Anal
Definition
In adult entertainment, anal porn refers to porn videos (or photos) and scenes where the main focus is anal sex — penetration of the anus with a penis, fingers, sex toys, or other objects (yeah guys, really different objects, like big and small vegetables, furniture, bottles and ofcourse 🍌). On major platforms and studios you’ll see this terminology in tags such as anal sex, anal-to-mouth, first anal, hardcore anal sex, rough anal, anal creampie, anal DP, anal POV, and anal compilation.
What once was a niche or “special act” has evolved into a standard porn category with franchises, big studios, and entire content lines built around it. And if you think this is some kind of modern trend. Think again: humanity has been into this genre for as long as people and their curiosity have existed. Yep, it’s basically as old as bananas 🍌 themselves.
Mesopotamian texts on sexual life
In a survey on love and sex in ancient Mesopotamia (based on the works of J. Bottéro), it is stated directly that “sodomy, defined as anal intercourse, was considered a common method of contraception” in heterosexual relations.
The Turin Erotic Papyrus (Papyrus Turin 55001), c. 1150 BCE.
The most famous ancient Egyptian erotic scroll, featuring 12 scenes depicting various sexual positions; researchers note that among them are positions involving penetration “from behind,” which are interpreted as anal or peri-anal sex.
Ancient India
The Kama Sutra of Vātsyāyana (c. 2nd–4th century CE)
The second book of the Kama Sutra describes various forms of sexual behavior in detail, including non-traditional types of penetration. Modern research and commentaries state explicitly that the text contains references to anal sex. By the way, this ancient and clearly very intriguing book has already appeared on our blog in the article 8 Porn Categories the Internet Can’t Stop Watching (And Why Men Keep Coming Back).
Roman Poetry: Martial, Catullus, Juvenal, and others
Martial’s epigrams (1st century CE) repeatedly describe anal sex, both heterosexual and homosexual, mostly in a satirical or insulting tone. The study “Hidden in Plain Sight: Martial and the Greek Epigrammatic Tradition” analyzes such passages and their cultural context.
Short description
Anal porn moved from forbidden backstage act to full-blown cinematic obsession — and here’s the juicy story of how it became one of the most-watched genres on the internet.
Trends
Mini-Timeline: How Anal Porn Evolved (1960s - 2020s) by Banana Collection
1960s — The Era of “You Can’t Show That”
Back when porn lived in smoky backrooms and underground 16mm “stag films”, anal sex was about as filmable as a UFO, everyone talked about it, nobody could legally show it. I recommend reading the author’s book: Eric Schaefer, Bold! Daring! Shocking! True!: A History of Exploitation Films
1970s — Golden Age… but Anal’s Still a Ghost
After U.S. obscenity rulings (1973), hardcore becomes legal. Porn theaters explode in popularity. “Deep Throat” and “The Devil in Miss Jones” become cultural events. We could say that this was a turning point for the industry, since the case Marvin MILLER, Appellant, v. State of CALIFORNIA had a significant impact.
1980s — VHS: Privacy and Curiosity
VHS kills the theater star. Now people watch porn at home, with curtains drawn and zero judgment. Suddenly viewers explore more: first amateur anal tapes, early niche loops, experimental anal scenes done “for those who know”.
1990s — Anal as the Premium Bonus Scene
The industry booms. Studios notice something important: Anal scenes sell tapes. Like… really well.
So the decade gives birth to:
“anal debut” marketing,
bonus anal scenes on DVDs,
performers hyping “my first anal” like a movie premiere.
2000s — The Internet Turns Anal Into a Normal Scene
Streaming arrives. Data arrives. And with data comes the revelation: People watch anal scenes really often. By the late 2000s, saying: By the late 2000s, saying: “I shot an anal scene today”, in the industry was no longer headline-worthy or milestone. It was just Tuesday.
2010s — Tube Sites Turn Anal Into a Global Obsession
Pornhub, Xvideos, xHamster. Algorithms. Thumbnails. Retention rates. Boom and amateur anal goes mainstream like “anal with my girlfriend”, “home anal attempt”. Tags like first anal, anal training, rough anal, anal creampie become traffic rockets.
