Gender Roles In Hook-Up Culture

Improved Essays
Gender is a concept that is shaped by both the individual and society. An individual’s self-identity will promote the gender with which they recognize, while society guides an individual to form an identity with the norms of their biological, predisposed gender concept. In society, the countless cultures that are present also help shape one’s identity by revealing an understanding of one’s gender role. An individual becomes able to understand their identity by focusing on creating an assigned role for him or herself, which can align with any understanding of gender. It is, however, one’s personal responsibility to identify this role. Collectively, society must create an accessible environment for one to accomplish this journey, which further places the responsibility on us. I interviewed three of my peers—Nick Kimble, Amanda Koenig, and Ingrid Heider—to understand the concept of gender and discover where the responsibility lies for one’s journey to realize their identity. Overwhelmingly, my peers understand gender as a concept of identity that is shaped by those around us. They all agreed that gender is not assigned or biologically determined but is “a complex combination of masculinity and femininity with which each person identifies” (Koenig). This statement helps assert that gender rests on a continuous spectrum and is not binary, but rather, it is a dynamic system that can change from day to day. Here, it becomes evident that gender intersects both personal and institutional responsibility because one’s understanding of gender arises from one’s daily interactions with themselves and society. The structures and norms that we form push individuals to determine who they are and with what they identify. This identity is incredibly important because one’s gender and identity are “always a part of who [one] is and how [they] view the world” (Kimble). Therefore, it is one’s personal responsibility to understand themselves and where they fall into society, to determine their identity. At Loyola, we create an inclusive culture that promotes an individual’s journey towards understanding who they are. My peers all agreed that we are open and understanding towards the difficulties associated with finding your identity, and we provide many “resources and measures to promote a more gender neutral and more appropriate campus for everyone” (Kimble). We can “foster spaces for people to explore gender” and make the decision for themselves (Koenig). Although we provide excellent resources, “the spaces where men can explore gender and masculinity are very limited and inaccessible,” which limits the inclusivity of dialogue surrounding gender (Koenig). Our campus, then, limits those who identify as male from finding their true, associated gender and identity. Additionally, Loyola does not foster the negative aspects of a “hook-up” culture, mainly violence and assault. Our institution leverages its Jesuit tradition and focuses on students building and sustaining strong, healthy relationships. We educate on sexual violence by offering every student “the opportunity to take a pledge to stand up for sexual violence and assault” (Kimble). Although the “hook-up” culture and sexual violence tend to be synonymous, a distinction must be made. When this culture is supported “by sex positivity, education, and, most importantly, consent”, it can be a powerful tool for …show more content…
Consent is a “clear communication that both parties agree upon with sober minds” (Kimble). It is the factor that produces the only acceptable time to have sex with another. When an individual says no, regardless of whether they previously said yes, they have removed their consent. All of my peers understand this idea, but they also acknowledged that society does not fully promote it. Loyola, however, provides excellent resources to understand the importance of consent, making it widely understood on campus. Consent becomes an object of personal, institutional, and societal responsibility. The individual must understand that no means no whenever it arises in the situation. Institutions must educate on this principle and how to provide and receive consent. Society must challenge the norms of “hook-up” culture and assert that consent is the most important aspect of one’s sexual relations. One peer noted that, at times, individuals find that it is easier to ‘consent’ to sex instead of rejecting a partner, even if they want to say no. Seemingly, society perpetuates this idea and promotes rape culture (Heider). Therefore, it becomes everyone’s responsibility to solve this inconsistency and help individuals understand

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