Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation and the Sex Trends It Follows

Every Generation Thinks It Invented Sex.

Generational knowledge about sex is rarely passed down from one generation to the next. Ignorance, shame, social pressure, religious condemnation, lack of appropriate vocabulary, and a scarcity of opportunities to use it created massive obstacles for our ancestors to overcome.

Differentiating between the generations wasn’t even a thing until 1926, when lesbian author Gertrude Stein coined the term “Lost Generation” to describe herself and her WWI age peers. It may feel uncomfortable to think about parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents having sex, but the truth is that they were all young once upon a time. Anyone who has gone through puberty knows that sex, the lack of it, and whether or not to indulge in it eventually become big issues.

BABY BOOMERS (1946 – 1964)
GENERATION JONES (1954 – 1964)

Chances are good that in 2025 you are or know someone who is a “Baby Boomer,” also known as a “Boomer.” The first wave of these post-WWII babies came of age sexually during a time of post-war prosperity and anti-war rebellion. Many teens who were able to avoid the draft celebrated during the Summer of Love, during which much carnal exploration and experimentation took place in between anti-Vietnam war protests. It was often accompanied by marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, LSD, and music.

Even with the newly introduced birth control pill, this led inevitably to parenthood. Once again, they were innovators. Unlike previous generations, the Boomers took the perspectives of their offspring seriously and allowed them a considerable amount of unsupervised outdoor time. When the 1980s arrived, the first wave of Boomers stepped into their power economically and politically. Because of the large span of years and the magnitude of social and economic changes that took place during them, the Baby Boom developed a generation within a generation.  It even has its own website.

Everyone born between 1946 – 1964 is statistically a Boomer, but those born between 1954 – 1964 are culturally distinct from their older siblings. This subgroup was officially identified and nicknamed “Generation Jones” by entrepreneur Jonathan Pontell, who was born in 1958. As a teen during the 1970s, Pontell noticed that older Boomers were more optimistic, while younger Boomers were more cynical. The fatal arrival of HIV/AIDS and equally high-profile if non-fatal herpes put a sudden stop to what had been a bareback wonderland. Sex could suddenly kill you.

GENERATION X (1965 – 1980)

It was during these troubled sexual times that Generation X grew up. They shared many of the same musical, sexual, and cultural habits of Generation Jones. Punk rock, grunge, and hip-hop resonated with the sense of abandonment and invisibility felt by the two generations. Called Slackers by first-wave Boomers, the sensual sensibilities of Generation X were molded, in part, by the launch of MTV and the birth of the internet.

Not ascribed a shared group identity until the 1991 Douglas Coupland novel Generation X was published, life and work felt tedious, meaningless, and unappreciated. As cautious about sex as Generation Jones, the two groups depended on independence and adaptability to survive. When they eventually became parents, they made up for the lack of attention they had received.

MILLENNIALS (1981 – 1996)

The generation that came of age at the turn of this century was called, unimaginatively, Millennials. William Strauss and Neil Howe’s 1991 book Generations is to blame. With HIV/AIDS more manageable and survivable due to medication, the Millennial generation had its sex lives upended by COVID-19. Now, it wasn’t just unprotected sex that was risky. Being within breathing distance of an infected person required a protective layer. Fortunately, sex toys, the internet, and copious pornographic offerings helped the generation survive, although in-person social skills became rusty. Living with the folks due to the Great Recession didn’t help the odds of scoring.

First-wave Boomers once again had an opinion about younger people. They labeled Millennials as self-absorbed and obsessed with technology. Yet it was thanks to dating apps, social media, email, text messages, and other developing tech that Millennials worked, as well as developed and lost both friendly and romantic connections. Members of the generation married and became “parennials” later in life than preceding generations, in part due to women entering college at higher rates. Still politically liberal, their parenting style emphasized that children should live as their authentic selves.

According to a 2024 Newsweek survey, Millennials consider quality sex to be a priority. In fact, it rated higher than shared hobbies, political views, and lifestyle choices. For this generation, communicating within relationships became essential, especially when it comes to sex. No longer content to specialize in pleasing partners, Millennials wanted to enjoy themselves, as well. Fortunately, the internet was more of a resource than ever before. Sex workshops, sex coaching, and even sex parties could be located online, so the need to develop a policy of consent and good communication related to sex became a priority.

GENERATION Z (1997 – 2012)

Also known as “Zoomers,” Generation Z was the first to grow up in a world where the internet, tech, social media, and mobile devices were everywhere. Through them, Gen Z learned about social justice, politics, human diversity, dating, and sex. Turned off by most dating apps, this generation has been focused more on affairs of the heart that include sexual intimacy than sex dates that might lead to a relationship. For most, dating is difficult, and marriage is viewed positively, although a notable number agree with their parents that it is outdated, not worth the cost, and can be escaped without shame via divorce.

Gen Z is into personal improvement, emotional self-care, clear communication, and a willingness to experiment. Polyamory, open relationships, kink, and sexual fluidity are no longer in the closet. High-tech gadgets and calendars make it easier to balance and maintain love affairs. Single-parent and mixed-raced homes were common and further expanded Gen Z partner choices. Legal same-sex marriage, the Great Recession, the #MeToo movement, the isolation of COVID-19, and high levels of anxiety further influenced Gen Z’s approach to sex. Lovers were on the lookout less for traditional sexual and gender norms and more for love.

Surprisingly, the same generation that has embraced celibacy also loves sex parties. As Angie Rowntree, the driving female force behind award-winning porn site Sssh.com explained to Newsweek, “More Gen Zs are coming to sex parties, but most of them are more interested in the performance element, i.e., costumes… than actually having sex.” A Kinsey Institute study backed this up when it revealed lower rates of sexual activity. Seen as proof of a “sex recession” by previous generations, but members of Gen Z don’t see it that way. Rowntree says they want ethical, realistic, racially and sexually diverse porn. They also seek quality sex instead of a high body count. The TikTok #cancelporn and celibacy movements motivated Twitter to add “Puriteen” to our vocabulary.

“Generation Sober” still likes alcohol but doesn’t need it for an intimate encounter. They meet through friends, co-workers, or visits to clubs and bars. For all the sex-positive talk, Gen Z women still find that dates do not bring condoms or even mention them. This has led many to insist on paper copies of STI results. Sex on the first date is a relationship dealbreaker. After all, finding sex is easy. Finding a lasting relationship is hard.

GENERATION ALPHA (2011 - 2024)

The first generation to be known by a Greek letter, Generation Alpha, is even more tech savvy than Gen Z, which is saying something. Amusingly enough, Gen Z thinks Gen Alpha acts and thinks weirdly because its members spend too much time staring at a screen.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt calls it the “Anxious Generation” because it is overwhelmed with images and information that are often confusing, disturbing, and even harmful. He told Today that young women experience added stress online due to messages about their bodies and beauty standards, as well as unsolicited sexual attention from older men and the potential of intimate photos being used as blackmail.

Like Generation Z, Alpha is comfortable talking about sex and enjoys the ability to try on different sexual identities and types of relationships. Chances are excellent that they’ve found copious free and paid online porn services. They may even have “sexed” each other. Whether that’s a good thing or not is a matter of debate, but like Gen Z before them, Alpha prioritizes consent and respect for boundaries in matters sexual.