Women most desired sexual acts
Executive summary
Large, peer-reviewed surveys and representative studies show that the sexual acts women most commonly try and report as appealing cluster around solo pleasure (masturbation), partnered genital contact (vaginal intercourse), and oral sex, while fantasies and emerging cultural trends expand appetite for group experiences, novelty and wellbeing-oriented sex; demographic and relational factors shape which acts women desire and how often [1] [2] [3] [4]. Reporting and market research also signal a cultural shift toward “purposeful pleasure” — sexual expression framed by wellbeing, sustainability and curiosity — which complicates any simple ranking of “most desired” acts [5] [6] [7].
1. What large surveys actually show about women’s favorite acts
Nationally representative surveys asking adults to rate dozens of behaviors consistently put masturbation, vaginal intercourse and oral sex among the most commonly tried and most broadly appealing acts for women: over 80% of women in a large PLOS One–based sample reported having tried masturbation, vaginal sex and oral sex, and these acts rank at the top of women’s lists of familiar, pleasurable behaviors [1]. Independent reporting and visualizations of the same dataset emphasize that vaginal intercourse often tops both men’s and women’s lists of “very appealing” behaviors, although not universally so [2].
2. Sexual fantasies and the appetite for novelty
Surveys of women’s fantasies complicate the picture: while core acts dominate lived experience, fantasies commonly include group sex, role-play and other exploratory scenarios — items appearing in top-ten fantasy lists compiled by sex-psychology outlets [3]. That difference between what women have tried and what they fantasize about underscores that “most desired” can mean either most practiced or most imaginatively appealing, and those are not identical in the literature cited [3] [1].
3. Desire is not just an act — demographics and relationships matter
Large-scale analyses find that sexual desire and the appeal of acts are shaped by gender, age, relationship status, recent childbirth, number of children, relationship satisfaction, education and occupation; lower individual desire often tracks with lower relationship satisfaction, particularly among women, meaning context alters which acts feel desirable or feasible [4]. Thus simple rankings miss that the same woman may prefer masturbation at one life stage, partnered intercourse at another, and novelty or kink at others depending on stress, health and partner dynamics [4].
4. Emerging trends reshape what women seek in sex
Industry reports and trend pieces point to cultural shifts that influence desire: a turn toward sexual wellbeing and “purposeful pleasure” means many women prioritize sex that reduces stress, aids sleep or supports holistic health; market research from Lovehoney and commentary from sex educators predict deliberate, educated choices about toys, natural libido boosters and experiences rather than sheer frequency or novelty alone [5] [6]. Queer- and feminist-oriented outlets predict eco-conscious product choices and community-driven events will also shape desires and practices among women and sapphics specifically [7].
5. Limits, disagreements and the takeaway
Available reporting converges on a short list of commonly tried and appealing acts — masturbation, vaginal sex and oral sex — while fantasy studies and trend analyses reveal robust interest in group scenarios, novelty and wellbeing-framed sexual practices [1] [2] [3] [5]. However, the sources differ in sampling frames (national surveys vs. clinical or community samples vs. market reports) and in whether they measure “appeal,” “experience,” or “fantasy,” so any firm ranking must be qualified: desire is dynamic, context-dependent and filtered through culture, health and relationship factors that large epidemiological work and industry trend reports document but do not fully reconcile [4] [5].