‘Surprising’ Gen Z Sex Trend Discovered That Mirrors That of Previous Generation

When it comes to relationships, a common belief is that Gen Z likes speed and freedom, while baby boomers and millennials traditionally prefer monogamy and stability.

But a recent report claims that the younger generation may be more like their predecessors than originally thought. Who would have thought?

Feeld, a cutting-edge dating app for “open-minded people,” has partnered with Dr. Justin Lehmiller of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University to gather data on the dating habits of different generations.

The groundbreaking results were released on Wednesday (4 September) on World Sexual Health Day.

Experts working on the report, titled “The State of Dating: How Gen Z is Redefining Sexuality and Relationships,” collected data from Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers on dating trends and attitudes toward sexuality and relationships.

After analyzing the data — collected from the Feeld community and broader research conducted at the Kinsey Institute — the study’s authors concluded that young people exhibit an “unexpected penchant for monogamy.”

It was reported that 81 percent of participants born between 1997 and 2012 admitted to fantasizing about a monogamous relationship.

Meanwhile, as many as 44 percent of respondents admitted that they often thought about it.

Among older generations, it is estimated that about 70 percent of people enjoy one-on-one engagement, and 25 percent think about it regularly.

“It’s well-documented that Generation Z is having less sex, fewer partners and fewer relationships than previous generations,” Dr. Lehmiller said.

“At the same time, the current trend is to romanticize traditional relationships and roles. There is a certain charm to ‘the way things used to be,’ in the sense that it simply seemed simpler.”

The survey found that 15 percent of people surveyed said they preferred non-monogamous relationships over traditional ones.

This startling statistic is only slightly lower than the 16% of Millennials who say they support monogamy, and significantly higher than the 9% of Gen Z.

The research also suggests that younger generations are “becoming more open to exploring and redefining their identities over time,” with 59 percent of Gen Z members Feeld declaring a sexual identity other than heterosexual.

Scientists also used the results of these studies to explore the world of fetishes.

According to broader research, Generation Z leads the way in terms of interest in fetishes and BDSM, with 56 percent of them admitting to BDSM fantasies, compared to just 12 percent of baby boomers.

“This points to a generation that is both challenging and embracing tradition,” the study leader explained.

Dr. Lehmiller also said the study results offer “fascinating insight” into how Generation Z is “redefining relationships.”

“Their openness to exploring more fluid ways of being, coupled with an unexpected penchant for monogamy, points to a generation that is both questioning and embracing tradition,” he continued.

“It’s also striking that, compared to the national average, the Feeld community seems to be much more open to exploring, defining and redefining who they really are, which helps us as we work to understand where sexuality and relationships are heading in a broader cultural context.”

The full report is now available on Feeld.