5 Ways The Hook-Up Culture Is Empowering This Generation Of Women

After my freshman year of college, I decided I was sick and tired of girls being labeled for hooking up with men. Frankly, I was shocked that women were being labeled as sluts, whores and other degrading titles for doing the same exact things as our male counterparts.

Men weren't the only ones labeling women; even women labeled other women. This just didn't seem to register in my head as fair or logical.

Most women don't want to admit their "magic number" because if it's too high, you'll be deemed promiscuous; if it's too low, you'll be branded a prude. Men, however, often proudly proclaim their number, and most of the time, the higher the number, the better.

As a 20-something who's been labeled too many times, and who has been with her fair share of men, I've learned that, in a weird way, hook-up culture has given me a sense of strength and a better understanding of myself.

The walk-of-shames at 7 am, midnight phone calls and secret rendezvous are not something of which to be ashamed.

Some people will probably add this to a list of futile, feminist rants, but this list should help women understand that the choices they make regarding sex, dating and men should not have to be justified for anyone.

In fact, hook-up culture is actually perpetuating female progress. So, the question is, how does hook-up culture exactly empower women?

1. Freedom

As women, we are often blindsided by our friends who are getting engaged or married. We forget that our 20s are the pinnacle of establishing our careers and fulfilling our personal dreams and goals.

Hook-up culture gives women the option to delay marriage, kids and other time-consuming responsibilities to focus on their personal goals. We get the chance to advance in our careers and accomplish things for ourselves, rather than always putting others first. The ability to have everything is ours.

2. Labels

What was considered promiscuous or sexually taboo in our parents' and grandparents' age is now promoted by feminists and women alike around the world. The days of women being labeled by degrading names are slowly but surely diminishing. Since the sexual revolution in the 60s, women have made careers out of sex and sexual appeal.

From porn stars to models, these careers allowed women to have choices that liberated them and set an example for generations to come. The decisions a woman makes with her own body are no one's business but her own.

3. Emotions

I'll keep this one short and sweet: Emotions suck. Through all the hookups, one-night stands and so forth, we learned to become callous to emotions and getting emotionally attached to men who didn't feel the same way.

As a result, we protect ourselves and our emotions and only open up to the men who truly love us back and want to be with us.

4. Feminism

Men, this word does not mean I'm going to burn my bra or bash you in any way; it means that I believe we are entitled to everything men are entitled to.

We are going to make choices that benefit us to set an example for our children and younger generations to come. The status quo of sex and the role women play have changed drastically over the years and will continue to. Hook-up culture has perpetuated these changes by liberating women.

5. Options

Hook-up culture gave us options, many of them. We got to see all the "fish in the sea," or at least, many of them. From the douche bag to the nice guy, the overachiever to the momma's boy, we've seen them all.

There will always be mixed feelings on hook-up culture. The double standard has been around for a long time, and it's probably not going to completely disappear for a while.

However, hook-up culture gives us a head start in diminishing these double standards, and the way it has changed the role of women is already revealing itself in today's society.

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