Roughly half of Generation Z adults have never had sex, according to a new report from DatingAdvice.com and the Kinsey Institute.
While across America, one in five U.S. adults said they never had sex, that figure was staggeringly high for Gen Z, of which 48 percent said they were virgins.
Why It Matters
Gen Z—composed of young people born from 1997 to 2012, is seeing its adult sector, ages 18 to 28—having less sex than many of the older generations, marking a shift in many pertaining to views on romance, dating and relationships.
Growing up amid social isolation and the coronavirus pandemic could also have impacted socialization in the long term, with fewer engaging in relationships or connecting with peers, experts say.
What To Know
The report discovered that 48 percent of Gen Z adults have never had sex, significantly higher than the 26 percent of millennials who said the same. It also found that virginity rates did not substantially differ among genders, with men and women reporting levels of 23 percent and 21 percent, respectively.
There also may be a reduced stigma around sexual experience, as 55 percent of adults said they’d be willing to date a virgin, with younger generations increasingly open.
A previous survey from BLK, a dating app for the Black community, found 64 percent of Black Gen Z women said they were celibate. Altogether, the shift toward celibacy was high among the young Black dating community, with 43 percent of all Black Gen Z daters practicing celibacy, the dating site found.
Celibacy is chosen for several reasons. Some people want to remain abstinent to focus on their own personal growth, while others have resorted to it after becoming frustrated with today’s dating culture.
What People Are Saying
Jonathan Kirkland, head of brand and marketing at BLK, in a previous statement: “This generation values authenticity and is reclaiming their narratives, prioritizing self-discovery over societal expectations. The rise in celibacy speaks to their desire for healthier relationships, both with themselves and others, and that’s a powerful statement.”
Leigh Roberts, PR manager for Hint App, previously told Newsweek regarding the decline of “situationships”: “Overall, this is a positive development. By stepping away from situationships, women are not opting out of intimacy, but opting into intentionality. They are normalizing discernment and reshaping the cultural narrative around relationships as something built on reflection and alignment, not just momentum.”
What Happens Next
The delay or overall decline in sex among Gen Z could lead to marriages at older ages, but conversely could create a connection gap and further foster loneliness.
Roughly eight in 10 Gen Zers said they had experienced loneliness over the last year, and two in 10 said they “often” feel lonely, according to a study from Global Web Index.
