It’s rough out here.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
As a 22-year-old member of Gen Z, I wasn’t surprised by a new study from The Kinsey Institute saying that my generation isn’t having sex.
asserted
generation → say → sex
The study claims that it’s mostly financial anxiety responsible for our collective dry spell — 43% said financial concerns made it harder to date or maintain romantic relationships.
But it’s not quite that cut and dried.
uncertain
it → claim → relationships
The reality is that while many Gen Z members would love to be getting it on, we just can’t get past some of the considerable consequences.
asserted
we → love → consequences
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
asserted
It → suppose → ?
Shows like Sex and the City, that we still binge — and our older friends and co-workers — regale us with wild tales of nights out that end up with a happy ending.
asserted
that → binge → ending
But now that we’re here it feels like a fantasy.
asserted
it → ’re → fantasy
Our (frugal, because we’re poor) outings start with a group of friends, and end that way, too.
asserted
outings → ’re → friends
For our generation, we’re still asking, Will sexcapades ever happen after a wild night out?
asserted
sexcapades → ask → night
According to the Kinsey Institute, the answer is “nope.”
uncertain
answer → accord → Institute
The storied sex foundation surveyed 2,373 U.S. adults aged 18–29 to understand how young adults are navigating sex, dating and relationships today.
asserted
adults → survey → sex
The key takeaway wasn’t exactly a shocker: Most young adults report low levels of sexual activity overall.
asserted
adults → report → activity
The survey found 29% had zero partners in the last 3 months, while 19% have never had a sexual partner at all.
asserted
% → find → partner
But only 18% of study participants reported being “unsatisfied” with their sex lives, even though the majority of young people surveyed would happily jump at the chance to jump in bed with a Jacob Elordi lookalike, saying their sex drives are “moderate to high.”
asserted
drives → report → lookalike
What’s stopping Gen Z from getting X rated?
asserted
What → stop → Z
Reporting from the front line, I can tell you that the deterrent is different for everyone.
asserted
deterrent → report → everyone
Some fear having intimate details shared in a fraternity or sorority alumni chat with literally hundreds of people.
asserted
details → fear → people
Others want an emotional connection first, but don’t know how to find it when people seem to be less flirtatious in person, even if their digital “selves” are downright spicy.
asserted
selves → want → person
And others simply don’t care.
asserted
others → care → ?
There’s less taboo around masturbation and self-pleasure, so people are content with going home rather than risking the social suicide of rejection.
asserted
people → ’ → rejection
According to interviews I did, Gen Z would prefer to have phone sex or send nude photos over text to fill our desire quota.
uncertain
Z → accord → quota
We grew up with the instant gratification of the Internet, after all.
asserted
We → grow → Internet
Kyle Ramsingh, a 22-year-old from Queens, told The Post, “My friends find pleasure over the phone rather than physical intimacy.
asserted
friends → tell → intimacy
It’s easy, and there’s really no commitment because the chances aren’t high that you’ll ever meet that person…
asserted
you → ’ → person
I don’t want to say Gen Z is taking the easy way out, but it’s more of a virtual approach to intimacy.”
asserted
it → want → intimacy
Ramsingh suspects that the constant validation from Instagram likes, TikTok duets, and Twitch shoutouts might replace the once-thrilling high of being told you look great in your underwear.
uncertain
you → suspect → underwear
“Once we get the slightest amount of a dopamine high, we’ll be content with pretty much anything we do—like seeing friends, going on vacation, or buying an $8 coffee to replace sex.
asserted
we → get → sex
Then there’s all the “advice” on social media that’s more useless than a Metrocard from 2025.
asserted
that → ’ → 2025
With a million different social rules being projected onto us all at once, it’s no wonder we’ve all collectively taken a backseat.
asserted
we → project → backseat
Today, the current term to describe being desperate is “down bad” — and although Gen Z is certainly horny, we’re not willing to risk it for that kind of label, especially when our peers are photographing and videoing everything.
asserted
peers → describe → everything
For us, shame is not a new feeling; it’s only amplified because we grew up with porn telling us the ‘right’ way to have sex, with gossip being instantaneous, and with the fear of looking desperate becoming a TikTok trend instead of a momentary lapse in coolness.
asserted
fear → amplify → coolness
A 22-year-old Gen Zer from New York City told The Post that her main deterrent from sex was the fear of becoming a screenshot in a group chat.
asserted
deterrent → tell → chat
“Social media and reputation now make private information spread so fast,” she told The Post.
asserted
she → make → Post
“Screenshots, private messages and gossip can reach an entire social circle almost immediately, which made me hesitant about sex before my relationship.”
asserted
me → reach → relationship
She said that dating apps have confused her about how to “seek out” sex.
asserted
apps → say → sex
While the apps make it easier to find physical intimacy, it’s tough to tell which meet-ups are for hook-ups and which are meant to begin a real relationship.
asserted
which → make → relationship
That IRL confusion is awkward enough to make them want to avoid it entirely, even when apps like Hinge let people say they’re looking for something “casual.”
asserted
they → make → something
Many of us can’t tell.
asserted
Many → tell → us
There’s also the issue of bragging about sex online — even if you’re not actually having it.
asserted
you → ’ → it
“I have a friend who is an influencer and publicly created content offering women advice on improving their sex lives,” my 22-year-old friend told The Post.
asserted
friend → have → Post
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
