Is Hookup Culture Evil?

    Some believe that casual sex automatically puts the participants at heightened risk of STIs and pregnancy. This argument, or should I say mentality, does not hold up in the face of legitimate scientific data. But first, let us further examine this claim. The statement itself does not in fact give reason to what is actually causing the statistic. There is no clear indication of what differentiates the consequences of a casual or consistent relationship nor what exact change in circumstance might alter the average set of risks.

However, for the purpose of this argument, let us assume that they are arguing that: The assumption is that strangers engaging in sexual activity are less likely to use protection than they would with a regular intimate partner.

In a study conducted in 2024 compared condom usage across casual and committed relationships, concluding that there was no significant difference between the two It could be noted, however, that the group in the lower margin of condom use was the ladder.

Evidently, even the most mundane of things boils down to one condition. Anything done stupidly has negative consequences. In its simplest form - the law of cause and effect. If you drink while intoxicated, the risk of an accident increases. If you constantly smoke cigarettes, your susceptibility to cancer increases. If you have sex without protection, you are at higher risk of contracting STIs or pregnancy.

Other means of concern surrounding hookup culture often arise from the lack of emotional investment and its repercussions on one's romantic relationships. The issue stands as follows - if there is such emphasis on the casual element of hookup culture, does the progression and “learning” of romantic relationships suffer? With the normalization of hookup culture, people seem to believe that the complexities of romantic relationships will become trivialized, therefore contributing to the loneliness epidemic. By commoditizing an act of extreme interpersonal intimacy, people may struggle to determine when and who they are willing to show vulnerability too.

Hooking up in itself is not innately harmful. But if it is to remain that way, those who partake must have a clear idea of what they are looking for. Of course circumstances change and this rhetoric will not be applicable to all, but it must be recognized that it is vital to accept these things for what they are. A casual hookup partner will not be the best candidate for a romantic partner, nor do they deserve, without proper communication, your own vulnerability.

Denise Acevedo. “Reflections.” Openbooks.lib.msu.edu, 1 May 2020, openbooks.lib.msu.edu/iah231b/chapter/reflections-3/. Accessed 9 Jan. 2023.

Godinho, Cristina A, et al. “Condom Use across Casual and Committed Relationships: The Role of Relationship Characteristics.” PLoS ONE, vol. 19, no. 7, 18 July 2024, pp. e0304952–e0304952, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39024308/, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304952.

Schulten, Katherine. “Is Hookup Culture Leaving Your Generation Unhappy and Unprepared for Love?” The Learning                     Network, 12 Feb. 2014, archive.nytimes.com/learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/is-hookup-culture-leaving-                    your-generation-unhappy-and-unprepared-for-love/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.