WGSS Exam 2

Opting out definition

choosing not to participate in hookup culture; avoiding casual sex and refusing to follow norms

Total institution definition

something that strongly shapes people's behavior, expectations, and social life

Why does Wade say hook up culture is total institution

dominates campus, social scenes and pressure students to conform

Abstainers definition

students who don't engage in hook ups

Reasons for abstainers

moral (religion), practical (fear of consequence), identity based

Different types of people who opt out

rejection, exclusion, morality, those who want relationships

Social penalties for opting out

isolation, being judged

opting out deferring by race, class, religion, sexuality

more frameworks, avoid pressure, excluded by dominant

Why is “talk” important?

reinforces pressure (wanting to tell friends who you got with/ social status)

Connection between gay liberation, and hookup culture

emphasis on sexual freedom

Gay enclave definition

social space where LGBTQ+ can express themselves freely

Gay enclave versus dorm/Frats

more open sexual expression vs reinforced heterosexual norms and status hierarchy

Current age of first marriage, and why it matters

mid-to-late 20s; creates longer period of single adulthood

Four types of participants

enthusiast, experimenters, utilitarians, strivers

Enthusiast definition

genuinely enjoys hook ups

Experimenters definition

curious, trying things out

Utilitarian definition

use hookups for benefits (status, social access)

Strivers definition

participate to fit in or gain approval

“careless” performance

students act like hook ups don't matter emotionally

Careless performance reasoning

to seem cool, avoidant, fit social expectations

Psychological/ emotional cost of acting indifferent

suppressed feelings, confusion or regret, lower self-esteem

Feeling vs expressing emotion

Showing feelings risks social judgment

Gender differences in performance of carelessness

men: expected to be emotionally detached; women: feel pressured to hide emotions, harsher consequences

Benevolent sexism definition

women being treated as needing protection or being special; reinforces inequality

Orgasm gap in hookup culture

encounters often brief, focused on male pleasure

How do race in class shape who participates and enjoys hookup culture?

more privilege = more positive experiences

Can unequal pleasure be separated from hookup culture

built into culture because of norms (speed, detachment, male focus)

What would have to change for things to be equal?

better communication, less pressure for casualness, more focus on mutual pleasure

Desire to be desired meaning

desire to feel attractive, wanted, or validated

Social media amplification

showcasing attractiveness and popularity, reinforcing status, making desirability visible

Does this challenge free choice?

choices aren't fully free because shaped by social pressure, expectations, need for validation

Drunkenness and sexual aggression

drinking lowers inhibitions & blur's consent; create environment where assault is more likely

“situational rapist” definition

taking advantage of situations like intoxication or unclear consent; culture itself enables harmful behavior

Why victims don't report or identify assault?

confusion due to alcohol, cultural messages, fear of blame, not fitting stereotype of assault

Who is most vulnerable?

women, especially women of color in those with less social power

Effects after graduation

struggle with relationships because they lack communication skills, emotional openness

What happens to dating?

it becomes less common or less understood; students don't know how to navigate dating

Retrospective feeling/regret

some look back positively, many feel regret due to pressure or emotionally unfulfilled

What does “moving on?” mean?

individually: learning new relationship skills; culturally: changing norms to allow multiple ways of connecting

“free marketplace of sexual cultures” definition

allowing students to choose between hook ups, dating, abstaining, and relationships without pressure

Institutional actions Wade proposes

changing party structures, better sex education, inclusive social spaces, reducing alcohol

is “kind” casual sex realistic?

would require clear communication, mutual respect, less pressure

Is hookup cultural a symptom or cause of inequality

both: reflects existing inequalities and reinforces them through unequal pleasure, power dynamics, social status

What led to hookup culture?

economy: industrialization; gay movements, hippies, the pill

Five components of culture

norms, values, language, symbols, material objects

Intersectionality

framework for understanding how various social identities intersect and overlap

Realistic conflict theory

predicts that group/outgroup antagonism will develop if competition for resource

Bifurcated consciousness

how woman perceived disconnect between personal experiences and the way the world is represented by society