The Fundamentals of Sex

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Gen Z may not be having less sex, just different ways of expressing intimacy and desire.

Studies often define sex narrowly, missing diverse sexual behaviors and online experiences.

Digital intimacy is rising with Gen Z, but physical touch and connection remain hard to replace.

In the '70s, there was a portion of 20-somethings who were freer with their sexuality and more willing to try out new forms of partnering. Now, the media is focusing on the advent of young adults avoiding sex. Research studies report that young adults today are having less sex than previous generations. In a nationally representative 2020 U.S. study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers found that sexual inactivity increased among young adults between 2000 and 2018, with nearly one in three men ages 18 to 24 reporting no sexual activity in the previous year.

At first glance, the research appears to be clear: Young people are reporting fewer sexual partners than preceding generations. But how exactly are the researchers defining sex?

Many studies define sex narrowly, often focusing on penile-vaginal intercourse among heterosexual participants. But sex therapists and sexuality researchers have long argued that sexuality encompasses far more than intercourse alone. If we broaden the definition to include oral sex, mutual masturbation, sexting, erotic touch, virtual sexual experiences, and other forms of sexual expression, the picture becomes more complicated.

There are many hypotheses as to why people are reporting less sex overall. Dating apps might lead you to believe that people have more opportunity for sexual encounters, but while there is greater access to partners, there is less casual sex happening. People are not meeting in adventurous or spontaneous ways anymore that would ultimately lead to fun, casual hookups.

One of the main hypotheses researchers have explored is that 20-somethings are taking longer to grow up than their parents did. In a 2021 article published in Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, sociologist Jennifer M. Silva argued that the transition to adulthood has become prolonged and individualized, with many 20-somethings spending more time pursuing higher education, establishing financial security, and reaching traditional adult milestones later than previous generations. As a result, long-term committed relationships and marriage are often postponed until........

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