According to a new survey, Gen Z fans want less sex and more camaraderie in cinema and television.
In contrast to previous X-rated series such as Euphoria and The Idol, over half (47.5%) of those born between 1996 and 2012 believe that sex isn’t required to drive narratives.
Instead, 51.5% of today’s teens want to see more information about friendships and platonic relationships, while 44.3% believe romance is ‘overused’ in media.
In its place, 39% want to see more aromantic and asexual characters on screen, such as O (Thaddea Graham), an asexual student sex therapist in Netflix smash Sex Education, according to UCLA’s Teens on Screens research.
‘While it is true that teenagers desire less sex on TV and in films, the poll truly says that they want more and diverse kinds of relationships depicted in the media they watch,’ says one expert. Dr. Yalda T. Uhls, co-author of the study and founder and director of CSS, stated.
‘We know that young people are suffering an epidemic of loneliness and they’re seeking modeling in the art they consume. While some storytellers use sex and romance as a shortcut to character connection, it’s important for Hollywood to recognise that adolescents want stories that reflect the full spectrum of relationships.’
The findings reflect a shift in relationship dynamics among Gen Z, with 56% noticing more peers choosing to be single, while 44% said they’d rather clean the toilet than go on an online date, according to Harris Insights and Analytics; Singles in America 2023.
Elsewhere, studies have shown that younger generations are having less sex than before, with a 2022 study of US teenagers commissioned by Love Honey revealing that a quarter of people aged 18 to 24 were still virgins.
Meanwhile, actors such as Poldark’s Aidan Turner have talked up about their discomfort during filming sex scenes, especially before the widespread use of intimate coordinated.
Speaking about a past on-set experience, Aidan previously said: ‘It was awkward in some moments. Not always, but directors, I found in my experience, weren’t always great at doing [sex scenes.]’
Sir Michael Caine, 90, also expressed relief he no longer films sex scenes, telling the Daily Mail: ‘Thank God I’m 90 and don’t play lovers anymore is all I can say.’
What is asexuality?
A person who is asexual does not experience sexual attraction. Some asexual persons are attracted to romantic partners, while others are not. Asexual persons who feel romantic attraction may use labels like homosexual, bisexual, lesbian, straight, and queer to express the direction of their romantic interest in addition to asexual.
Penn Badgley claimed that for the latest season of You, he requested showrunner Sera Gamble to reduce the quantity of personal scenes.
‘It was not easy. It was easy because of Sera’s response, and I felt relieved. But technically speaking, if I thought I’d had the ability to set that boundary earlier, I would have,’ he told GQ.
Other celebrities, however, have applauded the sex scenes, such Phoebe Dynevor, who called Bridgerton‘s private moments as inspiring since they were ‘from the female viewpoint.’
