When asked her favorite sex position, Lola*, 22, doesn’t hold back. “I don’t [care] how many times I have sex or how many upside-down, spread-eagle positions I try,” the University of Florida graduate says. “Missionary is popular for a reason.”
In November 2025, Her Campus surveyed over 800 Gen Zers, and 42% of respondents agreed that when it comes to the most popular sex positions, missionary is on top. No other position even came close, with doggy trailing in second (27%), and third place (11%) going to speed bump — a modified version of doggy where the receiving partner lies flat on their stomach.
But why is missionary so beloved by our Gen Z respondents — so much so that no other position came close? Is it just because it’s easy, or is it something deeper than that? According to experts, it all comes down to intimacy.
Sanya Bari, a licensed therapist and relationship expert, says missionary appeals to many Gen Zers because of its potential for connection. “There’s eye contact, closeness, and less pressure to perform,” she says. “Positions that feel connecting rather than mentally demanding tend to feel better in the body.”
The mental stimulation from missionary sex helps facilitate the emotional connection so many young people crave. “Missionary gets underestimated, but it offers a lot of what Gen Z values in sex, which is intimacy and emotional presence,” says Cat Gatley, head of community and education at Ersties, a German pornography platform. “Missionary allows for communication, checking in, kissing, laughing, and being fully seen — all things that can feel grounding in a world that’s often seen as overwhelming.”
Aurora*, 21, agrees that intimacy is a major bonus for missionary. “You’re face-to-face and heart-to-heart with your partner,” she says. “It’s like a soul bond. The emotional feelings take the physical feelings up a notch.”
Natasha*, 25, feels similarly. “I like missionary because of the eye contact. I’m big on that,” she says. “We’re here, together, doing one of the most intimate things people can do together. In a way, seeing each other the entire time makes the sex feel even more connected.”
Missionary also appeals to some of Gen Z’s biggest sexual turn-ons. According to our survey, respondents cited foreplay, kissing, taking charge, and physical touch as some of their top turn-ons in the bedroom — all markers of an attentive and intentional sexual partner. The position allows folks to act on those turn-ons, like kissing your partner, letting them take a more dominant role, and engaging in dirty talk or other verbal stimulation.
Liking something popular or classic doesn’t make it boring; it makes it honest.
Cat Gatley, head of community and education at Ersties
Arielle Zadok, an intimacy coordinator, sexologist, and host of the Birds & Bees Don’t Fck podcast, says that missionary also ensures you’re “getting both verbal and non-verbal cues for consent,” allowing partners to more easily read reactions and adjust touch or pacing — key elements of a more varied and mutually satisfying sexual experience.
Just because missionary is popular, though, doesn’t mean it has to be basic. According to Gatley, with two bodies so closely aligned, missionary is “actually one of the easiest positions to layer in new sensations.” She suggests trying different angles using props like pillows, changing up who’s leading the pace, or simply wrapping your legs around your partner’s body. “This is also where sex toys really shine,” Gatley says. “The use of external vibrators, wearable toys, or even just using hands more intentionally can add intensity without breaking intimacy.”
At the end of the day, Gatley says that hearing Gen Z’s enthusiasm for missionary is encouraging: “[It] suggests a reclaiming of personal preference over performance,” she says. “Liking something popular or classic doesn’t make it boring; it makes it honest.”
*Names have been changed