Young people are navigating romantic and sexual relationships in a rapidly changing world, with social media—including content from misogynistic influencers—reshaping norms around gender and sex. A recent report highlights that teens want more advice on consent, but many teachers lack the skills to provide effective guidance. The study underscores a gap between young people's needs and the sex education they receive, calling for updated training for educators.
Meanwhile, filmmaker Gregg Araki, director of the upcoming film “I Want Your Sex,” weighed in on reports that Generation Z is having less sex. Speaking at the opening night of OutfestNEXT in Los Angeles, Araki expressed surprise at the trend, asking, “Why don’t you have sex? What’s going on?” He noted that sex is a fundamental part of life. Araki used an intimacy coordinator for the first time in his film, reflecting industry efforts to handle on-screen intimacy with care.
Both stories point to a broader conversation about shifting attitudes toward sex among young people. While educators work to improve consent education, cultural figures like Araki question the decline in sexual activity. The reports do not conflict but offer different angles on the same generational shift.