Is the “top shortage” a myth? Researchers analyzed data from gay dating apps and found out how sexual roles are changing from generation to generation (spoiler: there really are fewer tops)

For years, the gay community has discussed the so-called “top shortage”—a lack of “tops” (partners who prefer the penetrative role). For a long time, this was considered little more than meme fodder, but a new large-scale study published on August 11, 2026, in The Journal of Sex Research, found that: the distribution of sexual roles is indeed changing, and these changes are directly linked to generational shifts.

We explain what researchers from Oxford and Manchester discovered after studying the profiles of more than 140,000 users, and why being versatile is becoming the new norm.

What kind of study is this?

The researchers analyzed anonymized data from 141,156 active users of the global dating app Surge. They wanted to understand how men who have sex with men (MSM) identify themselves today and whether these preferences vary by age and region of residence.

It is important to note that the study was based on five categories available in the app: “top” (Top), “bottom” (Bottom), “versatile” (Versatile), “not into penetration” (Not Into Penetration), and “unspecified” (Unspecified).

Key finding: There really are fewer “tops” (among younger men)

The data confirms: the younger the generation, the less likely its members are to choose the “top” role.

• Among users who specified their role, “bottoms” described themselves as 38,5%, “versatiles” — 37,4%, and only 20,6% identified themselves as “tops”.
• In the youngest age group (18–19), the share of “bottoms” exceeds 50%.
• By contrast, the “older generation” (loosely referred to within the community as “daddies”) is much more likely to choose the “top” role or prefer not to specify a position in their profile at all.

Моделирование показало, что вероятность идентификации как «пассив» резко падает с возрастом: с 16,1% в возрасте 20 лет до 2,5% к 65 годам. Доля «активов» за тот же период возрастает с 5,6% до 10,1%.

Why are Gen Zers more likely to choose the “bottom” or “versatile” role?

Researchers point to several reasons why young people demonstrate greater flexibility:

1. Reduced stigma. Traditionally, the “bottom” role was associated with a loss of masculinity or with the “woman’s role,” giving rise to the phenomenon of “bottom-shaming.” The younger generation (Gen Z) grew up in a society where these taboos are gradually disappearing, and the receptive role is no longer viewed as degrading.
2. Rejection of rigid binaries. Gen Zers generally tend to avoid rigid categories. The study found that they are more likely to use the “versatile” label or apply labels contextually, viewing identity as something fluid.
3. The influence of technology. Dating apps inherently require users to select a role to make it easier to find a partner, prompting young people to define themselves sooner than previous generations did.

Geography matters too

Sexual preferences are unevenly distributed around the world. The study revealed some interesting regional trends:

• Europe and Oceania: The most popular role here is “versatile”.
• North America and Africa: These regions are dominated by “bottoms”.
• Asia: This region has the highest proportion of those who does not engage in penetration (7,3%).

Interestingly, in regions with higher levels of social stigma (for example, in some parts of Africa), users are less likely to specify a role at all, possibly due to safety and privacy concerns.

Does this mean that “tops” will disappear?

Not exactly. The study has several important limitations:

• Most people do not disclose their role. Nearly 68,6% of users left the “role” field blank. This could reflect either a reluctance to label themselves or simply a lack of concern about it.
• Identity ≠ Behavior. Sociologists emphasize that what someone writes in their profile (identity) does not always match what they do in the bedroom (behavior). Many self-identified “tops” or “bottoms” are actually versatile in practice, depending on the partner.
• App-specific factors. The data were obtained from just one app (Surge). Users of Grindr, Sniffies, or other platforms may exhibit different patterns.

Nevertheless, the researchers conclude that sexual roles remain an important dimension of MSM culture, but they are becoming increasingly fluid. The “top shortage” may be less about the physical absence of people and more a reflection of the fact that the modern gay community no longer wants to confine itself to a single lifelong role.