For a generation raised on dating apps and “situationships,” Gen Z is surprisingly traditional when it comes to love.
A new study from The Times and YouGov found that Gen Z is not only rejecting hookup culture—they’re more open to marriage than both millennials and their own parents were at their age.
According to the survey, 62% of Gen Z respondents said they and their friends don’t engage in one-night stands, while only 23% admitted to casual hookups. Compare that to 2004, when a whopping 78% of young millennials said they had sex on a first date. But it’s not just about fewer hookups—Gen Z is also thinking more seriously about commitment. Only 21% believe marriage is irrelevant, a major shift from millennials 20 years ago, when 39% dismissed marriage altogether.
The pandemic played a huge role in reshaping how Gen Z thinks about relationships. Forced isolation put dating on hold at a formative time, leaving many to think more intentionally about what they actually want. Growing up in a world of rising divorce rates also made them more cautious about commitment—not to avoid it, but to get it right. Unlike previous generations who often felt societal pressure to marry, Gen Z seems to view it as a personal, meaningful choice.
Even as cultural norms around marriage continue to evolve, Gen Z is embracing it in a new way. They’re not rushing into it out of obligation or practicality, but because they actually believe in love, partnership and the idea that marriage—done right—can be a good thing. Turns out, after decades of declining marriage rates, this generation might just be the one to bring it back.
