Students' Opinions on Hookups and Relationships
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The sex, your body and dating ou’wester Find out all about a trip to Paris SOctober 1, 2008 e Weekly Student Newspaper of Rhodes College Vol. XCV. NO. 4 See Page 7 Students’ opinions on hookups and relationships By Daniel Jacobs four years to have fun.’ But for Editor-in-Chief girls it’s important to experience “Hooking up.” The phrase is Have you engaged in sexual Does alcohol facilitate sexual different relationships rather used by students to describe any- intercourse within the past year? opportunity? than having ‘fun.’” thing from kissing to sleeping to- According to Claire White, gether to having sex. But what are the President of the Chi Omega student’s attitudes about hooking Sorority, it is difficult for wom- about? en, especially those in sororities, A series of informal inter- to date on campus. views with about a dozen students 38.6 “I think hooking up is a big of varying backgrounds shows thing,” said White. “It seems to a number of different opinions no yes 46.7 be a part of the brotherhood of about hooking up. no yes fraternities. And so coming from The one prevailing opinion is 53.3 my viewpoint of being sober at that people hooking up is a com- 61.4 the swaps, that seems to be the mon conversation topic. main focus and it never really “Everyone talks about it all goes past that in terms of rela- the time,” said Thomas Joyce, a tionships.” sophomore who is in a fraternity. “It’s not like the girls don’t “If someone hooks up at a party want to date, they just learn to everyone will know about it the deal with that fact that most of next day.” what goes on here is hooking up,” Lindsey Chaisson, a junior, Statistics taken from Core Drug and Alcohol Survey 2007 said White. expressed the same view. White described how, in her “Everybody talks about hook- opinion, the emphasis on sister- ing up,” said Chaisson. “They’re college students as people who campus. Delta Standards Committee, who hood and brotherhood in Greek either hooking up or they are are always together. “You don’t hear as much of said that of her nine best friends, life makes it difficult to date. married.” But many students, especial- people going on dates and begin- only three are currently dating. “I “If you have a girlfriend or Chaisson defined “married” ly female students, said that they ning relationships,” said Ashley think it’s different between girls think dating is relatively rare on Zimmerman, a member of the Tri and guys. Guys think, ‘We have Hookups, continued on Page 4 Pornography use increasing? By William Bruce becoming more and more normal guy because you won’t get to have News Editor these days,” says Ben Waller, a sex with the single mom.” Recognized as one of the sophomore. “If you want to see a Porn is also recognized as be- largest industries in existence, scantly clad woman just wait for ing effective in separating emo- the porn industry is a $75 billion the commercials.” tion from sexual intercourse. dollar enterprise that operates on The effects of this porn per- Many people who use it become a global scale. In spite of the fact vasiveness are becoming increas- more fixated on sex for gratifica- that it brings in more revenue ingly known on campus. Certain tion over intimacy. than the American football, bas- campus events and even casual “Pornography objectifies ketball, and baseball franchises behaviors are shown to be influ- women by focusing only on the combined, most people refuse to enced. physical aspects of sex,” says Rob discuss the sensitive issue of its “Look at All Sing, the SAEs Dove, the director of the student Noelle Smith/ The Sou’wester usage. don’t seem to have a problem with counseling center. “Sex is also Annie Bell, Ai Doan, Ciara Conway, Ashley Juenger, and Courtney Most Rhodes students agree anything,” says Waller. “People about emotion and vulnerability Watkins are the o cers of VOX, Voices for Planned Parenthood. with the assumption that most just joke a lot about sex.” and porn acts like those things people have seen porn at least Michael Leahy, a former sex don’t exist.” once, if not much more so. addict and motivational speaker, Dove also recognizes that Birth control on campus “Oh yeah, everybody watches warns against pornography. Le- porn doesn’t do an effective job By NeNe Baff ord tion questions. porn at some time in their lives,” ahy says that it creates an unre- of helping a person in pursuing a S t a ff W r i t e r “Many students don’t know says Michael Pluta, a sophomore. alistic idea as to how someone healthy sexual