Sep 19, 2025 02:55 AM
(This post was last modified: Sep 19, 2025 02:59 AM by C C.)
RELATED (scivillage): U.S. sees 5.7 million more childless women than expected, fueling a "demographic cliff"
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1% of people don’t have sex. New research shows it may be partly genetic
https://theconversation.com/1-of-people-...tic-265391
EXCERPTS: In a new study, my colleagues and I looked at the differences between mature adults who had never had sex and those who had. We found sexlessness is associated with a range of genetic, environmental, physical and mental factors – but much still remains unclear.
[...] We found sexless men tended to live in regions of the UK with relatively fewer women. In both men and women, sexlessness was more common in regions with higher income inequality.
These new findings align with those of an earlier study of “incel” posts on social media. It found they were more likely to originate from regions of the United States with relatively fewer women and higher income inequality.
We also looked for characteristics that were more common among people who had never had sex. Sexless individuals tended to feel more nervous and lonely and less happy, and had fewer visits from friends and family. They were also less likely to have someone to confide in or to believe that life is meaningful.
These findings confirm the entanglement of sex and wellbeing. People who had never had sex tended to use drugs and alcohol less, be more educated, and to have started wearing glasses from a younger age.
Men with lower grip strength and arm muscle mass (proxies for general upper body strength) were less likely to have had sex. There were no such correlations among women.
The overall pattern we observe among sexless people – intelligent, academically successful, with less physical strength and more social isolation – aligns with existing stereotypes of lower romantic success, especially in adolescence.
Our participants were middle-aged adults, or older. However, wearing glasses at an early age, and other stereotypically “nerdy” features, may disrupt adolescent dating experiences. This in turn may affect one’s romantic confidence into adulthood.
We also had genetic data about all participants. This meant we were able to analyse whether genetic differences were associated with having had or not had sex. Using what’s called a genome-wide association analysis, we found genes accounted for 15% of the variation in whether or not individuals had had sex.
However, there were no individual genes with large effects. Rather, there were many genes, each with tiny effects... (MORE - missing details)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1% of people don’t have sex. New research shows it may be partly genetic
https://theconversation.com/1-of-people-...tic-265391
EXCERPTS: In a new study, my colleagues and I looked at the differences between mature adults who had never had sex and those who had. We found sexlessness is associated with a range of genetic, environmental, physical and mental factors – but much still remains unclear.
[...] We found sexless men tended to live in regions of the UK with relatively fewer women. In both men and women, sexlessness was more common in regions with higher income inequality.
These new findings align with those of an earlier study of “incel” posts on social media. It found they were more likely to originate from regions of the United States with relatively fewer women and higher income inequality.
We also looked for characteristics that were more common among people who had never had sex. Sexless individuals tended to feel more nervous and lonely and less happy, and had fewer visits from friends and family. They were also less likely to have someone to confide in or to believe that life is meaningful.
These findings confirm the entanglement of sex and wellbeing. People who had never had sex tended to use drugs and alcohol less, be more educated, and to have started wearing glasses from a younger age.
Men with lower grip strength and arm muscle mass (proxies for general upper body strength) were less likely to have had sex. There were no such correlations among women.
The overall pattern we observe among sexless people – intelligent, academically successful, with less physical strength and more social isolation – aligns with existing stereotypes of lower romantic success, especially in adolescence.
Our participants were middle-aged adults, or older. However, wearing glasses at an early age, and other stereotypically “nerdy” features, may disrupt adolescent dating experiences. This in turn may affect one’s romantic confidence into adulthood.
We also had genetic data about all participants. This meant we were able to analyse whether genetic differences were associated with having had or not had sex. Using what’s called a genome-wide association analysis, we found genes accounted for 15% of the variation in whether or not individuals had had sex.
However, there were no individual genes with large effects. Rather, there were many genes, each with tiny effects... (MORE - missing details)
