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Welcome to the Praise Kink Era: Why Gen Z Prefers Compliments Over Dirty Talk in the Bedroom

A new survey found that praise and words of affirmation are bigger turn-ons for Gen Z than dirty talk, a trend experts link to growing up online.

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Sweet little Gen Z just wants to be told they’re doing a good job. In bed.

New data from erotic audio platform Bloom Stories surveyed hundreds of listeners on what they find most arousing during sex. For 83% of respondents aged 18–24, praise and “sweet words” topped the list, edging out dirty talk at 80%. No other generation came close: only 53% of Gen X and 63% of millennials said the same.

Every generation has its own preference. Gen X skews toward explicit language, with 92% flagging it as their top trigger. Millennials are most reliably activated by........

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