Technology has literally changed everything about the way we work, socialize, date and even the way we have sex. There is an app for anything and everything we need them all. We can get whatever we want at pretty much any time. Want a date? Swipe on an app and grab drinks after work. These technological advancements have allowed people to play with a partner who is miles apart, create a community with like-minded people and meet the loves of their lives.
The new tech ~sex revolution~ is here for better or for worse. Here are the ways that technology is changing millennials sex lives.
1. Sex is a swipe away, but that doesn’t mean we’re having it
Obviously, dating apps have taken over the way that we date as millennials. Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Happn, Coffee Meets Bagel, just take your pick and start swiping. These apps have made it easier than ever to meet new people, including hook ups. Tinder, which has widely been deemed a hookup app, is the most popular, with over 7 million monthly users with the median age of 26.
However, even with seemingly endless choices of partners, we are having less sex than any generation in 60 years, according to a study published in the Journal Archives of Sexual Behavior.
2. Sex toys are getting super advanced and accessible
The accessibility and advancement of sex toys have definitely been a game-changer for sex and relationships. The days of having to work up to nerve to walk into a sex shop and purchase a sex toy are no longer. The internet has allowed us to pick and choose any toy from the comfort of our home (or coffee shop or literally anywhere with WiFi). You don’t even have to go to sex toy websites because Amazon even has toys that you can throw in your cart right along with your new books and curtains.
With the ability to meet anyone from anywhere in the world, long-distance relationships are on the rise. 14 percent of dating relationships were long-distance, according to the Center for the Study of Long-Distance Relationships. And 3 million Americans live apart from their spouses, according to Crystal Jiang, an assistant professor of communication at City University of Hong Kong. One of the ways millennials are keeping these relationships alive is the use of advanced sex toys. You can find toys that can be controlled from across the world , which sounds kind of crazy, but can make you feel closer to your partner from miles apart.
Of course, sex toys aren’t only used in LDRs, they’re used for solo sex and are better than they’ve ever been, especially with more women designing toys for women because we obvi have a better idea of what will get us going.
3. You can find an online community for anything you’re into
There is a community online for literally anything you can imagine. Kinks and fetishes have always been around, but not always talked about. People have been into everything under the sun but formerly hid in the darkness because there was really no place in contemporary society to express those kinds of feelings.
Nearly 80% of respondents in a study participated in online groups to help others by sharing information and experiences. With our access to the internet and online communities, more people than ever have been able to find like-minded people and explore their sexuality. Not only those who are into kinks and fetishes, even LGBTQ+ people have been able to find a community to help them feel less alone with their sexuality. Online dating can also help queer and trans people meet romantic partners with less physical danger than hitting on someone IRL might have.
4. ‘Phubbing’ is ruining our relationships
Technology is largely connecting us more than ever, but it’s also tearing us apart. Not only has social media been linked to increased infidelity, but our phone addictions are becoming a problem in relationships of all kinds. ‘Phubbing’ is a term used to describe the super common, yet annoying practice of snubbing someone in their presence by being on your phone. Unfortunately, we’ve probably all done this. Most of us probably do it frequently. In fact, seventy percent of participants in one study said that phubbing hurt their ability to interact with their romantic partners. The study also found that we check our phones more than 150 times a day. A silly little phone should not be ruining relationships. We should probably all agree to put our phones down with our partners and our BFFs.
For better or for worse, technology and sex have totally intersected and changed our sex lives. One thing technology has given us is the access to this knowledge so that we can navigate our sex lives the best way we see fit, so at least we have that, right?