Tech
Young prudes
Publication: The Works in Progress Newsletter
Author: Aria Schrecker
Source published: 28/10/2026, 10:47:16 UTC
Briefing created: 28/10/2026, 11:03:40 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 28/10/2026, 11:01:25 UTC.
Briefings
A 2026 article argues that young adults in the US are less likely to engage in casual sex on first dates compared to older generations, attributing this shift to a surplus of women in the dating market since the 1950s. The piece cites polling data and historical demographic shifts, including the 1950s baby boom which created a false male shortage, to explain the rise of prudishness among millennials. It contrasts this with the 1920s, when men outnumbered women, and notes that while contraception was available, premarital sex remained a minority pursuit until the 1950s.
Key points
- Younger generations are less likely to have sex on a first date or one-night stand compared to older generations.
- The dating market experienced a surplus of women from the 1950s through the 1990s due to the baby boom and male immigration patterns.
Context
The article challenges the standard narrative of the sexual revolution, suggesting that the rise of prudishness among millennials is a response to a surplus of women in the dating market rather than a decline in sexual activity. This demographic shift occurred after the 1950s baby boom, which created a false male shortage in the US dating market.
Limitations
Evidence is limited to polling data and historical demographic statistics from the 1920s through the 1990s. The article does not provide specific dates for the current trend, nor does it offer causal claims linking the baby boom directly to the current behavior of young adults.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 28/10/2026, 11:03:40 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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