Gen Z are known for putting every intimate detail about themselves online, but according to recent stats, it seems they’re still too embarrassed to be seen buying a pack of condoms. Only 15% of the UK bought condoms between 2023 and 2024, according to Durex’s Global Sex Survey.
But it’s not just Britain - this is part of a growing worldwide trend. In August 2024, the World Health Organization issued a warning about an “alarming decline” in condom use among adolescents. According to a study which reached out to teenagers from 42 countries, almost a third of 15-year-olds reported using neither a condom nor a contraceptive pill the last time they were sexually active.
Regardless of what contraceptive method one might be using, condoms are the only guaranteed method of protecting against STIs. This means that not using them can put yourself and others at massive risk.
But why has there been a decline in condom use? According to Shakira Scott, founder of the UK-based sexual education workshop Scotty Unfamous, a large part of the reason is simply because of shame. She says, “There’s a lot of shame in going into the shop and picking up condoms. You feel like everyone’s looking at you at the checkout like you’re a sl-t.”
Even when you consider where condoms are usually stocked in supermarkets, they tend to be tucked away on top shelves – like a forbidden item – or placed beside pregnancy tests, which further creates an idea of shame.
It seems almost counterintuitive that Gen Z are risking STIs and pregnancy just out of awkwardness. After all, they’ve grown up with more access to an endless supply of information online than any other group before them. But as Evie Plumb, sex therapist and founder of sex education podcast Cliterally The Best, points out, for many, their first introduction to sexual education is the classroom.
While sexual education is mandatory in UK schools, most lack the funding to bring in sexual health experts. How many of us suffered through an obligatory 20-minute session taught by a blushing gym teacher trying to stuff a banana into a wad of latex? Not to mention the lack of education around using condoms on sex toys, particularly for LGBTQ+ couples.
“Having that safe space to ask questions that feel silly is important,” Evie says. Unfortunately, the classroom often fails to offer that space to students. So, it begs the question, if school isn’t providing adequate sexual education … then who is?
Unfortunately, no conversation about Gen Z’s idea of sex can forgo the mention of porn. It’s basically everywhere. Instant access, at any time, in your pocket. Over the past decade, porn addiction has skyrocketed, with the addiction clinic Paracelsus Recovery warned it had seen a 150% increase in the number of people being treated for porn addiction between 2019 and 2023. Disturbingly, in 2023, the Children’s Commissioner also found that half of children who had seen pornography had seen it by age 13.
Aside from potential mental issues, a notable problem with the material is that it rarely features condoms. For a generation whose first exposure to sexual intimacy is typically through a screen, this can hardwire their brains to perceive them as something that “ruins the flow” of the moment.
One of the best ways to counteract the problem and to keep yourself safe, Evie advises, is to carry your own condoms: “A good tip is not relying on the other person to bring them.”
She also acknowledges that it can be difficult to bring up the subject of wearing a condom in the moment – especially if you’re looking to impress someone or are a people pleaser. But she adds, “If someone doesn’t respect that then you probably shouldn’t be having sex with them.”
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