(Last Updated on June 17, 2019 by Datezie Editors)
Quick: close your eyes and think about the last time you had sex.
(We’re waiting.)
(Yep, still waiting.)
If you’re still thinking as you continue to read this article, then you may be part of the dry spell that’s apparently sweeping the nation. For those who haven’t done the horizontal tango in quite some time, a recent study might make you feel better about your sexless lifestyle. How come? The number of adults in the United States who revealed they didn’t have sex last year is at an all-time high. In fact, nearly one in four folks are currently celibate.
What’s probably the most surprising, however, is the 18 to 29-year-old crowd — specifically young men. Though the number of women who reported a sex-free life rose from 10 percent in 2008 to 18 percent in 2018, that increase is even higher for the dudes. Compared to the 10 percent of 29-or-younger men who shared they weren’t having sex in 2008, it’s now up to 28 percent in 2018.
Before you come up with a slew of reasons on why sex isn’t an option for you right now, remember no-brainer data plays a part in these findings too. It isn’t just millennials and generation-x who are refraining from intercourse. In fact, the survey credits some of the decrease in sex to an aging population. Compared to 18 percent in 1996, 60-and-up adults make up 26 percent of the overall mass. And half of those share they aren’t currently sexually active.
What else is causing this draught?
According to an interview in The Washington Post about the survey, it’s a combination of a few things, with a delayed first-age of marriage rising to the top. Since most 20-somethings aren’t in long-term or live-in relationships during this decade, they report lower frequency of intercourse. Even though this age group is typically labeled as casual and fancy-free about sex, one-off hook-ups don’t really add up the numbers. You may have a one-night-stand three times a month, but your buddy in a six-month relationship is probably gettin’ jiggy with it four times a week.
Another reason could be due to higher rates of unemployment, especially for those right out of college. It could be trite to connect the two, but if a dude isn’t bringing home the bacon, a new girlfriend probably won’t be keen to support him — and sleep with him — until he gets a job.
Last but not least, technology may to be blame, too. As Jean Twenge, a professor and author put it: “There are a lot more things to do at 10 o’clock at night now than there were 20 years ago. Streaming video, social media, console games, everything else.”
So when will the drought end and the downpour will take over?
That’s up to you, bro — and how much effort you want to put into being laid. After all, sex is a personal choice between two consenting adults — but if you’re married to your phone, laying lazy on the couch and not putting effort into getting a girlfriend? Guess what? You’ll probably stay on the celibate train longer than you’d like.
