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“Gooning” is the hottest sex act of the last five years – with Google searches for the term having risen by almost 800% during this time, figures have revealed.
The kinky term refers to prolonging sexual arousal through sensory overload, often involving hypnotic stimuli. And it has topped a list of kink-related searches that have seen the biggest surge of Google searches since 2018 – coming out ahead of femboy, a male who displays traditionally feminine characteristics, which has seen a 504% increase in searches.
Other popular terms of recent years include thirst trap, which involves posting enticing content on social media to attract attention, and “edging” – deliberately delaying orgasm, to prolong sexual pleasure.
On the other hand, sexual Brits are losing interest in “cottaging” – engaging in sexual activities in secluded outdoor areas, or public restrooms – which has seen a 70% decline in searches. And “spanking” and “dogging” have also fallen, by 33%, and 34%, respectively.
The findings came from analysis of 160 million Google data points of more than 100 key kink words over the last five years. And in light of the research, an inaugural “SexDex” has been released by Sensuali, a sex-positive platform for sensualists and the sexually curious.
A spokesman said: “The UK is officially a nation of kink! About 10 million adults regularly participate in kinky sexual activity each month. The fact is, if kink participation was a sport, it would be up there with playing football as the nation’s favourite. Our findings provide a fascinating insight into exactly what’s going on in Brits’ bedrooms, and inside the sexual imaginations of the nation.”
The report was authored by Rachel Thompson, a leading sex and relationship expert, and created by analysing more than 100 of the most popular kink-related keywords, mapped against Google search data and insights from Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter /X, and Sensuali website traffic, over the past five years.
The data suggests a rapidly changing landscape of sexual tastes sweeping the UK, fuelled by social media and intergenerational changes.
The “SexDex” also shines a spotlight on a whole new sexual vocabulary that has emerged online to skirt censorship, dubbed “the sexicon” or “algospeak”.
Neologisms like seggs (sex), corn (porn), mascara (romantic sexual partner), and accountant (sex worker) have emerged, allowing content creators to evade algorithmic filters on sites like TikTok and Instagram, cracking down on overly sexual content.
Sensuali’s spokesman added: “We exist as a platform for the sexually curious, enabling individuals to offer or seek sensual experiences within a safe, kink-positive, and inclusive environment.”