It feels like I’m aging about 30 years by saying this, but sometimes there are so many different phrases and terms flying about that it becomes hard to keep up.
From new nicknames for dating trends to lesser-known fetishes hitting the mainstream, the world of sex and relationship vocab can be quite the colourful place.
There are also the names for different sexualities that not everyone else is so clued up on. So, while our mates may just casually throw it into conversation, we might end up Googling that unfamiliar word or phrase online, just in hope of saving face.
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And the most searched sex question of 2024, as previously shared by Google to Cosmopolitan UK, was ‘What is autosexual?”
But despite so many people searching it, it seems plenty still don’t know the answer to that. So…
What is autosexual?
Well, this is where the tricky part comes into answering this elusive question: there’s still no totally definitive answer.
Sex therapist Katherine Hertlein told the magazine: “The concept is still not entirely understood in the field of human sexuality as there is so little research into this sexuality.”
She explained that those who are autosexual are primarily (and sometimes exclusively) attracted to their own bodies.
“But appreciated more generally, autoeroticism involves a whole range of sexual behaviours and attitudes,” Hertlein added. “Some people may be turned on by themselves exclusively, while some might be turned on by both themselves and others.”
Kourtney Kardashian on autosexuality
Despite it being the most searched term last year, many people first heard it when Kourtney Kardashian shared a blog post about it back in 2020.
It read: “Are you autosexual? The short answer is yes, most likely. In fact, we all are, at least a little."
This article on her lifestyle site, Poosh, included quotes from QueerSexTherapy founder Casey Tanner, who described autosexuality as 'a trait wherein one is turned on by engaging in their own eroticism'.
“While it may not be true for everyone, we generally feel more sexual and turned on when we feel we ourselves are sexy," they added.
Other top trending questions
Other top trending questions on Google last year included the likes of: “Is masturbation a sin?”, “Is it normal to bleed after sex?” and “What is an orgasm?”
There was also: “How long after a C-section can you have sex?” and “How often do married couples have sex?”
Well, let’s see what 2025 brings.
Topics: Dating trends, Kourtney Kardashian, Sex and Relationships, LGBTQ
Jess Battison