.
The Savage Lovecast with creator/host Dan Savage features episodes with listener feedback, answering follow-up questions, and sometimes interviews. Since its beginning in 2006, it has become a prominent, long-running source for sex-positive advice.
When science and sex meet cute on a podcast
Even shows that are not expressly sex podcasts cover topics, often in unique and off-kilter ways. For instance, Taboo Science with Ashley Hamer is billed as the show that answers the questions you’re not allowed to ask.
Every episode dives into a different societal taboo to understand the science that makes it tick, the reasons we don’t talk about it, and the impact that has on society at large. Why don’t we eat people? Why are my swear words different from my parents’? What is a sexual kink? And what makes porn, porn? It’s science class if science class had one of those anonymous question boxes.
Then there are Erotica podcasts, which are audio-based, often serialized, stories designed to stimulate the listener’s imagination and sexual desire through narration, sound design, and, at times, ASMR. These audio stories cater largely to women, focusing on themes like romantic, or fantastical scenarios rather than explicit visual content. Examples include Knightly Pleasures – Erotica for Women, and Strictly Anonymous Confessions.
Dr. Caroline West on Irish radio, RTE, says, “Audio erotica is booming in popularity The female voice is invisible in much of porn, and the female orgasm is also commonly, if wrongly, framed as largely invisible.”
Dr. West continues: “These roles are reversed in audio erotica, with the female voice occupying center stage and graphic extravaganzas glaringly absent. Instead, the pleasure is aural, not visual. When the sexual scene is devoid of visibility, there is a space for the listener to focus on tone or inflections.”
Remember the old days and “those sex magazines”
For older generations, these erotic podcasts are akin to the popular Penthouse Forum and well-read Playboy Fiction in those magazines. See, people really did read the articles!
Clearly, the generational decrease in sex has not dampened the interest in learning about it and its many permutations. Sex podcasts provide a variety of services for viewers/listeners, including sexual identity, instructional narratives, gender orientation, sexual dysfunction, sexual experimentation, and asexuality.
Finally, as sex education classes in schools are either abridged or eliminated due to the same forces that ban books in libraries, students will naturally search for information about sex, and sex podcasts offer a wealth of options.
Is this decrease in sexual activity a sustained trend or a blip? Time will tell. However, the vibrant health of sex podcasts is no fluke.