relationship. Imagine waking up after a long what contraceptives are available for Another common belief held should interact with the opposite “Sex is more complicated for night and realizing that you have had them or even how to put on a con- by many students is that porn is sex. Most students agree that sin- us than it is for my dog, we all unprotected sex. Would you know dom,” said Conway. becoming an increasingly regular gle students are far more likely to have different things that stimu- what to do or who to contact? By working at Planned Parent- thing in society. Although cer- use pornographic materials than late us sexually,” says Dove. “The Ciara Conway, President of hood this past summer and inter- tain students view porn as some- students who are in a relation- problem is that with porn you VOX: Voices for Planned Parent- acting on campus, Conway felt as thing to be dealt with behind ship. Some students also believe just look for what stimulates you, hood, knows that the answer to these though a bridge needed to exist be- closed doors, many regard it as a this has a negative affect on the but in a relationship you have to questions for many students is no. tween Planned Parenthood and the large component of the mass me- single students’ ability to pursue do what satisfies you and your As a junior, Conway has inter- campus. is led her to establish dia. Several students commented a relationship. partner.” acted with many people on campus VOX to raise awareness about sex. that many music videos and even “Porn gives you mis-repre- Leahy suggests that porn is and has found that there is a lack of In order to raise awareness, VOX commercials are using sexual dis- sentations about how to interact the gateway to a psychological knowledge about basic sexual educa- is preparing to hold sexual health plays as a sales pitch. with the opposite sex,” says Pluta. “I feel like pornography is “Don’t become a pizza delivery Porn, continued on Page 5 VOX, continued on Page 5 Page 2 Opinion Wednesday, October 1, 2008 Sexuality still a taboo topic for society The By Kevin Kifer which causes excuses for their natural behav- come in the form of stronger intimacy within Sou’wester and Paul Yacoubian ior. Because we refuse to talk about sex until loving relationships. Opinion Editor the moment arrives, and often, we are fully Social constraints that we follow Editor-In-Chief Sexuality is still a taboo subject matter in unprepared to assume the responsibilities as- limit our own ability to express our true feel- our sexy college community. Not one per- sociated with irresponsibility. It is irrespon- ings and desires. The consequence is a funda- Daniel Jacobs Managing Editor son consented to share his or her feelings in sible for us to be ashamed of talking with our mental breakdown in honest communication. an article. Perhaps they did not feel that this parents about sex when they should be the Instead of being forthright with the opposite Avery Pribila News Editor was an appropriate topic or they did not want ones that we consult with on such matters, sex about our sexual needs, our indoctrinated to be associated with the discussion. The fol- because they had sex. introversion prohibits us from achieving emo- William Bruce Opinion Editor lowing is an off the record account of sexual America’s revulsion against condoms tional fulfillment. Consulting only the clos- practices on the Rhodes campus. is appalling. Having to ask the old lady work- est of friends on matters of sex has become Paul Yacoubian Entertainment Editor Many guys would like to say that sex ing the counter at Walgreen’s for condoms is commonplace in our society. Whether it be does not influence their relationship decisions, embarrassing. I assume that the condoms are discussing Cosmo with your group of girl- Ralph MacDonald Sports Editor but let’s be honest, it does. The current level behind the counter because they are “danger- friends, or sharing encounters with internet of discussion about sex in public is so limited ous” and should not be purchased, or because pornography or not thinking about sex at all, Onalee Carson Layout Editor that people our age are driven towards hiding they are stolen by people who are ashamed men and women fail to legitimize their own their real feelings with sobriety. The moment of sex. Instead of embracing sex in our so- feelings. Progress towards creating a mean- Lee Bryant Copy Editor our condition is compromised by inebriation, ciety, we discuss sex as an issue of morality ingful dialogue on sex will fail, unless we ef- the truth comes out. This presents a dire haz- instead of health.