Tejal Somvanshi
Young people today see marriage differently than their older siblings and friends did just a few years ago. New research shows they’re more interested in getting married – but less interested in casual dating.
A recent Times survey found something unexpected. Only 21% of today’s young adults (aged 18-27) think marriage doesn’t matter. Twenty years ago, 39% of millennials thought marriage wasn’t important. That’s a big change in how young people view commitment.
“We are about self-love and learning about ourselves,” says Charlie Sawyer, 25, who works at a youth media company. This focus on personal growth shapes how Gen Z dates and thinks about marriage.
The numbers tell an interesting story about dating habits. About 62% of Gen Z says they don’t do one-night stands. Only 23% say they have casual hookups. Compare that to 2004, when 78% of young people said they had casual encounters.
COVID-19 changed things too. Young people spent key social years in lockdown. Many missed out on typical teenage experiences. The result? Less casual dating and more interest in serious relationships.
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Recent numbers from the CDC show fewer teens are having sex now. In 2021, only 30% of teens reported being sexually active. That’s down from 38% in 2019. Thirty years ago, more than half of teenagers were sexually active.
Her Campus Media found that 93% of Gen Z likes the idea of marriage. More than 40% are in serious relationships, and 27% are looking for “the one.”
“Older generations may have felt drawn to marriage out of necessity or societal pressures,” explains Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, who runs Her Campus Media. “For them, there is renewed hope in committing to a partner and having a built-in support system.”
This generation grew up during a time of high divorce rates. But instead of turning them against marriage, it made them think differently about it. The changing view of marriage includes more openness to the possibility of divorce, which paradoxically seems to make them more willing to try marriage.
Traditional ideas of marriage are changing too. Young people today are expecting more equal partnerships in both household responsibilities and financial contributions.
Psychologist Lauren Napolitano notes these views might change as Gen Z gets older. But for now, young people are mixing old and new ideas about love. They want committed relationships but on their own terms.
