Once upon a time, men and women would fantasise about the white picket fence dream. They would long for the big house, the happy family and the casserole dishes gifted by a smiley neighbour.
However, in 2024, that’s gone – and you can’t blame Gen Z for this one. That’s because Boomers are currently experiencing something penned as a ‘midlife awakening’, where they are actively seeking out friends with benefits (FWB). Instead of the younger generation being the prime suspects for non-monogamy, it looks like their parents – and grandparents – are seeking out less traditional relationships.
So instead of acting out the white picket fence dream, it looks like Boomers are jumping over it to pursue a ‘no strings attached’ type of arrangement. A study by dating app for the adventurous Feeld and the Kinsey Institute – the research centre in sex, gender, and reproduction – revealed some interesting trends that paint a picture of the dating world.
It’s highlighted a ‘shift’ and we spoke to the experts to find out why – and a lot of it is to do with our phones.
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Dina Mohammad-Laity, VP of Data at Feeld, exclusively told us: “We are experiencing a shift in dating patterns across generations. People are living longer than they did just 1-2 generations ago, and their relationships and sexual preferences continue to evolve over that now extended period.
“While dating apps have become a rite of passage for younger generations, Boomers are getting to explore these platforms later in life for the first time.
“The trends we’re seeing of Boomers wanting FWB and Gen Zers fantasizing about monogamy reflect a broader cultural phenomenon where each generation either idealises or rebels against the dating experiences of others – all in the name of doing things their way and experiencing and creating their own reality outside of what the current ‘norm’ is.”
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If you’re reading this and thinking that the older generations are just having a ‘midlife’ crisis, then you’d be wrong. Unlike Gen Z, these generations have been brought up on the notion that monogamy in a traditional two-person relationship is the only moral way to have a sexual connection.
However, people are now being ‘awakened’ to the possibilities of different relationships and are seeking to explore them.
In the new collaborative report that surveyed 3,310 members of Feeld, Gen Z actually see monogamy as the most preferred relationship type. (23%). Whereas Millennials (24%) and Gen X(27%), are pursing ethnical non-monogamy.
(Image: Getty Images)
And as we now know, Boomers are looking at friends with benefits as the most preferred type (27%).
Dina concluded: “Rather than a ‘midlife crisis’, we see this as a mid-life awakening – a realisation that what we’ve been taught over the decades is limiting, and relationships come in all shapes and sizes well beyond traditional, binary structures.
“At Feeld, we firmly believe that self-discovery isn’t confined to any particular age or life stage. We’re all constantly evolving, as we should.
“From our perspective, this isn’t a crisis but an opportunity for exploration, with honesty and transparency at its core. It’s a chance for individuals to understand themselves better and potentially redefine their approach to relationships and intimacy in ways that best suit them.”