Monogamy or Monogamish? 7% of Americans are keeping it open(ish).

Summer is heating up, and so are modern views on love. A new Hims survey reveals that many Americans no longer see monogamy as the gold standard—64% of men and 57% of women believe it’s outdated, unrealistic, or simply not for them. Some say they just prefer to keep their romantic options open.

When asked about monogamy, only 39% said it’s the only kind of relationship they’d consider, while the remaining 61% expressed doubt or disinterest. Among them: 9% view it as ideal but unrealistic, another 9% call it outdated, 7% say it’s not possible, and 6% think it works for women—but not men. Meanwhile, 7% prefer to stay open, 11% say it depends on how many sexual options are available, and 12% remain undecided.

America Is Warming Up to Open Relationships.

Supporting the trend that monogamy is losing its hold, Americans are nearly split on their relationship goals. While 54% still favor traditional courtship and marriage, 46% say they’re open to alternatives. Interestingly, 7% are currently in open relationships—including 15% of Gen Z—comparable to the 8% who are in monogamous partnerships without marriage.

When it comes to expressing love, Americans are divided between sexual experimentation (49%) and sexual comfort (51%). And commitment isn’t everything—32% say they prefer “a little mystery” in their relationships, with similar openness from both genders (29% of women and 34% of men favor non-traditional setups).

Gen Z is the least monogamous generation yet—but they’re still seeking real-life love.

Gen Z has never been one to follow tradition, so it’s no shock they’re the least likely to choose monogamy as their ideal relationship style. A full 68% of Gen Z—65% of women and 71% of men—say they’re open to non-monogamous relationships, compared to 64% of Millennials, 50% of Gen Xers, and just 43% of Boomers. Only 44% of Gen Zs are interested in old-school romance, and they’re twice as likely as the general population—and five times more likely than Gen X—to be in an open relationship.

Still, Gen Z isn’t ditching real-world love. Despite their openness to non-traditional setups, 74% of Gen Zs (and 77% of all respondents) say they prefer in-person relationships over digital ones. They’re not rejecting connection—they’re just redefining it.

And when it comes to choosing a partner, Gen Z values drive. More than a third (38%) say they’d take ambition over romance, a higher rate than Millennials (36.5%), Gen X (32%), and Baby Boomers (27%).

In the bedroom, women are just as likely to take the lead as men.

Breaking from tradition, women are just as likely as men to take the lead in the bedroom. Half of women and half of men say it’s an equal, 50/50 dynamic when it comes to who’s in charge between the sheets. And what are women looking for? Exploration—48% say they prefer sexual experimentation over comfort, nearly matching the 50% of men who say the same. Among Gen Z, women are even more eager to experiment than men (55% vs. 52%).

These insights come from a January 2025 survey of 7,100 respondents ages 18–65 across the U.S., including individuals from major metro areas, all 50 states, and a nationally representative sample. Some participants were counted across multiple categories.

The findings were examined across 190 demographic and psychographic categories, including city, region, gender identity (with “women” and “men” referring to all who self-identify as such), age, race and ethnicity, relationship and parenting status, sexual orientation (including heterosexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, asexual, queer, and more), as well as interests like fandoms (music, sports, etc.), fitness habits, and dietary preferences.

Unless otherwise specified, all data cited in this study come from this source. The research and analysis were conducted by the independent firm Culture Co-op.