Common sex act Gen Zs now 'refuse to do'

Gen Z are bucking the sexual trends of the generations before them - and there's certain things that Millennials are known for that the simply won't do.

Sexual trends are known to change over the years, with new fads coming and going depending on what's 'in' at the time.

While sexual freedom has only increased over the decades, it appears that Gen Z are the first generation to push back on certain elements of it, compared to their predecessors.

While many Millennials are familiar with the so-called "walk of shame" the morning after a hookup with a sexy stranger, Gen Z are apparently not indulging in casual sex or one night stands.

Sex is a personal thing. Credit: eclipse_images / Getty Images

According to a new report into "sex trends" by adult toy retailer Lovehoney, young people are more interested in meaningful encounters than one night stands.

Elisabeth Neumann, sexologist and head researcher at global sex toy retailer, revealed to news.com.au that the seismic shift in hook-up culture does not mean Gen Z are more "prudish", but that they are reacting to a changing dating climate.

It's no surprise that dating has changed significantly with the rise of dating apps (and the associated fatigue of dry conversations with strangers) as well as the cost of living crisis, and the decline in nightlife following the pandemic.

Neumann explained: "With more than a quarter of late-night venues closed since 2020, we’re seeing a real shift in how young people approach alcohol and night-life."

For Millennials and above, going out drinking and catching eyes with a stranger across the bar was a rite of passage, but the new research shows that only half of 18 to 24 year-olds have had a drunken sexual encounter, compared to nearly 70 per cent of 25-to-34-year-olds and almost three-quarters of 35-to-44-year-olds.

The report notes that "without the inhibition-lowering effects of alcohol or specific spaces where hooking up is socially sanctioned, it’s no wonder that one-night stands are in decline."

Gen Z are less likely to indulge in one night stands. Credit: Flashpop / Getty Images

The ongoing cost of living crisis also means many younger people are living at home with their parents for longer, which doesn't make bringing a stranger back particularly easy - so it's no wonder that 77% of those surveyed say they'd never bring a one-night-stand home.

Neumann added: "This generation has been brought up in a society that treats sexuality in a completely different way to their parents.

"Gen Z aren’t rejecting intimacy, they’re being more intentional about it, attaching more meaning to sex and seeking connection on their own terms."

This also means that Gen Z is having far less sex overall than the generations that came before them (no pun intended).

The survey reports that participants aged 46-61 are having sex on average 62 times a year, which is almost twice as often as those surveyed from Gen Z, who reported having sex just 36 times a year.

Gen Z and Millennials are both feeling "burnout" with the slog of meeting people on apps with 78% reporting "severe swipe burnout and scepticism".

Neumann warns: "Digital intimacy, from sexting to dating apps, can replace real-world experiences of touch and connection, which can leave us more disconnected."

When it comes to how Gen Z are actually meeting potential partners with all the odds stacked against them, it turns out that many are returning to the old-fashioned way of meeting people in real life.

Featured image credit: eclipse_images / Getty Images