Hulu has launched a new dating competition series, Are You My First?, placing virgins at the center of reality television at a time when more young people are openly discussing sexual abstinence.
The show, unveiled this week, gathers a group of attractive contestants in their 20s and early 30s in a tropical villa, following the familiar formula of Love Island and Too Hot to Handle. The twist is that every participant is sexually inexperienced, with reasons ranging from religious beliefs to medical conditions and personal choice.
One contestant, a 30-year-old cocktail waitress, shared that she has a condition making sex painful, while others described their abstinence as political, personal, or even empowering. “There’s power in having sex, and there’s also power in withholding,” said Katya, a 28-year-old artist.
The programme arrives amid a wider cultural fascination with virginity. It follows Channel 4’s Virgin Island and TLC’s Virgins, and coincides with pop star Lorde releasing an album titled Virgin. On social media, creators like 24-year-old Ida have drawn millions of views by candidly sharing their experiences with abstinence and dating.
A 2022 study by the Kinsey Institute found that one in four Gen Z adults have never had sex. While some analysts suggest sexual behaviour itself has not dramatically changed, they note that young people are more willing to talk about celibacy without stigma.
Experts also point to political and cultural divides shaping attitudes. Author Sai Marie Johnson and others argue that growing concerns over misogyny and reproductive rights are leading some women to embrace voluntary celibacy.
The trend has even influenced casting decisions. Ida, whose TikTok videos about virginity went viral, revealed she has already taken part in a pilot for another virginity-focused reality series.
Critics say the popularity of these shows reflects both shifting norms around sexuality and the internet’s appetite for personal storytelling. “We’re having fewer in-person social interactions, and sex is a natural part of that,” said sexual culture critic Magdalene Taylor.
