Casual Sex vs. Monogamy

An article by the Institute for Family Studies sheds light on the perceived notion that young people think that casual sex is the norm. After interviewing a series of working-class young adults, the author found that many believe people are too quick to expect sex in a relationship or feel like it is expected of them.

While many young people may feel this way, others are realizing the realities of hookup culture. Lauren Peterson wrote of her experience using the dating app Bumble in the New York Times: "Dating apps are the courtship equivalent of next-day shipping, where you don't have to twiddle your thumbs and wait for an adequate romantic prospect to drift by. They release a flood of potential suitors, your inbox notifications flashing red with heartbeats of their own... They tempt you to keep swiping, and as you whiz through tens, hundreds or even thousands of profiles, you can only infer the obvious. Out of all these people, there's got to be someone better than the person I'm seeing right now. Which means that monogamy requires more sacrifice than ever."

Peterson goes on to describe her loss of interest in the dating app after realizing its purpose did not meet her unexpected expectation of commitment. Peterson, like many young adults, realized that the sacrifice of monogamy and commitment was indeed worth pursuing as it ultimately would offer security. Furthermore, Peterson was able to recognize the beauty of a real, committed relationship grounded in mutual respect and genuine love.