US single people under 50 having less sex since Roe overturned, study finds

More than one in 10 single people under 50 say they are having less sex because the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, according to a new study.

On Wednesday, Match Group, which operates Tinder, Hinge and a slew of other matchmaking platforms, released the latest findings from its long-running Singles in America survey, a snapshot of more than 5,000 single Americans’ thoughts and experiences around dating and sex. For the second year in a row, Match has found that the demolition of the national right to abortion is affecting how Americans say they date and have sex with one another.

Since Roe fell, more than 20 states have significantly restricted abortion access. Thirteen per cent of singles under 50 said that they are now more afraid of getting pregnant or getting someone else pregnant, including 21% of gen Z singles between the ages of 18 and 26. Twelve per cent of singles under 50 also said that Roe’s demise has made them more hesitant to date, while 11% said they have casual sex less frequently and the same number reported having less sex overall. Seven per cent said that they are more likely to have sex in ways that lower the risk of pregnancy, such as non-penetrative sex.

“Not only is it impacting behavior, it’s also impacting the meaning and the quality of the experience that people are having. It’s really remarkable that legislation is making people feel more nervous or worried or less comfortable with their sexual lives,” said Justin Garcia, the executive director of the Kinsey Institute and a scientific adviser to Match Group.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/24/singles-sex-study-match-roe-v-wade