"Femboy" — Word of the Year on Pornhub's Gay Search

In recent years, the term "femboy" — referring to men who express femininity through appearance, behavior, or style — has become prominent in pop culture and the industry. According to Pornhub's reports, searches for "femboy" in the gay section have grown, overtaking traditional terms like "twink." But why is this happening among gay men? Scientific data and surveys give an ambiguous picture: on the one hand, studies show a preference for masculinity in partners, on the other hand, a niche interest in femininity can be explained by evolutionary, psychological, and social factors. Doberman Media analyzed the available data, drawing on academic sources (all references to the data are included in the article and at the end).

As it was before. Traditional Preferences: Masculinity as the "Norm" in the Gay Community

Most psychological studies indicate that, on average, gay men prefer partners with pronounced masculine traits. This is supported by several studies in evolutionary psychology and sociology.

For example, in a 2020 study, published In a study published in PLOS ONE, researchers analyzed men's preferences for sexually dimorphic facial features (that is, features that differ significantly between the sexes). Gay men showed a significantly stronger preference for masculine male faces compared to heterosexual men, who did not show such a preference. Similar results were received According to a 2009 Harvard study: gay men were most attracted to the most masculine male faces, while heterosexuals were most attracted to the most feminine female faces. The authors attribute this to evolutionary mechanisms: masculinity is associated with strength, health, and dominance, which can be attractive in same-sex relationships.

Surveys on Personal Preferences confirm This. In a seminal 1997 study (Bailey et al.), which analyzed personal ads and direct surveys, Gay men, on average, preferred partners who described themselves as "masculine" (straight-acting or butch), rather than feminine (femme). This preference was less pronounced among those who considered themselves relatively feminine, but it was the dominant trend overall. Another survey In 1984, a study of 111 gay men revealed a preference for partners who were similar to themselves in terms of masculinity and femininity, with a general tendency toward logic and expressiveness, but without an emphasis on excessive femininity.

In the student research In 2016, among young gay men (ages 18–25) A partner's physical attractiveness was associated with muscularity, height, and other masculine traits. Participants noted that these qualities signal health and status, which are important factors in choosing a partner. These findings suggest that the popularity of femboies may not be universal, but rather niche—perhaps among those who identify as feminine themselves or are seeking variety.

Discrimination and Stigma: Why Femininity Puts Many People Off

Despite the growing interest in porn, real-world surveys reveal a stigma surrounding femininity in the gay community. Research A 2023 study by the University of Sydney showed that Both gay men and heterosexuals discriminate against effeminate-looking gay men when selecting candidates for high-status roles (for example, in advertising). In an experiment with 256 participants, gay men with more pronounced femininity (voice, posture, mannerisms) received fewer preferences, which the authors associate with internalized homophobia and misogyny. This creates a "gay glass ceiling" where feminine men face barriers in their careers and relationships.

Survey A 2017 Queerty survey of gay men found that 71% респондентов отказываются от общения и потенциального секса с партнерами у кого есть признаки женственности. This can be explained by social pressures: in a patriarchal society, masculinity is associated with power, and femininity is associated with vulnerability. As psychologists note, gay men can "compensate" for homophobia by preferring hypermasculine partners to avoid stigma.

Why Are Fembois Still Popular in 2025? Niche Factors and Cultural Shifts

Although general preferences lean toward masculinity, The popularity of femboys in gay porn (a rise of +3 positions in 2025, according to Pornhub) may indicate changes. Report Pornhub The year 2025 marks a sharp increase in demand for trans– and fembi content, despite anti-LGBTQ+ trends around the world (including because of Trump). This may be related to the evolutionary appeal of androgyny: studies show that body proportions (such as a waist-to-hip ratio of about 0.7) attract men regardless of gender, evoking associations with fertility and health.

From a psychological perspective, attraction to femboys can be a form of Gynosexuality (gynosexuality) — sexual attraction to feminine qualities, regardless of biological sex.

Gynosexual (English: gynosexual) — a term sometimes used to refer to people who are romantically and/or sexually attracted to women and effeminate men

For some gay men, this represents a departure from strict gender norms, as noted in discussions on platforms like Reddit: femboys symbolize flexibility and a challenge to tradition. Furthermore, in Asian contexts (where femboys are popular in anime and popular culture), preferences may depend on gender roles: a 2023 study in China showed...that gay men with traditional views prefer masculine voices, while those with liberal views have more diverse preferences.

Surveys in the gay community (for example, on Quora and Reddit) indicate that interest in femboys is growing among younger generations, where gender fluidity is normalizing. However, this is often niche: femboys can be attracted as "tops" (dominant), inverting stereotypes about femininity as passivity.

To sum up, scientific data shows that, after all, the popularity of femboys among gay men is not a dominant trend—a preference for masculinity prevails due to evolutionary, social, and psychological reasons. However, the rise of femboys in pornography and public discourse suggests a cultural shift: in an era when gender norms are blurring, femboys are becoming a symbol of diversity. To fully understand this, we need new surveys that take generational differences into account. Ultimately, Attractiveness is a spectrum, and femboys are occupying a growing niche within it, despite the stigma.