Technology has changed the way we shop, eat, entertain ourselves, communicate and work, so it is perhaps not surprising that it has done the same for the way we approach sex.
The world-famous Kinsey Institute teamed up with a women’s health startup to look at the changes technology has brought about. The answers to some of the questions are revealing!
67 per cent of people in the survey had sexted
In 2012, Kinsey polled people to ask whether they had ever texted someone with sexually explicit texts. 21 per cent had, although the term ‘sexting’ probably hadn’t been invented then.
This year, Kinsey asked the same question again; this time, 67 per cent said they had sexted someone. Amongst 18- to 20-year-olds, 43 per cent had used Snapchat to send racy images or messages. This level of usage shows that sexting is now a normal part of relationships, often taking place before people meet IRL (in real life).
Dating apps – just for hook-ups?
Only 30 per cent of the respondents said they used dating apps; of these, just 10 per cent were looking for partners for a single night, although it is hard to tell how honest people were being. Americans were perhaps more truthful, with just 18 per cent of dating app users looking for a long-term relationship.
The Swedes were the biggest users of dating apps, with 46 per cent saying they had used apps such as Tinder. For some reason, just three per cent of Russians have used dating apps – perhaps there is no Russian phrase for ‘swipe left’?
Apps used to learn more about sex
20 per cent of people had used technology or apps simply to learn more about sex. The great thing about technology is that people can ask questions of Google that they would be embarrassed to ask a friend.
The same is true for sexually transmitted diseases. People can go online to find out more about the whole subject and what to do about issues that may be worrying them. You can even order chlamydia testing kits in London from organisations such as https://www.bexleysexualhealth.org/chlamydia_screening/ by going online.
For better or worse, technology will continue to change the way we think about and approach sex.