Hookup culture is sometimes decried for supposedly degrading those involved, especially women. Condoning casual sex might seem to reinforce the idea that a guy can sleep with whomever they want with zero repercussions, while the girl—deemed to be more emotional—must pretend to be fine with his lack of commitment and womanizing behavior. And, of course, men can feel just as hurt by a woman’s promiscuity.

This is untrue. Hookup culture encourages open discussion of sexual needs and desires. Because emotions have been removed from the equation, partners don’t need to worry about hurting the other’s feelings when they say, ‘Hey, I don’t like that,’ or ‘I’d like to try this.’ In a “friends with benefits” style hookup, this is especially useful and true. Think about it: would you feel more comfortable expressing your wants to a friend, or a romantic interest you just started dating? Most would probably say the former.

Read more: https://collegian.com/2017/11/willson-hookup-culture-is-actually-pretty-great/