Why Isn’t Gen Z Having Sex? How Politics Invaded the Bedroom

Event ID: PP1162228

Sun, Mar 15, 2026 | 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Venue: Salon D (Hilton Austin Downtown)

View on Official SXSW

Summary

Young people are in the midst of a sex recession – they’re having much less sex, way less often – and they’re taking flak from all sides. Some say young women are too sex negative in the wake of #MeToo and the fall of Roe v Wade. Others blame young men for becoming enamored with the manosphere and internet porn. Placed against the backdrop of a sexually-conservative, anti-LGBTQ+ Trump administration – and a Democratic opposition too scared to broach the subject – this conversation will explore Gen Z’s worries about romance and dating, and what it means for the rest of us.

Contributors

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