Working up the courage to ask somebody out is one of the most nerve-wracking things a person can do, so much so that it’s kind of surreal that any of us end up in relationships at all.
But for this generation, there appears to be somewhat of a confidence crisis, with 49% of British guys between the ages of 14 and 24 admitting to having held fire on asking someone out due to a lack of confidence.
Furthermore, 44% of young men expressed feeling way more comfortable speaking to people they fancy on social media than in their offline lives. And, as a former shy teenager whose first relationship was forged over MSN, I can totally relate.
These statistics are taken from a new study by male fragrance brand Lynx, entitled ‘The Confidence Crisis’.
Findings reveal how young men within this notoriously awkward age group are struggling to navigate the sticky, tricky world of dating in the modern era; from dating app dilemmas to sliding into a crush’s DMs.
Almost half of UK teens reportedly find the rules and advice surrounding modern dating very confusing, meaning it’s no small wonder they’re struggling to muster up the necessary confidence to take the plunge.
Of course, in order to feel comfortable enough in dating situations, a little bit of knowledge is crucial, as taught to us time and again by the cast of superb – and genuinely very, very educational – Netflix series, Sex Education.
Unfortunately, the pursuit of this all-important knowledge can lead young people to seek it from unreliable corners of the web.
For example, 32% of British lads within the 14 to 24 age range will turn to pornography to seek sex advice which – to paraphrase the great Jameela Jamil – is a bit like learning to drive by watching The Fast and The Furious.
To address this information gap, Lynx is now joining forces with Sex Education, with the team having sneaked a few pages from Dr. Jean Milburn’s as-of-yet unpublished memoir, Bringing Up Men.
The very existence of this book may have left Otis utterly infuriated, but it is now serving a truly worthy purpose; helping young people far beyond the gates of Moordale High. No doubt a cause the budding sex therapist would heartily endorse.
Lynx have had their own go at rewriting Bringing Up Men, with chapters due to go live exclusively via Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Lynxformen.com/UK throughout 2020.
Each refreshingly honest chapter will tell real-life stories from actual teenagers, addressing various cringe-worthy – and highly relatable – dating situations; from first kisses ruined by open-mouthed sneezes, to mortifying auto-correct disasters.
Chapters will be introduced by a Sex Education character, with the hope of alleviating some of the awkwardness and pressure surrounding sex and dating amongst teens and young men.
Caroline Gregory, Global Brand Director, Lynx said:
Sex, dating and relationships are such a big part of our guys’ lives, it only made sense for us to work with the experts at Sex Education to create hilarious but educational stories to help teens break out of their dating funk and gain the confidence as they navigate this new world of dating.
As the Lynx research tells us, nearly half (46%) of UK teens agree that they find all the rules and advice around modern dating confusing.
There is obvious confusion as well as a lack of resources teens have to turn to for dating and we’re hoping this new book can serve as that go-to guide for guys that will instil more confidence by breaking down the barriers of misplaced knowledge and expectations of sex and attraction for today’s teen guys.
With a disheartening 29% of teens confessing they would rather remain single than ask a person out in real life, it’s clear educational and empathetic resources such as this are very much needed.
Find out more about this book on Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Lynxformen.com/UK
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.