'Feminism Has Saved Me': Agency and Consent in the Face of Mainstream Pornography's Influence on Spanish Young Adults

Mainstream pornography has played a prominent role in shaping sexualities and gender dynamics among young adults, influencing self-perception and perception of others in terms of sex, gender, and body. This phenomenon can reinforce unequal power relations, generating tensions between sexual empowerment and patriarchal norms. Although there is extensive research on the general impact of mainstream pornography on youth, little attention has been paid to how young adults negotiate these influences in their sexual-affective relationships. This research sought to fill that gap by exploring how they interpret, integrate, or even resist the representations and practices derived from mainstream pornography in their sexual relationships. A qualitative approach based on in-depth interviews (N = 29) with young adults aged 18 to 30 from Spain was employed. The findings shed light on patterns of coercion, inequality, and gender normativity in sexual practices that stem from mainstream pornography and eroticize nonconsent. Attention is given to gender challenges and associated ethical dilemmas, as well as to strategies of resistance and empowerment that emerge in response. The importance of gender analysis and the role of feminism is highlighted in adopting a critical perspective on mainstream pornographic images and the gender ideals promoted in contemporary society.