Gender Roles In Hook-Up Culture

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 …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