Gen Z thinks sex scenes are 'unnecessary' in TV and movies, survey finds

Sex scenes and intimate romance may be a staple in some of the most iconic television shows and movies, but a majority of Gen Z viewers are over it, according to a recent survey published by researchers at UCLA. 

In fact, more than half of all young people who participated in the University of California Los Angeles's (UCLA) Center for Scholars and Storytellers "Teens and Screens" survey, said they would prefer more content that focuses on friendships. 

51% of the 1,500 young Americans surveyed said they wanted to see more platonic relationships while 47.5% said sex "isn't needed" for most TV shows and movies. 

44% said romance is "overused" and "unnecessary" for the plot. 

"When there's media with too much sex, me and my friends often feel uncomfortable," said survey respondent Ana, age 16, in a video released by UCLA to accompany the study.

"My friends are I maybe awkwardly bear through it," said 20-year-old respondent Joseph.

UCLA researchers noted that most young viewers would rather see a greater variety of relationships rather than the typical dynamics that can be found in most romantic dramas. 

"It's not that young people aren't interested in TV, movies and other media with sexual content, it's that they want to see more and different types of relationships," said UCLA Center for Scholars and Storytellers founder Yalda Uhls. "We did not specifically ask about porn so I couldn't say for sure. But one theory could be that the prevalence of porn could be a reason why they feel they want to see less sexual content in traditional media."