I can't be the only one who feels a tinge of arousal at the sound of someone's voice. Especially when the intention behind the sultry tone dipped in honey is exactly that -- to arouse. Recently, I had the pleasure of coming across an Instagram ad promoting the female-founded sexual wellness platform, Dipsea. The voice I heard immediately was one I had become familiar with as an avid Insecure fan. That of none other than Sarunas J. Jackson. Funny enough, that was something I admired about him in the series (as well as in Good Trouble). He had a voice that could evoke trickles almost effortlessly.
So that, coupled with the storytelling element that the audio company is all about proved to me in 30 seconds or less that Mr. Jackson had the uncanny ability for taking pleasure to new heights sonically. What I had accidentally stumbled upon was audio porn, and apparently, in terms of sexual pleasure, it is absolutely the wave. Audio porn is defined as adult content that you listen to. Audio porn can be narrated erotic stories (like the aforementioned Jackson's "Off the Record" series), guided masturbation sessions, listening to someone talk dirty to you, or even orgasm sound libraries.
In the last decade, audio porn has seen a lucrative uptick in popularity. The multi-million dollar industry raised over $8 million in 2019 alone. So, what is it about audio porn erotica that has women so tapped in to auditory stimulation versus visual? I spoke with blogger and speaker on all things sexuality, Tatyannah King to spill the tea on all things audio porn.
Audio Porn: What Is It & Why Do We Listen To It?
Porn is often a polarizing topic where some women don't often feel the porn that is out there is representative of them or intended for their gaze. Instead, the "traditional" mainstream porn that we come across are conceptualized, filmed, directed, and edited with the typical male viewer in mind. While ethical porn can be a great alternative for those who want to visually consume porn that isn't inherently male-centric, audio porn provides an erotic outlet for those looking for a less male-centric view that is also immersive. "Audio porn allows you to use imagination and make you feel like you're actually part of the scene," Tatyannah explains.
She continues, "For those who enjoy the sound of moaning, audio porn is a great option. As someone who loves to hear men being vocal and expressive during sex, it frustrates me that I typically have to endlessly search through pages on traditional porn to hear the man moaning. With audio porn, I don't have that issue as much because premium sites do a better job at making sure their male performers are there for more than just penetrating and occasionally grunting."
Erotic Intimacy Through Audio Porn
Don't ask me why, but in my younger days, one of my favorite ways to consume porn was either through reading adult fanfiction or by listening to porn through audio recordings I made with a tape recorder. Without realizing it, the latter was my first taste of the power of audio porn. There was a mental element being tapped into that made the act of consuming erotic content that much more enticing and tantalizing to me.
To this day, a voice note of a partner moaning or even listening to myself in previous sessions can elicit arousal in a way that even the best rough sex compliation I can find on the internet can't. It's the raw erotic intimacy for me. Tatyannah explains, "Some people prefer to have the visuals laid out in front of them, but audio attracts people who enjoy using their imagination and visualizing what they want the scene to be like while listening to the audio."
"Audio porn encourages you to think about your desires in a deeper sense."
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The Science Behind the Pleasure Found in Audio Porn
If you're a fan of verbal expression or confirmation during your lovemaking, it should come as no surprise that audio porn taps into an aspect of us that gets off on hearing others experience pleasure. There's a reason why moans can get you more aroused. According to Tatyannah, that reason is Autonomous Sensory Response, aka ASMR. She explains it as "the tingling sensation along the scalp, neck, or back that people feel when exposed to certain auditory stimuli."
She adds, "Aside from biological and physical responses, it is possible for people to have an auralism fetish, which is a sexual fetish in which one is sexually aroused or excited by sound. These sounds can include music, a particular tone of voice, the actual sounds of sex itself, or simply listening to others have sex."
The Best Places to Find Audio Porn
Featured image by Getty Images
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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