An interesting phenomenon has been observed with regards to millennials as of late: they tend to avoid sex more than previous generations.
Sam Wei, 26, has abstained from sex since her latest relationship concluded 18 months ago. Wei prefers cuddling over sex on a report made by The Washington Post. She stated that she feels more intimacy when she is next to someone she trusts without having to resort to sex after.
Millennials who were born in the 90s were roughly twice more likely to be inactive in sex during their 20's as previous generations were, according to a study published by Springer Link on Tuesday, Aug.2. On top of that, millennials also had fewer sexual partners.
Obviously, this does not mean that most millennials are not having sex anymore. A lot of young adults are still sexually active, but there had just been a significant increase in numbers among those who prefer not to get involved too much.
As to whether this is good or bad, experts are separated and have conflicting thoughts on the issue. Some say that there is now a higher standard when it comes to consent and pressure sex is not taken lightly anymore, which can lead to more lasting relationships in the long run.
But there are those who are also concerned with the decline being a reflection of the youngsters having more difficulty forming or maintaining deep relationships. The reasons include hyper sensationalism of sex and unachievable beauty standards, along with other related factors outside sex like socialization and the pressure to succeed in their careers.
Reports further suggest that the percentage rate of people ages 20 to 24 who did not have sex since turning 18 was 15 percent, compared to the 6 percent figure during the early 90s. And the consensus is that it seems to be continuing further: high school students who have experienced sex fell from 54 percent in 1991 to 41 percent in 2015, which is a 13 percent drop within 24 years.
In the end, some experts believe that this is a good thing, and sex will not go away anytime soon. Below is a video stating five reasons why millennials have less sex than their parents, who were in the previous generations.