The most Goggled sex query of 2024 was ‘what is autosexual’, new data has revealed.
The term describes a person who experiences sexual and romantic attraction to themselves – sometimes to the exclusion of others entirely.
Sex therapist, Katherine Hertlein previously told Cosmopolitan that autosexual people are ‘attracted primarily – sometimes exclusively – to their own bodies.’
‘But appreciated more generally, autoeroticism involves a whole range of sexual behaviours and attitudes. Some people may be turned on by themselves exclusively, while some might be turned on by both themselves and others,’ she said.
The expert explained that many autosexuals will only experience arousal at the thought of having sex with themselves – and many will unable to climax unless to the thought of their own body.
Many first became familiar with the term in 2020 when Kourtney Kardashian shared a blog about it.
The eldest of the Kardashian brood hinted at her own autosexual tendencies in a blog titled: ‘Are you autosexual? The short answer is yes, most likely. In fact, we all are, at least a little.’
The article, which was published on her lifestyle website Poosh, including quotes from QueerSexTherapy founder, Casey Tanner, who described the lesser-known orientation as ‘a trait wherein one is turned on by engaging in their own eroticism’.
According to Cosmopolitan UK’s top trending sexual questions, the most searched query of 2024 centred around the elusive and lesser-known orientation -autosexuality
‘While it may not be true for everyone, we generally feel more sexual and turned on when we feel we ourselves are sexy,’ they continued.
Some autosexuals also describe seeking sexual fulfilment by using mirror and channeling themselves by searching for partners who look similar to them.
Speaking to Dazed, one autosexual, Chris, from California, detailed sexual encounters using a ‘five-foot portable’ mirror, describing it as ‘true lovemaking’.
‘In the fantasy of my mind, I have to imagine that I’m fucking myself, that it’s another Chris up against me. Only then can I reach a climax.’
Another autosexual, Justin, described only being able to achieve climax by watching back videos of themselves practising self-pleasure, describing experiencing sexual attraction towards themselves as a ‘dual ship’ between them and their alter-ego.
For some autosexuals, they experience their attraction purely sexually, while others also have ‘romantic’ feelings towards themselves.
Dr Hertlein told Cosmopolitan that autosexuality differed from ‘narcissism’, which is characterised by feelings of ‘self-obsession, vanity or egotism’ – which she claimed were not true of autosexuals.
‘Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a diagnosable disorder with symptoms including an inflated sense of self, a constant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.
‘Autosexuality is different in that autosexual individuals are turned on by themselves for their own pleasure,’ she explained.
The third most popular sex question was ‘What is an orgasm’, which was followed fourth by ‘How long after a C-section can you have sex’
Included among the other top trending sexual question were, ‘Is masturbation a sin’, with a number of others pondering questions of sex and marriage.
The third most popular sex question was ‘What is an orgasm’, which was followed fourth by ‘How long after a C-section can you have sex’.
According to Google searches, an overwhelming number of people were also asking how often married couples have sex.
Elsewhere, in the top trending relationship questions, people wanted to know ‘What is DINK relationship?’, which the publication said is an acronym coined in the 1980s to describe for ‘dual income, no kids’.
Despite it’s lengthily heritage stemming back 40-years, the term was popularised in TikTok last year, leaving many taking to Google to search for answers.
The third most popular relationship question was ‘What does exclusive mean in a relationship’ and fourth was ‘How to spot of narcissist in a relationship’.
Another popular search was ‘What is a hard launch relationship’. The term is a Gen Z revered description for posting a significant other on social media, with the similar ‘soft launch’ referring to posting a new romance by sharing just one part of their body, without their full face in view.
Next, people were also curious about the definition of a ‘karmic relationship’, which the publication described as one ‘that brings to light issues from another lifetime’.
Relationship expert, Samora Suber previously told Cosmopolitan that karmic relationships: ‘reflect a soul connection from a past life with the understanding that there’s still some unfinished business that needs to happen in this life.’
