Mýa has a new found sense of “mental clarity” after going on a seven-year celibacy journey.
The 44-year-old singer opened up about her extensive practice during an interview on Way Up with Angela Yee on July 25, and she revealed that abstaining from sexual activity helped her to shift her mindset about relationships.
“It was no longer a focus. The rush to be in a relationship, the rush to be married, the rush to be in something because that’s what you’re taught to do — to have kids or procreate,” the “My Love Is Like…Wo” singer shared. “And I think there’s a lot of pressure on women to be able to do that.”
Celibacy gave Mýa the chance to reassess her desires in a relationship and provided an opportunity for her to nurture herself with tender self-love and care.
“Love is beautiful, and I think the world always needs more of it, but I think you must start with yourself,” the Grammy winner continued. “And I have to start with self always, versus expecting from other sources… So, it was just reconditioning. I think it’s something that was necessary because it’s a very spiritual thing. And you must be very selective if you want better results. That self-accountability started with me by shutting that part of my life off.”
Source: Natasha Campos / Getty
Mýa isn’t alone on her celibacy journey.
More women are choosing to abstain from sex, and in the past year, the term “boysober” has gained popularity online. Many women are citing disappointing experiences with dating apps and poor matches as reasons for exploring both short-term and long-term celibacy.
According to Today, “boysober” involves women reclaiming control over their bodies and redirecting their time, energy, and mental focus from dating to more meaningful pursuits. A “boysober” period allows for reflection, healing, and a clearer sense of what one desires in a relationship and for oneself.
Mýa told Yee that part of her decision to practice celibacy was due to her “semi-sex symbol” image during the height of her career in the early 2000s.
“There’s a lot of things that are said about you and you ingest all of that… at an early age,” she explained. “And then the aesthetic you may come with is totally opposite of who you actually really are, and it intersects in your life when you’re trying to date or maybe taking photos with other celebrities, and so it can get very tricky.”
The star added during her chat with Yee, “But I think a lot of things that are sacred should just remain private. For me until, of course, I’m solid, and I’m ready and the foundation of us is together, and even then it’s a risk. So, I don’t really play with that part of my life publicly.”
Source: Natasha Campos / Getty
People are having less sex.
Over the past decade, there has been a significant decline in sexual activity among millennials and Gen Zers. A 2023 study by KFF Health News, examining sexual activity among Californians, found that the proportion of young adults abstaining from sex was rising even before the COVID-19 pandemic complicated dating.
In 2011, about 22% of Californians aged 18 to 30 reported having no sexual partners in the previous year. By 2019, this figure had increased to 29%, and it surged to 38% by 2021, according to the latest data from UCLA’s California Health Interview Survey. While other age groups in California also showed increased abstinence, the trend among younger adults was notably more pronounced.
A 2022 study documented significant declines in all types of partnered sexual activity—from penile-vaginal intercourse to anal sex and partnered masturbation—among men and women aged 14 to 49 between 2009 and 2018. The study also noted a decrease in solo masturbation among adolescents.
During this period, the proportion of young men reporting no sexual activity, either solo or with partners, increased from 28.8% to 44.2%, while for young women, it rose from 49.5% to 74%. Researchers believe technology, heavy work and academic schedules as well as isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the trend.
Watch Mýa’s full interview with Angela Yee above. Ladies, do you practice celibacy? Let us know in the comments section.
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