Fauxcest is a genre of pornography where unrelated actors play the roles of family members. It is sometimes called fake incest or family roleplay.
Fauxcest Porn Variations
Fauxcest porn can feature many different family scenarios. Some fauxcest features intergenerational relationships, such as parents or step-parents having sex with their children or step-children. These videos often show the older actor disciplining their "child" for bratty behavior. Others feature actors of a similar age playing siblings, step-siblings, or cousins having sex. No matter the relationships depicted, many fauxcest videos show one actor walking in on another actor masturbating or having sex with a partner. Videos showing sex between people in step-relationships are the most common as many billing companies won’t sell pornography featuring actors playing blood relatives.
Fauxcest Role Play and Kink
Some people who enjoy watching fauxcest porn enjoy bringing fauxcest role play into their real-life relationships. This type of role play is sometimes called family play or incest play. People who enjoy this kind of role-play may have a fauxcest kink. Some people accept this kink as part of their sexual identity, while others struggle to embrace it. As incest is taboo and illegal in all US states, even among consenting adults, people who feel turned on by fauxcest may feel shameful and guilty about their kink.
Is It Normal?
“I think fauxcest is a relatively mainstream kink, in the sense that it’s one of the more common ones if we’re using mainstream pornography as a benchmark of what the general public is into,” said Sarah Chotkowski, a clinical social worker and therapist who specializes in treating patients from erotically marginalized communities.
The mainstream appeal of fauxcest suggests an interest in it is relatively normal. Like so much adult content, fauxcest pornography depicts fantasy situations made by and for consenting adults. Most people who enjoy it are unlikely to be attracted to their family members or commit incest.
Talking About Fauxcest
Despite its prevalence, sharing a fauxcest kink with a partner can be challenging as the incest that inspires it is so taboo. However, sharing this kink can boost intimacy, build trust, and increase feelings of self-worth. It can also pave the way for experimentation that can make a fauxcest kinkster’s sex life more satisfying.
“I think pornography can be a great gateway to this conversation if couples have previously watched, swapped, or discussed pornography with each other, try saying something like, saying ‘Hey, I saw the hottest video the other day, can I tell you about it?’” Chotkowski suggests. “I think it’s also helpful to explore what about this kink appeals to you. Is it the idea of having your sex partner available down the hall and sneaking into their bedroom after everyone has gone to sleep? Is it sleeping with someone you’re not supposed to? Pitching the fantasy with this context in mind might help make it make sense to a partner who is unfamiliar with the kink.”
Why People Are Into Fauxcest
People can enjoy fauxcest for many different reasons. The genre’s taboo nature can appeal to many consumers who get a thrill from enjoying something that seems forbidden or wrong by society’s standards. Fauxcest porn often has a greater narrative component than other pornography, as setting up the characters and their relationship is essential. Some viewers may prefer this style of pornography to adult videos with less of a storyline. These storylines emphasize the taboo nature of incestual relationships. Watching characters tempted by one another and drawn together, even though they shouldn’t be, can be very arousing for many fauxcest fans.
“I think fauxcest is popular as a kink in part because it is such a popular category in mainstream pornography. Young people are being exposed to pornography at younger and younger ages and it’s having an influence on what they internalize as a personal sexual preference,” Chotkowski added. “Fauxcest is also popular because an increasing number of people are growing up in blended families where their first crush might very well be their own step-sibling, or the step-sibling of a close friend, and these experiences may linger in our brains are incredibly powerful and titillating. Lastly, the lack of regulations in the fertility industry mean that we are seeing increasingly large donor-conceived sibling pods, and we are starting to see cases of siblings who are unaware of their genetic relationship meet and have romantic and sexual relationships.”
Read More: Mommy Kink 101: Everything you need to know
Who’s Into Fauxcest
Speaking to Marie Claire in 2016, Jeff Dillon, the vice president of business development at adult entertainment firm GameLink, said women and couples drive most of the demand for fauxcest. He theorized that women are drawn to fauxcest as they often prefer pornography with a storyline. However, there may not be such a great gender divide, according to a 2019 xHamster study of porn preferences. It noted that 20.8 percent of men typically watch fauxcest, compared to 15.7 percent of women. The report also stated that 18- to 24-year-olds were most interested in fauxcest and it was less popular with older viewers.
Fauxcest Play
People who enjoy fauxcest may be content with watching this content online, either alone or with a partner. They may also like to role play with a partner, as the porn actors do. People with a fauxcest kink may get inspired by the porn they watch or their own imagination. They may enjoy seducing their partner, or being seduced, and emphasizing how forbidden their relationship is. Rather than using their real names, couples engaging in fauxcest play may use the or pet names that emphasize the relationships they’re roleplaying.
Fauxcest Safety and Consent
Safety and consent are crucial for satisfying fauxcest play. People with a fauxcest kink should openly discuss their interest with their partner to see if they’d like to play along. They should discuss what sort of role playing scenario they might enjoy, the names they want to call one another, and any hard and soft limits. During this discussion, people may also discuss any past trauma that may make fauxcest play challenging for them. Play should only proceed if all participants consent. They can also withdraw their consent at any time and for any reason.
Fauxcest play between unrelated, consenting adults is normal and usually unproblematic. However, a small number of people with a fauxcest kink may be tempted to try this kind of play with relatives, including minors. Anyone concerned that they're interested in fauxcest play with family members may find seeing a counselor or therapist helpful.
