Updated 21 January 2026
Key takeaways:
- Some 90% of Gen Zers are open to physical touch, but 39% say context matters, and 38% restrict touch to family and close friends.
- Consent is non-negotiable, with 67% requiring permission before kissing, 32% before hugging, and 22% even before sitting close.
- Gen Z is sexually experimental, with 37% having roleplayed, 29% having hooked up in public, 23% having sexted at work, and 20% having shared explicit photos online.
- Despite Gen Z’s willingness to challenge norms, 76% still embrace some traditions – marriage proposals as essential, with 58% preferring the classic “man on one knee” proposal.
Benching, freckling, situationships, and soft launches… Trying to wrap your head around Gen Z dating culture must be so confusing to anyone who isn’t part of the generation.
From them, the traditional path – meet, date, settle down, marry – isn’t the only option. Instead, their attitudes and behaviors are best defined by freedom and fluidity. If everyone’s happy and no one’s getting hurt, it’s fair game.
Love isn’t dead, but is tradition? EduBirdie surveyed 2,000 young people to get Gen Z’s views on love and sex, consent and boundaries, and whether the ways of old still have any place in modern relationships.
Gen Zers are fine with physical contact, but don’t make it weird – 90% are down for touch, but 39% say context matters, and 38% keep it strictly to family and close friends.
PDA? Cringe.
One in 20 say showing affection in public should be totally off-limits, and 28% prefer to keep their romantic lives strictly private. Hugging and hand-holding are fine for 28%, and 26% would go as far as kissing and cuddling. But second base? No chance.
Boomers may see anything beyond a handshake as grounds for dismissal, while millennials may prefer shoulder pats and high-fives, but when has Gen Z ever followed suit?
Setting their own professional boundaries, 29% say casual hugs are acceptable in the workplace, and 12% say physical touch is fine, too.
Past generations are sooo prudish, and Gen Z isn’t here for old-school taboos, with 61% insisting they’re more physically affectionate than previous generations. If everyone consents and the vibe is right, then why hold back?
Gen Z may be more touchy-feely than past generations, but that doesn’t mean they’re open to anything and anyone. Consent is a must, and no means no.
For 67%, you need permission before going in for a kiss, 32% say hugging needs approval, and 22% say even sitting close requires a green light.
Gen Z likes to talk sex, but not in a dirty way.
They’re down for having open, honest conversations about what they like, don’t like, and where the limit lies early, with 51% always and 31% sometimes making their sexual boundaries clear before the situation gets intimate.
Gen Z is the outspoken generation, and they’ll make it loud and clear if their line is crossed: 46% say they speak up immediately, and 31% would pull away without hesitation.
However, worryingly, 6% say they would tolerate their boundaries being broken to avoid cringe or conflict.
Gen Z’s confidence doesn’t stop at the bedroom door. Some 64% say they’re very comfortable saying “no” during sex, while only 5% struggle with setting boundaries in bed.
Missionary is so mid, and the same old foreplay just doesn’t do it.
Gen Zers like to experiment sexually, and they’re willing to try just about anything to turn the heat up – 37% have roleplayed, 29% have hooked up in public, 23% have sexted at work, and 20% have shared explicit photos online.
Sure, Gen Zers are open to trying just about anything, but they’re not so willing to share the receipts.
For 53% of Gen Z, intimacy – and all the juicy details – are to be kept between partners, while 13% don’t spill the tea to anyone.
However, some are more open: 45% share with friends, 12% with family, and 8% post about it online.
Sex is nice and all, but there are far more important things in life, according to Gen Z. Good sleep (64%), a stable job (64%), and being successful (59%), for instance.
The relationship survives cuffing season, everything is defined, and the hard launch is complete. So, how long until diamond rings and white dresses enter the chat?
For 76% of Gen Zers, one to five years of dating feels like the right time to start wedding planning. However, 5% are fully open to cannonballing – wasting no time and tying the knot in under a year.
Gen Z doesn’t just do things because that’s how it’s always been done. However, there are some traditions it does embrace. While 6% think marriage proposals are outdated and performative – a way to get a few likes – 52% still see them as an essential relationship milestone.
Plenty of outdated norms that give Gen Z the ick, but proposals aren’t one of them. When it comes to heterosexual relationships, 58% say they prefer the classic setup: the man down on one knee.
However, a growing number of young people are shunning tradition, with 30% insisting the partner who feels ready first should pop the question.
Proposals in a meaningful spot, complete with a rehearsed speech and a photographer ready and waiting? It’s giving Millennial.
What 29% of Gen Zers really want is spontaneity – no planning. Just do it when it feels right. Likewise, 19% would be happy with the classic restaurant, knee drop, and ring, while 19% want a surprise party surrounded by loved ones.
And in true Gen Z fashion, 6% want a proposal that will go viral online, never missing a chance to catch some clout.
