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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
As told to Doosie Morris

‘I don’t even dream about sex … I don’t miss it at all’: readers on why they chose celibacy

Composite of happy woman; in the background are the backviews of two couples
‘It is liberating’: Guardian readers on why they chose celibacy. Photograph: Tim Robberts/Getty Images

Over the last few years more than 120 million posts have appeared on TikTok about the rise of an unexpected trend: self-imposed celibacy.

While some predicted a post-pandemic era of “sexual licentiousness”, readers from all walks of life and across generations told us that far from doubling down on hookup culture, they’ve found refreshing clarity in a more austere approach to physical intimacy.

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