How narcissism evolved
Guys Acting Like Jerks to Get a Relationship?
7 Things Women Want to Hear (But Only If You Mean It)
In Praise of Awkward First-Time Sex
Why Do Feminists Find Abstinence Intolerable?
A Flurry of Flustered Feminists, Finally
Can Hooking Up Empower You?
The Cost of Always Holding Out for Something Better

you beat me to the keyboard.
Most sex “empowerment” talk is just social engineering marxism. The least part who is empowered is the individual.

• 6 gotvenus November 14, 2009 at 9:29 pm

Susan, I totally agree with the statement:
“It’s the primary path to relationships, especially in college. Like it or not, it’s the culture, and it’s not changing anytime soon. The best thing you can do is be smart about how, where, when, why and with whom.”

And as far as “empowerment” goes, I have always found “The Hunt” (the actual art precluding the hook up) far more empowering than the act of the hook up itself.

The act of the hook up only comes from the “empowerment” of getting in touch with your self, the real power, and whether you hook up or not is a personal decision or rather the consequence of your decisions.

But to GET to the hook up, that's you “empowering” yourself in self confidence to even get to that point.

That can't be all bad, can it?

• 7 VJ November 15, 2009 at 1:47 am

I say that there's too much needless 'categorical thinking' going on here. It really should not be viewed as 'either/or', but perhaps more of a 'Both/And' situation here. We now know through various rigorous scientific studies undertaken during the last decade that pure ‘abstinence’ training or teachings Fail at what they’re actually supposed to be doing or promoting. It does not seem to inhibit much sex, among any of the groups subsequently studied. It does not lower either the exposure to disease or risk of pregnancy, nor significantly delay sexual involvement among teens or other groups. Even those ‘dedicated’ and ‘determined’ religious believers.

So More detailed knowledge & Accurate Scientific teachings about what’s going on with your own body and it’s likely reaction to such ‘encounters’? Probably a very good thing. And even most parents agree with this. Knowledge is power. More knowledge is most likely better in that it actively involves you in preventing ‘adverse outcomes’. ‘Runny sores’ on a partner? Probably not a good sign! Painful intercourse? Ditto! It allows you to better understand what’s going on in a more accurate context. Whereas the ‘abstinence only’ crowd would have you suffer in silence. Just like ‘olden times’, well during the Middle Ages, primarily.

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