Your future is smutty: Predictions for the sexual zeitgeist

All January, I’ve been asking people about their New Year’s resolutions—specifically, whether any of them involve sex. It’s the kind of question that throws people—both because it’s personal, and because so many resolutions are designed to be self-punishing, hinging on discipline and goal-setting rather than pleasure or connection. But to my delight, quite a few people I asked did have some sexy resolutions! From embracing mutual masturbation to finally getting pegged, strangers have been expounding on the sexual futures they imagine for 2026—and I can’t help but wonder whether these fantasies reflect broader trends and cultural undercurrents shaping our desires.

This year, Feeld has once again asked me to cast my eye on the horizon, drawing from their 2025 Feeld Raw report, popular porn searches, social media trends, and the insights of those around me to divine what this year has in store. You loved it when I did this last year, and to my genuine delight, many of the predictions were right on the money—from the rise of romantasy and supernatural smut to a notable increase in work-themed porn.

For Pleasure-Seeking’s second collaboration with Feeld, I’m reprising my role as sexual trend forecaster and dreaming up six takeaways from 2025, and six predictions for where the zeitgeist is headed in 2026. 

Gen Z is hot for sports content—even before Heated Rivalry

According to the data, 2025 was a big year for sports, with Gen Z’s interest in tennis, soccer, basketball, and fitness rising 300-600%—even before a certain gay hockey show became a global sensation. Originally produced for a small streaming platform on a shoestring budget, Heated Rivalry has since become a word-of-mouth hit, spurring lookalike contests, reality TV spinoffs, and a cultural obsession bordering on collective psychosis.

I predict…

Increasing interest not just in sports-related porn, but also in erotica, fanfiction, and audio porn. Yaoi, enemies to lovers, slow burn—all these tropes were beloved by the fanfiction community long before Heated Rivalry came along and pushed guy-on-guy erotica into the mainstream. Now that new audiences are discovering the appeal, I predict growing demand across new content categories and mediums, and a broader resurgence of smutty entertainment.

We’ve already seen this in recent years, with erotically charged movies like Challengers (a sexy sports-related romp) and Babygirl (a kinky co-worker romance) scandalizing box offices worldwide. It’s no wonder Heated Rivalry—which combines both of these things, in a forbidden romance between teammates—was such a hit!

It’s catnip for modern audiences, not just because we’re starved for actually sexy, real-life dynamics, but because it romanticizes the struggles of situationships—making the familiar ache of a doomed romance feel more noble because it’s the result of societal conditions, not personal failings. Incidentally, I think we’re going to see a lot of people crawling back to their toxic exes… But remember that, unlike gay hockey players in the 2010s, your sneaky link probably isn’t battling the stigma of coming out as queer; they just have attachment issues. Stay strong, soldiers, and do not text them!

Apparently, everyone wants to get pegged now

Well, not everyone, but a lot of people. Specifically straight men. According to Feeld’s data, interest in pegging has surged 200+%. Anecdotally, a few straight men told me it was on their sexual bucket list this year, framing it as a way to embrace vulnerability and overcome shame.

The term pegging was originally coined by Dan Savage to reference a heterosexual woman penetrating her male partner with a strap-on. But no matter who you’re penetrating, this trend involves toys, which just so happens to be among Feeld members’ top 3 growing interests. As Dr. Luke Brunning suggests in their official analysis, this could be seen as a sign of normalized pleasure, broadening definitions of masculinity, and the fact that these activities are finally destigmatized, nudging the culture gradually toward a healthier model of masculinity. Or maybe people are just horny. Either way, it’s clear more men are willing to admit that, as Shane Hollander says in Heated Rivalry, “they’d rather be the hole than the peg.”

I predict…

Rising numbers of men identifying as a submissive, switches, bottoms, or even femboys, which was one of Pornhub’s top searches last year. Healthy masculinity is in, and—not to keep bringing it back to Heated Rivalry—we’ve seen a massive response to videos where men embrace their feminine side, express affection for one another, or otherwise model warmth and vulnerability.

Speaking of which…

Femdom is on the rise 

Maybe it’s just my For You Page (telling!) but recently, I’ve been seeing a shift from women seeking a “high value man” and “provider archetype” to those craving a service sub, or simply a golden retriever boyfriend willing to give them the world. Last year, we saw an embrace of female submission à la Babygirl; now, I’m seeing an increasing number of videos where women are calling the shots. First, it was the old clip from Jerry Springer where a hot, very short woman tells her extremely tall, masc-looking counterpart to “Stay,” almost growling the word; he immediately drops to one knee in an act of reflexive submission, suggesting an established dynamic between them. Then, it was a woman walking her clown down the street, or spitting water on her (thrilled) sub as they debated what constitutes “bare minimum” or “princess treatment.”

Okay, yes, I may be in an algorithmic rabbit hole. But judging from the comments on these videos, many people find the dynamics at play appealing, and after years of tradwifery, I’m excited to see universal desires—like being cared for and supported by a partner—channeled into less heteronormative, politically regressive frameworks. There are many ways for people to demonstrate devotion, so instead of defaulting to the established norm, one might ask: Do I want a high-value man to provide for me as his stay-at-home girlfriend, or do I want a service sub who gets off on cleaning my kitchen? 

