While personal pleasure in the bedroom is entirely subjective, a recent trend is highlighting a major blind spot in many heterosexual relationships. According to sex experts and millions of social media users, a powerful yet simple turn-on—the praise kink—is something many straight men fail to realize that women widely enjoy.
The revelation underscores a crucial point: millions of women are interested in simple, easy-to-miss forms of affirmation that men often overlook. It’s not about complex positions or over-the-top ideas; often, the simplest acts of verbal recognition make the biggest difference in sexual chemistry.
The Power of Verbal Affirmation
While open communication is always key, many women prefer chemistry to flow naturally, without having to give detailed instructions or a post-coital performance review. The first major oversight men are making, according to experts, is ignoring the power of the praise kink.
Sex professor Dr. Nicole K. McNichols was quick to clarify that this goes far beyond simply liking a compliment.
“People who have praise kinks get turned on by their partner complimenting them during sex,” Dr. McNichols explained. She noted that this exists on a continuum because, fundamentally, “who doesn’t love being told they’re beautiful or amazing in some way?”
She connected the desire to the psychology of attachment, noting: “Words of affirmation are a love language after all, especially for people who grew up maybe not hearing a lot of them. I’m looking at you, Gen X, but receiving praise can be a turn on. Feeling wanted and desired in general is a huge aphrodisiac.”
However, Dr. McNichols also pointed out that for some, the praise kink is a bit more extreme and specific. “I mean, if you love being told, ‘Good girl,’ ‘Good boy,’ ‘You feel so good,’ ‘It feels amazing when you [insert action]’—then you might have a praise kink,” she stated in a viral TikTok video.
The enthusiasm online is palpable. Data columnist Jana Hocking confessed to the Daily Mail in 2023 that while the kink is “horrendously self-centred, slightly narcissistic, and probably a bit shameless to admit to,” she is “very much on board with it.” The term has garnered a whopping 60 million views on TikTok, proving that her admission is far from solitary.
Women on social media universally agreed. One user wrote: “I told him. He does it more now. Best day ever!” Another commented: “I can assure you that most romance book girls would likely have this kink.” A third revealed: “This guy was feeding my praise kink all game without even knowing it.”
The Second Simple Turn-On: ‘Broadening’
Beyond verbal affirmation, a second trend that many women are quietly enjoying is called broadening. Psychosexual therapist Natasha Silverman describes this act as “dry-humping on steroids.”
Broadening involves rubbing the entire vulva against a surface—instead of concentrating stimulation only on the clitoral tip—to create a more intense, dispersed sensation. Many women have practiced this form of self-pleasure since discovering masturbation but often did not know it had a specific name.
The major takeaway for men is clear: awareness is everything, and communication is key. While there isn’t much to do during broadening unless the man is prepared to act as the “stable surface,” the praise kink offers an effortless avenue for profound connection. Simple verbal affirmation—being an appreciative, vocal partner—can go an unexpectedly long way.
Ultimately, the lesson being reinforced by sex experts and social media alike is that women’s desires are often simpler, more varied, and more communication-driven than old stereotypes suggest. Sometimes, the smallest shifts in attention make the biggest impact.
