Summer films are tackling the 'Gen Z sex recession,' exploring why this generation, despite being progressive, is having less sex due to societal conservatism and digital alienation.
The article delves into the long-standing question of why Gen Z is experiencing a 'sex recession,' attributing it to a contradiction between their progressive views and a pervasive sexual conservatism, exacerbated by post-Roe v. Wade fears and the alienating influence of the internet. It examines how recent summer movies address this phenomenon: 'One Night Only' is critiqued for reducing the issue to a libidinal problem rather than an existential one. Films like 'I Want Your Sex' and 'The Invite' explore sex as a means to self-knowledge through encounters, still touching on modern alienation. 'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' is highlighted as the most nuanced, intertwining sex, death, and art as fundamental human impulses and showcasing a journey of self-discovery through letting go of control. These films, while not providing models for sexual behavior, offer valuable 'cautionary guides' by depicting the messy, awkward reality of sex, a refreshing change from past unrealistic portrayals.
