Gen Z’s Opposition to On-Screen Intimacy
Are younger people over the raunchy visuals?
(Getty Images)
With more information available surrounding intimacy and relationships, it looks like there are significantly less people who are interested in the idea of seeing physical intimacy in their favorite shows and films. It’s gotten to the point where it’s being called out on social media by a lot of people.
Here is what FOX News reported on the topic.
A recent UCLA study reveals that teenagers and adults belonging to Gen Z are expressing a preference for reduced instances of sexual content in the television shows and movies they watch.
The “Teens and Screens” research, conducted by the Center for Scholars and Storytellers at UCLA, indicates that 51.5% of adolescents are inclined towards content that emphasizes platonic relationships and strong friendships.
Furthermore, the study indicates that 44.4% of the surveyed young individuals believe that romantic themes in media are excessively prevalent, while 39% express a desire for a greater representation of characters who identify as aromantic or asexual in the media they consume.
Aliyah Moore, a certified sex therapist and expert in gender and sexuality studies, shared with Fox News Digital that the evolving cultural landscape plays a pivotal role in shaping the attitudes of young people towards sex.
According to Moore, Gen Z has come of age during a time marked by increased awareness of consent, sexual boundaries, and the #MeToo movement. This heightened awareness is a driving force behind their call for more wholesome and respectful portrayals of relationships. They seek content that shifts the focus from physical intimacy to emotional connections and non-romantic relationships.
Moore also pointed out that the extensive access to online resources, coupled with a growing sense of isolation and loneliness, could help explain their desire for less emphasis on sex in the media. The availability of online content and a heightened need for virtual connectivity prompt young individuals to seek media representations that encompass a broad range of human experiences, including the presence of aromantic and asexual characters.
Some opinions around the matter of sex scenes are simply rooted in the useless nature of the visuals in various shows and movies.
I’m actually with Gen Z on sex scenes not from a moral position but because a majority of directors just can’t shoot a sex scene that isn’t comically bad.
— Gayest Tone (@gayest_tone) October 26, 2023
i just wanna be able to watch something with the family without it being awkward and horrible
— thejamplan 🍓 (@thejimjammiest) October 26, 2023
There are some people who don’t really mind the content being as graphic as it has been …
Well written stories is all I want, if it has sexual content or not I couldn’t care
— Craig (@CS11__) October 25, 2023
Hot take: sex scenes are not useless
A perfect example is in ‘Oppenheimer’ pic.twitter.com/EGCrUIDn3n
— EvanAC (@EvanAboutCinema) October 25, 2023
It seems like a heavily divided topic amongst entertainment enjoyers. The clearest takeaway from all of this is that substance matters to viewers. The best way to maintain it for some people is to focus on the plot instead of the reactions.
Noumaan Faiz, (he/him) is a journalist and entertainer from Hayward, CA who covers culture and entertainment.
Edited by Nykeya Woods