The queer community has always led the charge when it comes to embracing desires outside the cultural norm—and lacking the expectation that all sex should culminate in penis-in-vagina intercourse, it naturally follows that both parties will need to discuss what they like and what they want. Which is why I think it’s exciting that, among male-female couples, we’re finally witnessing a cultural sea change from the tradwife fixation of the past. It’s about time: While “just a girl,” “girl math,” and “girl dinner” seemed harmless during the U.S. Biden administration, the increasing infantilization of women—even in joking ways, like those videos where they’re baby-talking and acting helpless around their boyfriends—doesn’t sit well with me as our reproductive rights are gradually stripped away. You know what does sit well with me? Partners making my life easier, and anticipating my needs. Hot!

I predict…

A rising trend of “female-led” relationships and heterosexual or male-female couples experimenting with gender roles, along with increasing interest in other consensual, transactional erotic dynamics.

A return to analog dating, IRL meet-cutes, and personal matchmaking

Will Feeld kill me if I mention dating app fatigue? Well, I’m doing it anyway! We all know people are fed up with the apps, which is why companies like Feeld are investing in in-person events. Of course, people will still be swiping. But while dating apps provide an easy way to find, as they say, hot singles in your area, I think that digital burnout and an influx of ChatGPT-assisted flirtation will herald a resurgence of more analog methods, from The Cut’s recently launched personals section to simply setting up your friends. Recently, I orchestrated not one but two successful meet-cutes, and I must report that getting your friends laid is an amazing feeling, second only to getting laid yourself.

I predict…

We’ll keep using the apps, but there will be a blurring of the boundaries between apps intended for dating, and those slated for professional and social use—from people seeking jobs on dating apps to asking each other out on Facebook Marketplace, which actually happened to me the other day (flattering, especially since he bought my bed frame for full price). 

A merging of sensual and spiritual

In the chaotic landscape of modern life, it’s understandable to crave a higher power. To divine meaning from our lives, some of us turn to astrology or organized religion; others achieve a sense of agency through techniques like manifestation, a process of retraining the brain to achieve goals. There’s some scientific backing for this, but it has, in recent years, been applied in a series of increasingly non-scientific ways, from TikTokers touting the benefits of “lucky girl syndrome”—adopting the mindset that the universe conspires for your success—to orgasmic manifestation, which purportedly harnesses the power of orgasm to achieve your dream life.

I dove headfirst into this world when reporting a piece on orgasmic manifestation for Bustle, and while I’m not sold on the magick side of things, I do think there’s something to be said for taking an intentional, ritualistic approach to sex—even if the end result isn’t one million dollars, but simply getting honest about what you want.

I predict…

With the world in turmoil, I think we’re going to see more of an intersection between sex, manifestation, and spirituality—the good, the bad, the delulu. After all, if everything from your job to your apartment to your savings account feels like it’s hanging in the balance, and secular solutions just aren't cutting it, maybe it's time to turn to unholy means.

New York is making everyone bisexual

According to Feeld’s data, New York City has the fastest-growing bi population, and increasing numbers of people are identifying as heteroflexible—a term I don’t love, but one that feels accurate for many. Sexuality is a spectrum, baby, and the only reason to be certain you’re heterosexual in 2026 is if you’re a Republican. Just try it! I didn’t sleep with a woman until my early 20s, and I’m still making up for lost time.

I predict…

Bisexuals are going to become more visible, and in general, we’re going to see more queer representation in media, art, fashion, and, hopefully, real life. Now more than ever, as they say, we need spaces to be ourselves—and amid the political upheaval of the past month, I’ve found real joy in the free-spirited revelry of underground queer wrestling matches and burlesque shows, where moments of joy and self-expression intermixed with heartfelt acknowledgements of the situation we’re all facing. We’ve also seen numerous instances where sluts, sex workers, and sex educators lead the charge on mutual aid, like the Minneapolis sex shop that became a community hub and resource for those affected by ICE raids. 

As Audre Lorde writes in Uses of the Erotic, the power of eroticism goes beyond simply personal pleasure—it’s the ability to awaken ourselves to what actually feels good, and to notice how often the systems we move within aren’t designed to support a more embodied, sensual way of life. She describes the erotic not as mere sexuality, but as a creative and spiritual force for self-knowledge, joy, and political action. Why, then, shouldn’t our New Year be full of sex? Sensuality connects us to ourselves and to others. It builds intimacy. It’s life-affirming, and it helps us push back against our own feelings of powerlessness, isolation, and disconnection.

It’s at least as important as waking up early, journaling, or going to the gym—and, arguably, great sex is even more rewarding. So this year, arrange a meet-cute for your friend. Kiss a bisexual. Tell a man to kneel—and quite possibly bend over. Grab a sex toy. Manifest your next win. And above all, have fun.

XOXO
Camille

This piece is part of a special collaboration with Pleasure-Seeking—a newsletter on desire, sexuality, and culture, created by writer and editor Camille Sojit Pejcha.