Yes, some women do like porn, and several of my women friends have made it clear they enjoy it as well. One told me she enjoyed gay male porn just because she enjoyed watching two cute guys together. In mainstream porn, the men don't have to be handsome. Remember Ron Jeremy?

But women approach sex differently. As Debbie pointed out, they don't generally use Penthouse to jill off. For that they prefer bodice rippers. And I think that says something of the difference between men and women.

Pornography is generally aimed at men, and as such it tends to be direct, aimed at inspiring masturbation. There isn't much foreplay, and what there is generally focusses on the breasts and genitals. The facial cum shot is a staple of male-oriented pornography. It is a convention that appeals to men, because an actor's orgasm is always genuine, and it indicates the woman's desire to please her partner. And for some men, male dominance over women. But in real life that almost never happens. Most women regard it degrading, and messy. They'd rather swallow, if they let their partner orgasm that way at all.

Another convention is the lesbian scene. Now, I'm honest enough to admit that I share the fantasy. But on-screen lesbianism seems to mimic the conventions of heterosexual sex scenes. And most women are not lesbians, or even bisexual. Yes, they may appreciate feminine beauty, but women don't make them all warm and runny. And on top of that, the scenes are usually too quick and forced to seem real. Insincerity is one thing women despise, an instant turn-off. Remember, Tom Cruise's character as the mysogynist pick-up expert in the film Magnolia? In his Seduce and Destroy course book he has a chapter on "How to fake that you care". Women meet a lot of men who'll say anything to get in their pants.

On top of that most pornographic films feature no plot, are shot in a Knight's Inn with very cheap sets and plot. They are done in a real hurry. I have a friend in the film business. Early in his career he fed himself editing pornographic movies. They used to set him up in a Motel 6 with an editing machine, a coffee machine, and an account at Dominoes. He was expected to finish within 72 hours. Clearly, they weren't expecting The Lord of the Rings.

But there is an attempt to turn this around. Susie Bright, Heather Corrinna, Annie Sprinkle and others have begun producing written and video pornography oriented towards women viewers, or at least couples. One example of this is Candida Royalle's film company, Femme Productions. Essentially the difference is that they concentrate on small details that are often ignored by mainstream porn. Like plot for example. And characterization . Women are attracted by pretty bodies, but personalities are infinitely more important to them. They are attracted by individuals. Production values are greatly improved, though some male directors, notably Andrew Blake do maintain higher standards. Women are much more sensitive to surroundings than men, and porn tailored to their sensitivities can succeed.

The result is better pornography, much more mature and realistic. The fact that so much pornography ignores these basic values is proof that some men will buy anything.