Only Casual Sex

The MeToo Movement is a protest against sexual assault and harassment. It began in 2017 when a rash of workplace sexual harassment suits began to come to light. Starting as a hashtag, it quickly went viral and had many celebrities and public figures as supporters. It gained popularity as a hashtag after Alyssa Milano used it on Twitter when the news of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment and rape charges broke. The first time it had been used, however, was way back in 2006 by social media activist Tarana Burke.

The #MeToo Movement Has Nothing To Do With Casual Sex

When the MeToo movement broke out in 2017, it was closely related to the sexual harassment, assaults, and raped being leveled against Hollywood producer and director Harvey Weinstein. Apparently, what had been being pushed under the rug, and passed off as casual sex was actually severe harassment that eventually lead to assault and/or rape that no one seemed to care about. Terms like Casting couch got thrown around a lot and story upon story bubbled to the surface of the media pool of how actresses far and wide were forced to have sex to get parts in movies, raped or assaulted if they turned him down.

Part of this protest is that there are people who take the acceptance of their partner for granted. They assume some privilege and make sexual moves that are unwanted. Arguments ensue as some people want to put the blame for rape on wardrobe choices, alcohol consumption, and even behavior and word choices. Others believe no matter the circumstances, no sexual conduct should occur without undoubtably clear consent. This is regardless of short skirts, bawdy make-up, and state of inebriation.

Casual Sex VS Sexual Harassment

So many MeToo stories began to appear, people interested in casual sex began to worry that they may be accused of harassment in the course of a hookup. No one wants to be offensive, but people are hard to read. This is especially true in this age when so much conversation is conducted online. Text messages and emails do not adequately express tone, emotion, or style of conversation. Things can easily get misconstrued and suddenly you feel and look life an ass. The line where acceptable sexual behavior begins is getting harder and harder to figure out.

The single culture now has to decide if a date is worth the risk of someone seeing flirtation as rape culture. The message getting out is that if someone feels violated, they were. There is not a care given to intent of the content or behavior. You could use the same comment on 10 girls who all laugh and play along, but the 11th may feel slighted. She may feel it was too pushy or harassing. This culture has made it very scary for people who are just trying to enjoy a noncommittal experience.

The Media Can Mix Up Sexual Harassment & Casual Sex

One aspect that not many people consider in this social malady, is if a percentage of the sexual allegations are mixed with morning after guilt causing an altered reaction that isn’t wholly accurate. While not thought to be rampant, there will inevitably be some portion of the culture to take advantage of it. We’ve all seen the prime-time soap operas where the clever secretary sets up the business executive for sexual harassment. Sometimes it’s because of unrequited lust, other times workplace revenge for missed promotions or pay raises. It may be a small percentage, but it does happen.

The #Metoo movement is ruining casual sex

The Metoo movement is ruining casual sex for everyone because on one knows what to expect. There is no set of hard and fast rules established to put daters, employers, and leaders in the community at ease. A nationwide communication network and publicity campaign designed to educate people on the specifics of the MeToo movement, sexual abuse, and sexual assault would be a game-changer. In the meantime, more and more affairs are taking place online and via apps. It takes out the guess work and makes dating more streamlined that we ever thought possible. This move may have been inevitable considering the advancements in technology, but the MeToo movement has made a definite imprint on the dating scene of this generation. It will be part of the history of this country.