ABSTRACT
Hooking up, or sexual activity outside of a committed relationship, has become the normative form of intimacy on American college campuses. Much research has focused on the extent of hooking up, and its effects. We situate hook-ups within the institution of heterosexuality, arguing that it is deeply gendered. Hooking up becomes a mode of homosocial communication, as well as a way for young adults to prove their heterosexuality. Others have pointed out that hooking up leads to negative consequences for women; we aim to highlight the positive aspects of hooking up for agentic and sex-positive young American women.
