Masturbation is the self-love gift that keeps on giving, but Gen Z seems to need a helping hand with it.
In observance of the (very real) holiday Masturbation May, LGBTQ+ dating app HER recently conducted a survey to see how their app users get off on their own. HER surveyed over 4000 participants who identified as a combination of the following identities: female, intersex, nonbinary, trans, and ace/aro, but all under the queer umbrella. And while the survey showed that 77% of queers masturbate at least once a week, Gen Z seems to not masturbate as often.
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Interestingly enough, queer Gen Z folks watch more porn than Millennials and Gen X. Eighty-two percent of survey participants stated that they watch porn while masturbating, with Gen Z enjoying it the most. So while Gen Z enjoys a visual aid while they masturbate, they don’t masturbate as often as their Millennial and Gen X counterparts. There’s plenty of speculation as to why this is, but a 2022 survey from British sex store Lovehoney reported that Gen Z is more stressed than any other generation.
Heightened levels of stress lead to a reduction in sexual interest. So, when you consider a pandemic, an increasingly dangerous U.S. political climate, a growing financial crisis, and climate change, there’s plenty to be stressed about, including not getting enough self-pleasure.
Still, survey results showed that queer folks, regardless of age, are still masturbating, and they’re doing it all over the house: Popular settings for self-love include the bed or shower. Additionally, the survey showed that more people were thinking about someone that they know while masturbating (56%) as opposed to their partner (30%).
Scandalous? No, just a completely normal part of the experience. Especially when you consider that 65% of respondents masturbate with their partner(s) and 71% of respondents reported that they discussed masturbation with their partner(s). And if the partner(s) in question aren’t available, folks are still using toys, with 70% of respondents declaring their love for sex toys and 81% declaring vibrators as the toy of choice.
Masturbation has plenty of health benefits, from stress relief, improved sleep, and a better understanding of your pleasure map. And there’s still hope for Gen Z’s self-love journey, but just like the future, it’s in their hands. Check out the rest of HER’s findings here.
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Published in their “Valentine’s Day Data Report”, HER found out that Gen Z has some interesting thoughts on love, non-monogamy, and V-Day.
