‘No Hard Feelings,’ Jennifer Lawrence, 2023.
Macall Polay / © Sony Pictures Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection
No sex please, we’re Gen Z.
A new study conducted by UCLA found that American viewers between the ages of 10 and 24 wanted to see less sex onscreen.
In fact, a slight majority (51 percent of the 1,500 surveyed) said they wanted to see more content about platonic relationships and friendships. While 47.5 percent said sex “isn’t needed” for most TV shows and movies, with 44 percent feeling romance is “overused.” Also, 44 percent say agree with a statement saying they “would rather clean the toilet” than go on an online date.
A perhaps even more surprising revelation was that the majority of those surveyed (56 percent) preferred to watch original stories rather than franchises, adaptations and remakes — so that’s at least one thing they have in common with older viewers.
Other findings:
— Racial stereotypes in shows were intensely disliked. In fact, just having a person of color portraying a villain, or portraying a character with negative traits, was also disliked.
— Gen Z considers social media to be “authentic media,” with TikTok considered the most authentic platform (even though its search feature delivers far more misinformation than, say, Google, according to a report).
— Their favorite theme in stories was “hopeful, uplifting content with people beating the odds” and “people with lives like my own.”
Rates of sexual activity have actually been in decline for years, with the drop being most pronounced in Gen Z. Psychology Today reports they’re having sex less often and doing it with fewer partners, and that’s especially true for young men. Gen Z adults are reporting a lower frequency of sex than people in their 30s and 40s.
The study comes after Jennifer Lawrence’s comedy No Hard Feelings started streaming on Netflix and sparked a debate on social media about the Oscar winner’s nude scene and whether it was necessary.
Carol Dennis is an entertainment aficionado with an eye for all things pop culture. She dives into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, from movie premieres to music festivals. Carol’s passion for storytelling extends beyond her reporting, as she’s an aspiring screenwriter in her free time.
