The Economist published an article this month on the phenomenon of millennials having less sex.

One of the reasons the magazine cited was increased female empowerment, particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday night reacted to The Economist's video that accompanied the article, tweeting: "Maybe it's because far too many people relied on the disempowerment + silence of women to not be 'celibate' in the first place."

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has disdainfully reacted to an Economist story that suggested that millennials were having less sex because of female empowerment.

The 29-year-old freshman congresswoman tweeted in response to The Economist's video of the article on Sunday evening.

"If you think your 'celibacy' is due to 'female empowerment,' maybe it's because far too many people relied on the disempowerment + silence of women to not be 'celibate' in the first place," she said.

In an article published earlier this month, titled "No sex please, we're millennials," The Economist cited data that 23% of Americans ages 18 to 29 last year reported having no sex in the past 12 months.

That proportion had more than doubled in the past decade, the magazine said.

The magazine attributed the changes to the accessibility of free porn on smartphones, people prioritizing careers over romance, and increased female empowerment in sexual politics.

It tied the final point to changes since women increasingly started speaking up about sexual misconduct after the #MeToo movement took Hollywood and politics by storm almost two years ago.

Ocasio-Cortez at a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, DC, in April. Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images

Another country notably facing an abstinence problem — which The Economist also discussed — is Japan, which analysts say is a "demographic time bomb."

Japan is grappling with an aging population and labor market, while young people are getting married less and having less sex.

Read more: Living in Japan for a year, I saw reasons for its 'demographic time bomb' everywhere



The country also has half a million "hikikomori," a Japanese term referring to people suffering from a psychological condition that causes them to shut themselves at home and avoid social contact.

Business Insider has contacted The Economist for comment.