A recent study found American adults between the ages of 18 and 23 are having 14% less “casual sex” than people their age a decade ago. There’s also plenty of Gen Zers that are opting out of sex completely. Here are some reasons these voluntarily celibate - AKA volcels - folks gave VICE for their reason why.
● Self-Esteem. Just because there’s more acceptance in the world doesn’t make Gen Z immune to body issues. Take 24-year-old Kero for example. She chose to take herself off the market three years ago due to a lack of self-esteem. She’s only just now starting to consider sex again but this time around she “only wants to be with a man who has earned [her] trust, who worships the ground [she] walks on, who honors and respects [her].”
● Sex Is A Distraction. A popular reason a few Gen Zers gave for choosing celibacy was simply to concentrate their efforts elsewhere. Lucy, a 20-year-old, says they “got lost in all the nonsense” at first but then stopped chasing sex because and “didn't do as much for [them].” On the same note, 21-year-old Drew took a year off sex to “improve [his] illustration work” after noticing “chasing girls and getting heartbroken clouded [his] judgment.” Make art, not love.
● Celibacy Is More Accepted. Many Gen Zers said being asexual was always a thing but it took their generation to normalize it. And if you need proof that it’s working, check out the #celibacy on TikTok where hundreds of videos live featuring young adults sharing all the benefits they’re having from not having sex. And with over 12 million views, it seems like the topic might just be popular with the youngest generation.
HT: VICE!