Agamy: The new relationship trend growing among young people

Have you ever heard of "agamy", or the idea of an "agamous relationship? Not yet, that's understandable, it's a relatively new term that has emerged in recent years as people explore alternative relationships.

You may not be familiar with the term, but you've likely heard younger people express their disinterest in mariage or even having children. Traditional ideas of commitment, monogamy and everything related to that is far from their minds. Over recent years, significant transformations have been observed in social behavior with a growing trend for the exploration of other types of relationships. 

This growing interest in alternative forms of relationships among younger people is largely influenced by shifting cultural, social and economic dynamics. There has been an increased emphasis on individualism and personal growth which has led many to value personal freedom over traditional commitments such as mariage. The shift is further supported by evolving societal attitudes towards marriage, where the necessity and permanence of mariage are increasingly questioned. Additional factors such as financial instability and the higher costs of living make traditional relationships seem risky. 

One of these alternative relationships is the aforementioned "agamy". The idea of "agamy" or "agamous relationships" and those who identify as "agamic" and people who are not interested in having fixed partners, marriage or children. The term is derived from Greek words "a" (not or without) and "gamos" (intimate union or marriage). 

Professor Heloisa Buarque de Almeida, an anthropologic researcher from the University of São Paulo explains that new generations are seeking different kinds of relationships without legal commitments. They have also observed the growing preference among young people not to have children, or any form of relationship altogether.

Across the world there is an increasing amount of single people, for example in America a study in 2023 showed that there were more than 127 million single people 18 years and older (that is nearly 40% of the population). Similarly, in the UK, a 2022 study showed that over 28.9 million people in England and Wales were not in a relationship, in comparison with 24 million married couples.

It would appear that the younger germination are concerned with planet preservation, global warming and sustainability. Part of these changes is also linked to the rapidly evolving digital environment and social media, which have been found to delay the onset of sexual activity among the youth. New families are forming in various configurations, including households with two fathers, two mothers, or couples living in separate homes, providing numerous alternative relationship models. In short, there has been a shift in the understanding of love, family, and the world.