More and more Americans are embracing celibacy

In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of individuals who have chosen to embrace celibacy, either as a temporary or permanent lifestyle choice.

In fact, as an article from The Guardian points out, celibacy has even become a trend on social media: "On TikTok, voluntary or intentional celibacy has become a trend – the #celibacy hashtag has had more than 195m views."

While historically celibacy was often associated with religious asceticism, these days people from all walks of life are choosing to give up sex for various reasons.

According to The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior in the US conducted by the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, the percentage of Americans who have had no sexual partners has steadily increased over the past several decades.

Particularly noteworthy is the significant jump in the number of individuals aged 18-29 who have never had sex.

"The percentage of adults who have had no sexual partners since age 18 has steadily increased among both men and women," the Kinsey Institute study states.

Furthermore, the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior in the US revealed that from 2009 to 2018 the amount of adolescents reporting no sexual activity (partnered and alone) increased  from 28.8% to 44.2% of young men and from 49.5% to 74% of young women.

In an interview with Scientific America from 2022, one of the authors of the study, Tsung-chieh (Jane) Fu shared her hypotheses about why  people are less interested in sex.

"We need more studies to tell us why. But for young people, computer games, increasing social media use, video games—something is replacing that time. During that period from 2009 to 2018, different types of social media emerged," Tsung-chieh (Jane) Fu told the publication.

The study's authors also told Scientific America that a greater awareness of asexuality as an identity, less alcohol consumption, lower incomes could be scaring younger people off.

Another theory comes from Dr Justin Lehmiller, a Kinsey Institute research fellow and host of the Sex and Psychology podcast. Dr Lehmiller told The Guardian that embracing celibacy for some might be related to “the growing trend towards delayed adulthood."

Dr Lehmiller explained further adding, "Individuals might see sex and relationships as distractions, or as not having much point until they’ve found stability in other life circumstances.”

Those embracing the celibacy movement on social media often claim it brings them happiness and even mental clarity, and there may be some degree of truth to these claims.

As psychologist, Dr. Megan Stubbs noted, "Celibacy can be seen as a path to self-discovery, self-awareness, and self-acceptance."

In an interview with Psychology Today, Dr. Stubbs explained that for some, celibacy can provide the space to focus on personal growth, emotional healing, and spiritual practices.

She added that "Sex is often seen as the pinnacle of intimacy, but there are many other ways to cultivate closeness and connection in our lives."

Despite the growing number of people embracing celibacy, the lifestyle choice is still often met with confusion or even scepticism.

As journalist Anna Hart writes in a 2021 article for The Independent, "The vast majority of people I spoke to about my celibacy seemed to think I was either joking, a religious zealot or a nun."

Hart adds, "We are so tied up in this idea of romantic love being the end goal that we can't see anything else as a valid alternative."

However, as more and more individuals choose celibacy as a way of life, it is becoming increasingly accepted and understood.

As psychologist, Dr. Jessica O'Reilly notes, "Celibacy is simply one way of being sexual. It's a valid choice, and it should be respected like any other sexual choice."