In a world where pornography is commonplace, the site NoFap, which advocates the cessation of masturbation, is rather unusual. However, this movement is gaining a lot of traction.
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On the front page of the website, NoFap claims its aim is to "help you quit porn, improve your relationships, and reach your sexual health goals."
The website has a community where fellow members communicate with and support each other, a newsletter, even a merch section where you can buy your very own "Fapstronaut" t-shirt.
How did this movement come to be?
The NoFap movement is not new - surely you've already heard of No Nut November? It was born in 2010, following the release of a scientific study that reveals that masturbation cessation leads to an increase in testosterone levels, which has positive effects on men's bodies and psyche.
Some NoFappers think of masturbation cessation as a philosophy, while others see it as a way to cure their addiction to porn. Because for some, masturbation has become an obsession that has reduced their libido and disrupted their sex life.
Women are also joining this movement
Although there aren't as many women who have joined the NoFap movement, those who are part of it explain that it is a way for them to fight against the objectification of women in porn. When speaking with publication Terrafemina, one woman said:
The biggest issue [with masturbation is] porn. Porn is where people go to learn how to have sex, and most of the time the approach to sex in porn is built around the man’s pleasure. Even as a heterosexual woman, porn made me sexualize and objectify women … I also began to think of myself as a sex object, and that my value came from my sex appeal.”
What do you think? Do you see the value in it? Willing to give it a try?
