Why do men adjust themselves and why am I turned on?

Dear Feeling Puzzled and Weird, 

It’s not unusual to feel aroused by potentially suggestive body language. Watching someone adjust their genitalia can be understandably arousing, since those parts tend to be associated with sex. Men might adjust themselves for several reasons, including physical or emotional comfort, to draw attention to themselves, or to address discomfort. What gets you going can be highly subjective, so it's not out of the question that you might feel turned on. It’s very possible that others feel the same way!  

Why do men adjust themselves?  

There can be many reasons why someone adjusts themselves, some more intentional than others. Some men adjust themselves due to their underwear feeling uncomfortable, tight, or itchy. They could also be responding to the situation around them. This could include an injury, infection, change in temperature, or even discreetly trying to hide an erection. 

Another reason could be related to mental or emotional comfort. Some people may play with a strand of hair or twirl their fingers, while others may adjust themselves. These acts of self-comfort may not always be conscious.   

An adjustment may also be made intentionally to bring attention to their package and assert their masculinity. In fact, there may be an evolutionary basis for this behavior to attract a potential partner. This means some adjustments could be meant to be sexually suggestive. The feeling, then, might be mutual!  

What makes people feel sexually aroused? 

There’s no one trait that makes something sexually arousing. Two people can experience the same stimulus, and their brains might assign different meanings to it. Once that connection is made, coming across the stimulus again can trigger feelings of arousal.  

You may find your curiosity piqued when you catch someone adjusting themselves. Another person may feel neutral or even react negatively towards the same thing. Neither reaction is wrong; it just means you have different arousal triggers.  

Can something non-sexual cause arousal or turn me on?  

For lots of people, plenty of things that are considered non-sexual may be a turn on! You may not always know if an act is meant to be sexually suggestive, but you could have a reaction all the same. It’s possible that you simply find the person attractive. People assigned female at birth (AFAB) also may tend to pay more attention to genital stimuli. This can naturally lead to feelings of arousal. Some people can be more attuned to noticing these feelings than others.  

In the end, how you feel matters most. If you feel turned on by an adjustment, it may be worth sharing that information with a future partner. It could also be something you decide to keep to yourself. Just know, how you’re feeling is normal; you have agency and autonomy on how you choose to express and share what turns you on!