Gen Z is shaking up traditional views on sex—but not in the way you might think. Journalist Carter Sherman explores how younger adults are having less sex than older generations did at their age, linking the trend to everything from pandemic isolation to today’s charged political and social landscape. Her book, The Second Coming, digs into why norms are shifting and what it says about this generation’s relationship with intimacy.

Editor’s Note: Sex isn’t just about personal choices—it’s a mirror of broader cultural shifts. If Gen Z is pulling back from physical intimacy, it hints at deeper anxieties, from privacy concerns to economic instability. Understanding this trend helps decode how younger people navigate love, connection, and even their mental health in a rapidly changing world.