We’ve gone from a slutty summer to a flaccid fall.
According to a study published by Match today, 81 percent of single men said sex is now less important than it was for them in pre-pandemic times.
The jaw-dropping stat on lackluster libidos is thanks to a “perfect storm” of biological and societal reasons brought on by COVID, according to Match’s chief scientific advisers and sex researchers Helen Fisher, Ph.D., and Justin Garcia, Ph.D.
“You can’t shut a planet and expect people’s physiology to remain the same,” Fisher told The Post. “We all suffered, dopamine plummeted, testosterone plummeted, sex is less important.
“The more sex you have, the more you want. The less sex you have, the less you want. These singles were having less sex and were under extreme stress, the two together dampened the importance of sex in their lives,” she added.
It’s not to say that the horizontal hokey pokey is no longer on the minds of single men, but that it’s taken a back seat to newfound priorities in both relationships and love, Garcia explained.
“It’s most striking in men that they’re taking a moment to value relationships and relationship context of intimate encounters more. We see the rates of casual sex are down, only 11 percent of singles want to date casually,” he said. “More people are back to the ‘three date rule’ and want to go on multiple dates before first making out or having intercourse.”
That’s because many men are now experiencing post-traumatic growth from COVID and are focusing toward “prioritizing well being” along with furthering emotional maturity, Fisher said.
“Singles are growing up, they’re looking for long-term stability in a partnership, they’re going to take their time to find it and men are leading the way.”
Much of that has come from men becoming more well-rounded, according to the research. The study found that 72 percent of Gen Z and 69 percent of millennials began taking up new hobbies during the pandemic, while 69 percent of Gen Z boasted that they made significant career strides.
Plus, men are “better at relaxing, they’re getting more sleep, they’re gaining self-confidence,” said Fisher. “They really are finding other avenues — besides sex — for intellectual growth.”
This newfound dating culture — one which sees men desiring more wholesome connections with both themselves and their partners — gives the sexperts hope.
“What we’re seeing is a global situation here,” Fisher said. “It may well lead to a few decades of relative family stability and happy marriages.”