Banana Take
In the Banana Take section, we usually throw in a bit of good humor, but this time the topic is so genuinely fascinating (seriously, it makes you want answers to everything) that I decided to dive all the way in and explain why people have anal sex and why it’s so ‘popular’ in the first place. The scientific studies below, in our view, provide a very good explanation of the motives and reasons in the modern world (it’s important to distinguish between historical and contemporary factors).
“Why Women Engage in Anal Intercourse” — (Reynolds et al., 2015)
Grace L. Reynolds and colleagues conducted a qualitative study among 32 heterosexual women recruited from an HIV/STI testing program and a drug treatment center in California. The study was based on focus groups, which means it presents in-depth narratives from a specific vulnerable population rather than insights about “all women in general”
Key findings:
Women indicated novelty and desire to try something they had not done before.
A subset described anal intercourse as more intimate than vaginal sex, reserved for “special partners”.
Some engaged in anal intercourse to satisfy their male partner’s desires or keep the relationship exciting.
A small minority cited anal intercourse to avoid vaginal penetration (for example during menstruation) rather than as a direct pregnancy‐prevention strategy.
Citation:
Reynolds, G. L., Fisher, D. G., & Rogala, B. (2015). Why Women Engage in Anal Intercourse: Results from a Qualitative Study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 44(4), 983–995. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0367-2
“Heterosexual Women’s Anal Sex Attitudes and Motivations” — (McBride, 2017)
Kimberly R. McBride conducted a focus-group study among 33 heterosexual women aged 18–30 from two Midwestern U.S. cities. The goal was to understand how they perceive anal sex with a male partner and what factors influence their motivation.
Key findings:
Curiosity / experimentation
Anal sex was described as something new and unexplored — something to “try,” not an expected or routine component of sex.Pleasure (but not for everyone)
Some participants reported pleasure, although there were also parallel accounts of pain and discomfort.Pain & fear
Pain and the anticipation of pain were major themes. Even women who were curious often felt afraid at the same time: “it will hurt,” “it could cause damage”, “something is wrong with me if I like/don’t like it”.Stigma / social stigma
Participants perceived heterosexual anal sex as an “emerging norm” yet still surrounded by shame and disapproval.Relational context / relationships, consent, pressure
Relationship dynamics, consent, the sense of control, and trust in the partner play an important role: who initiates it, whether there is pressure, and how confident the woman feels in her ability to say “no”.
Citation:
McBride, K. R. (2019). Heterosexual Women’s Anal Sex Attitudes and Motivations: A Focus Group Study. Journal of Sex Research, 56(3), 367–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1355437
“Perceptions of Anal Intercourse Among Heterosexual Women” — (Benson et al., 2019)
Lyndsey S. Benson and colleagues conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 women aged 18–50 who had engaged in heterosexual anal sex within the past three months. The analysis was carried out within the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior, focusing on attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control.
Key findings:
Primary motivators: partner & personal pleasure + sexual curiosity
The abstract states explicitly that the main motivators are pleasure (their own and their partner’s), and sexual curiosity and experimentation.Role of control and trust
The intention to engage in anal sex is linked to how much control a woman feels she has over the situation and how much she trusts her partner. Control and trust act as filters: is it appealing, is it safe, “can I stop it if I need to?”Negative social norms, but ongoing behavior
Most women perceive strong negative social norms surrounding anal sex — yet this does not prevent them from engaging in it. However, it significantly affects how they talk (or don’t talk) about it with friends and healthcare providers.Implication for healthcare
The authors emphasize that clinicians and sex educators should discuss anal sex openly and without judgment in order to reduce stigma, improve communication, and support sexual health.
Citation:
Benson, L. S., Gilmore, K. C., Micks, E. A., McCoy, E., & Prager, S. W. (2019). Perceptions of Anal Intercourse Among Heterosexual Women: A Pilot Qualitative Study. Sexual Medicine, 7(2), 198–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esxm.2018.12.003