Gen Z want less sex in movies and TV shows according to new study

No sex please, we’re Gen Z.

According to new data from UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers, Gen Z viewers are tired of on-screen sexual content.

Released this week, the American university's annual Teens & Screens report, titled “Get Real: Relatability on Demand”, surveyed 1,500 young adults and teens aged between 10 and 24 in the US during August.

It reveals how Gen Z are craving relatability and authentic representation in media, with 59.7% saying they “want to see more content where the central relationships are friendships”; 54.1% stating that they want to see “portrayals of characters who aren’t interested in romantic relationships at that point in time”; and 48.4 per cent of teen viewers saying there is “too much sex and sexual content” in modern movies and TV shows.

Indeed, romance ranked third-to-last on a list of topics youths wanted to see explored on screen. Toxic relationships and love triangles also ranked among the most tiresome tropes for young viewers.

Instead, Gen Z has a preference for animation compared to live action – rising from 42 per cent in 2024 to 48.5 per cent this year.

These results shouldn’t come as a surprise, as UCLA’s 2023 study already showed a heightened inclination from Gen Z towards narratives centred around platonic relationships rather than explicit sexual encounters. Researchers coined this evolving trend as "nomance" - which lines up with studies showing a decline in sexual activity amongst Gen Z.

For instance, a 2021 study by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that only 30 per cent of teenagers had engaged in sexual activity, a significant decrease from 38 per cent in 2019 and over 50 per cent in preceding decades.

The CDC’s Kathleen Ethier said at the time that the decline could be a good thing if it reflects more young people making healthy decisions to delay sex and reduce their number of partners. She did, however, add: “What concerns me is this is potentially a reflection of social isolation.”

Last year, UCLA's 'Teens and Screens' report - titled “Reality Bites! More Fantasy, More Friendship” - also showed that younger audiences wanted more films focused on platonic relationships, with over 62 per cent of those aged 10-25 years old agreeing that sexual content is not necessary to advance plots in movies or TV shows.

Also last year, the Economist found there to be 40 per cent less sexual content in Hollywood films compared to the start of 2000, with approximately half of all movies showing no sexual content at all.

More surprisingly and contrary to stereotypes, this year’s UCLA study also suggests that young people still want to go to the movies, they are still watching films and TV shows, and they are eager to discuss the things they watch with their friends.