Millennials and Gen Z are pushing back against traditional marriage norms and making their own rules.

According to Pew Research Center, only 44% of millennials were married in 2019, compared to 53% of Gen X and 61% of Baby Boomers. Millennials also fall behind previous generations in childbirth rates and are less likely to live in a family unit. 

The oldest of millennials are 40 years old, while the oldest of Gen Z are 24. It is too early to determine exact marriage statistics for Gen Z, but if they follow the current trend, they will likely choose to marry even later than millennials, if they choose to marry at all.

Some blame this disinterest toward marriage on the prevalence of hookup culture. The American Psychological Association describes hookup culture as brief, uncommitted sexual encounters between individuals who are not romantic partners.

Although commitment does not seem to be a popular choice among younger generations, this is not because of a strong desire to remain single. Rather, the rules of dating and relationships have simply changed. 

We now live in a world where apps like Instagram, Snapchat, Bumble and Tinder play a big part in forming romantic relationships. It is normal for couples to live together before engagement or marriage. Before tying the knot, many couples sign prenuptial agreements. People are taking a more realistic approach to marriage, prioritizing financial security and individualism.

And let’s be honest, how much can you really know about yourself and your future in your early 20s? I could not tell you what I am eating for lunch tomorrow, much less my after-college plans or when I plan to marry and start a family. 

Pew Research Center found the three main reasons people say they remain unmarried are not finding the right person, being financially unprepared and not wanting to settle down. People are taking more time to get to know their partners than in decades prior, and also seem to consider financial security and a stable career prerequisites to marriage.

With feminism at the forefront of social conversation, women are more valued in the workplace than ever before. Many women prioritize career goals over marriage and family goals. The role of men as breadwinners and women as homemakers is luckily a dying tradition. 

The success of millennials’ attitudes toward dating and marriage are evident in the 24% decline in the U.S. divorce rate since the 1980s.

So, let’s thank millennials for rewriting the rules. I hope Gen Z continues to push back against traditional marriage norms.

Lura Stabiler is a 21-year-old journalism senior from Baton Rouge.