We formerly reported on research, published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, that suggested your parents and grandparents (depending on how old you are) will probably have more sexual partners in their lifetime than you.
But these figures beg the question: why? Luckily, two new studies have some answers. Keep reading for all the things standing between you and getting laid.
When you were younger, Mom and Dad may have worried about your sexual escapades. But now? They might be confused as to why you’re having so little sex, according to a new research from San Diego State University.
In the study, a team of researchers looked at data from over 26,700 people who completed the General Social Survey, which included men and women from the current millennial generation and its predecessor, Generation X. Interestingly enough, today’s young people are less likely to have had sex upon turning 18.
The researchers say 15 percent of 20- to 24-year-olds born in the 1990s haven’t had any sexual partners since 18, compared to only six percent of Generation X’ers. So much for the so-called “hookup culture” plaguing young adults.
“Online dating apps should, in theory, help Millennials find sexual partners more easily,” she said. “However, technology may have the opposite effect if young people are spending so much time online that they interact less in person, and thus don’t have sex,” study author Jean M. Twenge said in a press release. (The downside of Instagram and Pokémon GO…) Get out in the world, man!
“This generation is very interested in safety, which also appears in their reduced use of alcohol and their interest in ‘safe spaces’ on campus,” Twenge says. “This is a very risk-averse generation, and that attitude may be influencing their sexual choices.” Though, for the record, being more aware and concerned with sexual health definitely isn’t a bad thing.
The researchers believe porn is playing a big role, too, since it’s far more readily available now than it was years ago. But hey, even if Millennials are getting their kicks alone, there are still plenty of health benefits masturbating provides…
The number of young adults living with their parents is at an all-time high, researchers say. And nothing kills the mood like Mom coming into the basement to do laundry when you’re in the middle of…
Today’s teens are just less sexually active than ones who came before them. The percentage of U.S. high school students who have ever had sex dropped from 51 percent in 1991 to 41 percent in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey. “This generation appears to be waiting longer to have sex, with an increasing minority apparently waiting until their early twenties or later,” Twenge says. “It’s good news for sexual and emotional health if teens are waiting until they are ready. But if young adults forgo sex completely, they may be missing out on some of the advantages of an adult romantic relationship.”
Seriously. Millennials would rather eat and dive head-first into #foodporn and #foodgasms than take part in the sexual derivitives of those terms, according to the Prosumer Report Havas Worldwide Eaters Digest: The Future of Food. FYI, Prosumers are defined as today’s leading influencers and market drivers; they influence the brands we consume and have the power to sway habits.
So, about half the mainstream and 6 in 10 “Prosumers” say eating can be as pleasurable as sex. In fact, 46 percent of males and 51 percent of females agree with this statement.
Here’s the breakdown by generation: Prosumer 58% Mainstream 46% Millennials 54% Gen Xers 49% Boomers 42%
What’s more, given the choice between sex and an excellent dinner at a restaurant, 26% males and 42% females* would choose the dinner.
Again, here’s the breakdown by generation: Prosumer 35% Mainstream 34% Millennials 35% Gen Xers 30% Boomers 35%
*An additional 31 percent of women chose the neutral option (neither agree nor disagree), which means fewer than 1 in 4 women would opt for sex over a great dinner.
