Gen Z Dating Survey: Monogamy, Identity and Fluidity
Author: Kinsey Institute
Published: 5 Sep 2024 - Updated: 8 Nov 2026
Publication Type: Reports and Proceedings
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This report summarizes a 2024 State of Dating survey by the dating app Feeld and Dr. Justin Lehmiller of the Kinsey Institute, which questioned 3,310 Feeld members in 71 countries about relationships, identity and sexual interests across four generations. Its main finding is that Gen Z members were the most likely to prefer monogamy while also reporting the most fluid identities. The article places the results beside Gallup polling, explains why an app survey cannot speak for a whole generation, and considers what the findings mean for people with disabilities who date, making it useful for readers, parents, counselors and disabled singles.*
At a Glance
- 1 - 81 percent of Gen Z members said they fantasized about monogamy.
- 2 - Among Boomers, 27 percent preferred a friends-with-benefits arrangement over other relationship styles.
- 3 - Gallup found 9.3 percent of U.S. adults identified as LGBTQ+ in 2024, well below the rate among app members.
- 4 - Since joining the app, 18 percent of Gen Z members said their sexual identity had changed and 10 percent their gender identity.
Topic Definition
- Generation Z
Generation Z, often shortened to Gen Z, is the generation that follows Millennials, usually defined as people born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s; Gallup uses the birth years 1997 to 2006 for its adult Gen Z group. It is the first generation to grow up with smartphones and social media from childhood, and surveys show it is more likely than older generations to identify as LGBTQ+ and to see identity as something that can change over time.
Overview
In September 2024 the dating app Feeld and Dr. Justin Lehmiller of the Kinsey Institute released a State of Dating report on how Gen Z approaches sex, relationships and identity. Based on a survey of 3,310 Feeld members in 71 countries, it found that Gen Z members were more likely than older members to prefer monogamy, while also reporting more fluid sexual and gender identities. Because the people surveyed are users of one app, the results describe that community rather than Gen Z as a whole.
About the Report
The report was co-authored by Feeld and Dr. Justin Lehmiller, a research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, and released on September 4, 2024, close to World Sexual Health Day. Feeld surveyed 3,310 of its members aged 18 to 75 across 71 countries; about 60 percent lived in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands [Feeld, 2024]. The report compares answers from Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, and Boomer members and sets them beside broader Kinsey Institute research.
Gen Z and Monogamy
Despite the common view that young adults are moving away from traditional relationships, monogamy was the most preferred relationship style among Gen Z members, at 23 percent, while 15 percent preferred a non-monogamous relationship [Feeld, 2024]. Older members leaned the other way: ethical non-monogamy was preferred by 24 percent of Millennials and 27 percent of Gen X members, compared with monogamy at 16 percent and 9 percent. Among Boomers, 27 percent preferred a friends-with-benefits arrangement and 12 percent preferred monogamy.
The report also found that 81 percent of Gen Z members fantasized about monogamy, and 44 percent did so often, nearly twice the rate of older generations.
Sexual and Gender Fluidity
Fifty-nine percent of Gen Z members reported a sexual identity other than heterosexual, and 18 percent identified as gender diverse. Since joining the app, 18 percent of Gen Z members said their sexual identity had changed and 10 percent said their gender identity had changed [Feeld, 2024]. Lehmiller said the findings fit Kinsey Institute research suggesting that younger people are more open to exploring and redefining their identities over time.
Exploring New Interests
Fifty-five percent of Gen Z members said they had discovered a new kink since joining Feeld, compared with 49 percent of Millennials, 39 percent of Gen X and 33 percent of Boomers. The report links this to Lehmiller's wider research, in which 56 percent of Gen Z respondents reported BDSM fantasies compared with 12 percent of Boomers [Feeld, 2024].
How the Findings Compare With National Data
Feeld describes itself as an app for people who are curious about relationships outside the usual patterns, so its members are not a cross-section of their generation. National polling gives a wider view. In 2024, 9.3 percent of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or another identity other than heterosexual, and more than one in five Gen Z adults, those born between 1997 and 2006, identified as LGBTQ+ [Gallup, 2025]. The Feeld figure of 59 percent is far higher, which reflects who uses the app.
The survey was self-selected, its dates were not published in the summary, and most respondents lived in a handful of wealthy countries. The findings are best read as a snapshot of one dating community, useful for spotting trends, rather than as proof of how a whole generation behaves.
What It Means for Dating With a Disability
The report did not ask about disability, but its main message, that people want room to define their own relationships, applies to disabled daters too. People with disabilities are often assumed to be uninterested in sex or romance, and disabled LGBTQ+ people can face stigma on two fronts. Research shows that many LGBTQ adults have a disability, so inclusive dating spaces matter for both groups. Practical guidance on profiles, disclosure and safety is available in Disabled World's disability dating tips and advice.
More on this topic: Disabled Dating Publications - LGBTQ+ Publications - Disability and Sexuality Publications
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)
What is ethical non-monogamy?
It is an umbrella term for relationships in which partners openly agree that one or both may have other romantic or sexual partners, such as open relationships or polyamory.
What does gender diverse mean?
Gender diverse describes people whose gender identity or expression differs from what is typically expected for the sex they were assigned at birth, including transgender and nonbinary people.
Why are dating app surveys not representative?
They include only app users who choose to answer, so their results reflect that group rather than the general population. Random national samples give a truer picture.
What is the Kinsey Institute?
It is a research institute at Indiana University that studies human sexuality, gender, reproduction and relationships.
Do people with disabilities use dating apps?
Yes. Many disabled people use mainstream and specialist dating apps, though some report barriers such as inaccessible design and prejudice from other users.
Should I mention my disability on a dating profile?
There is no single right answer. Some people prefer to be open from the start to filter out prejudice, while others share later once they feel comfortable.
How can dating apps be more accessible?
Apps can support screen readers, captions, adjustable text size and simple navigation, and offer clear tools for reporting harassment.
Can sexual orientation change over time?
Research shows that some people experience changes in attraction or in how they label their orientation across their lives, while for many it stays stable.
References
- Feeld. (2024, September 4). What you want will surprise you [State of Dating report summary, with Dr. Justin Lehmiller of the Kinsey Institute].
- Gallup. (2025, February 20). LGBTQ+ identification in U.S. rises to 9.3%.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: Surveys run by dating apps can reveal real shifts in how people talk about love and identity, but they speak first for the people who choose that app. The Feeld findings suggest a generation that wants both commitment and the freedom to define itself, a mix that older labels do not capture well. For disabled people, who are too often left out of conversations about desire and partnership, the same principle applies: relationships work best when people set their own terms, and dating spaces should be built with accessibility and respect from the start.*
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by Kinsey Institute and published on 5 Sep 2024. Last updated on 8 Nov 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.