Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed invited a sex educator on a 2024 podcast and argued that “capitalism has become the thief of sex,” saying modern work culture and pornography undermine healthy relationships.
During the episode of his “America Dissected” podcast, titled “Talkin’ Nerdy About Gettin’ Dirty,” El-Sayed said that capitalism negatively affects people’s sex lives in two ways.
“Subordinating that most natural human act to the tyranny of our ever-so-busy lives, it’s just one way capitalism steals our sex from us,” he said. He also argued that pornography keeps people from “embracing the sex we actually have.”
“It’s a productized version of the thing, not the real thing you have with a real partner built on a real relationship, warts and all,” he said, adding that “capitalism has become the thief of sex.”
“Sex positivity isn’t about being exposed to the highlight reel picked and pruned version of sex that is so ubiquitous on our screens,” he continued. “It’s about embracing the sex we actually have.”
In another episode, El-Sayed also complained about the prevalence of adult content on Instagram, blaming the platform’s algorithm for showing him an “OnlyFans model” every third video.
At the beginning of the podcast, El-Sayed described what he called the “duality” of sex, saying it is viewed as both a “shameful, dirty act” and “the physical act of showing love.” He also cited research showing that the average adult is having about 13% less sex than in the late 1990s.
“Mostly millennials like me, often in loving, committed, long-term relationships, many with kids,” he said. “Life gets hectic between work commitments, the struggle to keep up with various chores inside and outside the house, and the absolute libido killer that is the existence of children in your home.”
Throughout the episode, El-Sayed asked sex educator and author Emily Nagoski about why millennials are having less sex. Nagoski agreed with El-Sayed’s argument that capitalism contributes to the decline.
El-Sayed has built much of his political message around criticism of corporate capitalism, particularly in healthcare, arguing corporate interests drive up prescription drug prices and limit access to care.
His anti-corporate message, combined with a focus on affordability, helped him defeat Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
Backed by leftist leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), El-Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers in November in one of the nation’s most competitive Senate races.
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