The rise of casual sex at Cornell: a culture of convenience with lasting costs
Morality Monday is a bi-weekly column written by the Cornell Review’s staff writers. It aims to provide values-focused commentary on social and political trends.
Often regarded as part of the college experience, hookup culture runs rampant throughout our campus, with Cornell being ranked by some as the 5th most promiscuous university in the United States. This comes with far-reaching consequences.
Especially in a school where students are busy with prelims, clubs, and planning their futures, hookups are deceptively convenient. Supposedly, they feature the pleasure of a physical connection without the effort a relationship requires. According to a 2014 study, the average Cornellian has had more hookups than first dates, and 72% of students reported engaging in at least one hookup by the time of graduation, with almost half of students having had casual sex/near sex with more than three partners. Twenty percent of Cornellians engaged in ten or more hookups. Other studies have estimated that about 25% of Cornell students currently have an STD, and if Cornellians are representative of the average American, about half of us will get an STD in our lifetimes. These numbers only increase every year, wreaking devastating consequences on the student body.
Hookup culture is the widespread acceptance of regular sexual encounters without romantic ties. This tendency idolizes practices such as one-night stands, “friends with benefits”, “booty calls”, and Gen Z’s uniquely coined “situationships”. Hookup culture has been spreading since the 1960s, caused by the Second Wave of feminism’s emphasis on “sexual liberation.” Such “liberation” was in fact nothing more than the ability, or even the right, to fornicate often with no social consequences. The practice of non-committal sex continued to increase until an STD epidemic struck in the mid-80s. However, fear of disease and lack of a solid treatment caused society to turn away from this practice. Although hookup rates are slightly lower today, the sex-centered culture from the ‘60s remains. A plethora of dating apps and social media sites encourage anonymous and “consequence-free” encounters. As a Tinder advertisement so eloquently puts it, “find the love of your night.” After all, about 20% of Tinder users have had a one-night stand with a match, and 65.5% engaged in sexual conduct. These trends are present at Cornell, as a large sum of the student body uses various dating apps. Unfortunately, many students are unaware of the devastating mental and physical effects of hooking up. Hooking up impedes one’s ability to form stable relationships in the future and shatters self-worth.
Our bodies are sacred and it should be respected. With noncommittal hookups come a series of physical health concerns. For example, the spread of STDs and STIs is highly associated with having multiple sexual partners. There is a direct correlation between the number of sexual partners one has and the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases. Many symptoms of STIs are invisible, making it hard to tell if a spontaneous, ‘fun’ encounter will end in contracting a life-threatening disease. Some of the consequences associated with having an STI include long-term pain, increased risk of cancer, and infertility. Other physical ramifications of random hookups include unintended pregnancies and sexual victimization or violence.
While condoms are often regarded as solutions to these risks, they aren’t always effective. Condoms, when used properly, are 98% successful in preventing pregnancy. When not used correctly, they are around 82-87% effective. This means 13-18 out of every 100 people who rely solely on condoms will be pregnant every year. Similarly, this protective equipment is not a guarantee against STDs, providing a roughly 15% chance of contracting such diseases even with proper use. Finally, condoms are ineffective against infections caused by prolonged skin-to-skin contact during sex, such as herpes, HPV, and syphilis.
Though it is possible to escape the physical traumas of casual sex, the mental impacts are more far-reaching. Hookup culture is, in part, responsible for the mental health crisis plaguing the youth. According to a 2017 report by the National Library of Medicine, regret, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and reduced life satisfaction are all potential consequences of noncommittal hookups. People who engage in this behavior are more likely to suffer from eating disorders, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Women are most at risk of these negative consequences, since their biology prompts the release of stronger bonding hormones during sex. Both parties’ bodies manufacture a strong physical connection that lacks the emotional component needed to provide comfort and stability.
These consequences also affect the ability to form future relationships. There is a direct correlation between the presence of widespread casual, premarital sex and the divorce rate. In recent generations, the divorce rate has increased to unprecedented levels. While hookup culture is not solely responsible for this trend, regular one-night stands and sexual encounters without long-term emotional support can rewire the brain’s bonding patterns. The more frequently a person engages in this behavior, the less likely they are to release bonding hormones like oxytocin in future relationships. This can cause a sense of loneliness and a lack of connection to people, which is detrimental to future relationships.
Self-respect is essential to becoming successful and living a happy life. It’s crucial to value ourselves and our bodies, set boundaries, and pursue that which has meaning. The physical and mental health impacts of hookup culture destroy our sense of self-worth. While we have the freedom to make these choices, we should carefully weigh the consequences of our actions. Real empowerment and strength does not come from sexual liberation, but from engaging in meaningful relationships. Rather than idolizing hookups, we should pursue partnerships based on love and mutual respect that allow us to flourish.
