One in 10 single people under age 50 had less sex in 2023, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade a year earlier and, with it, eliminated the constitutional right to abortion after five decades of federal protection, a new survey reveals.
Match Group, a technology group that manages Tinder and other romantic dating platforms, published the results of its survey on Wednesday. Singles in Americain which more than 5,000 American singles answered questions about their dating and sex lives.
The survey showed that 13% of singles under 50 years of age indicated they were afraid of getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant in an unwanted way. 21% of the total belongs to generation Z, who are between 18 and 26 years old.
“I’m bisexual, so this has made me think I should strictly date women,” said one woman surveyed, quoted by The Guardian. “(The repeal) became a litmus test for people who think it’s too problematic to date,” said another.
Furthermore, 12% of Soleros under 50 years of age stated that the lack of constitutional right to abortion makes them Hesitating much more than normal when thinking about having romantic dates.
Meanwhile, 11% said they had casual sex less frequently, and the same number said they made the decision to have less sex, in general.
“(The repeal of Roe v. Wade) not only influences behavior, but also the meaning and quality of the experience that people live,” Justin García, executive director of the Kinsey Institute and scientific advisor to Match, told the newspaper. Group..
“It is surprising that the legislation makes people feel more nervous, worried or less comfortable with their sex life,” he added.
More anxiety when having sex and more use of contraceptives
Likewise, 7% of respondents said they are more likely to have sex in ways that reduce the risk of pregnancy, while one in 10 agreed to feel more nervous or anxious when having sex.
“You’re not going to connect as well (with the other person) if you feel anxious all the time,” García said regarding how complicated the dynamic of forming couples can be.
Last year, the same survey found that for 78% of singles surveyed the repeal of Roe vs. Wade affected her romantic and sexual life. Just 12 months later, the figure has risen to 87%.
The survey also found that the Supreme Court ruling spiked contraceptive use. 13% of singles under 50 indicated that they now use condoms more frequently. 7% of women indicated that they had an IUD (intrauterine device) inserted and the 5% of men said they had had a vasectomy after the sentencing.
The controversial decision on abortion is also mobilizing voters ahead of the November general election, as the issue is increasingly at the center of a debate on which Democrats hope to gain support at the polls.
Abortion and general elections
70% of the singles surveyed stated that the position of the presidential candidates on abortion will have an impact when it comes to voting. A quarter said they will make their decision completely, including 20% of Republicans and 30% of Democrats.
However, women were clearer in saying that abortion will determine their vote, with 26% compared to 18% of men.
“I am furious and I am going to vote only for Democrats for any office”said one of the respondents.
Another more emphatic group, 14% of singles, said that it is very likely that they will not even vote, including 20% of those belonging to generation Z.
“There are more than 100 million singles in the United States. They are a huge and ignored demographic group,” García explained. “These are not insignificant numbers in a close election.”
