Monogamous relationships dying in favour of hookups

Monogamous relationships dying in favour of hookupsHookup culture is a thing in todays society, and as a consequence threatening the standing of monogamous love stories.

by Luh Tsele

31-03-2023 13:06

in LGBTQIA

A gay couple laying side by side. Image: Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels

Finding a date in the LGBTIQ community can be quite frustrating. The frustration comes not because we are bombarded with suitors from every direction, especially in real life. The defeat comes as you realise that if you can't read between the lines, the chances of meeting someone at a coffee shop are a little slim to none. There, the first red card for monogamous relationships.

--

Hookup culture has been taking over Are monogamous relationships fading in favour of hookups? Honestly, it depends on who you ask. But if I was hard-pressed, I would give a slight edge to answering yes. Since I could comprehend the messages the majority of the globe was sending out about queer people, gay men to be specific, promiscuity was always one of the leading assumptions or stereotypes if you want to call it that.

A 2004 study by a team of researchers from the University of Chicago found that promiscuity and unhealthy behaviour were high among homosexual men in the city Chicago. The study reported that 61.3% of the gay men in the city had been involved with over 30 partners. That was almost two decades ago, fast forward to 2023 when technological advancements have made it easier to connect with basically anyone in the world. Do you think the percentage has decreased?

Based on keen observation, I would say no. Our dating apps are now used as a platform for hooking up more than the advertised promise of finding a love. From the moment I signed first up for my first online dating profile years ago, I learned that if the conversation does not lead to a sexual encounter, the person you matched with is likely to disappear like a cloud of smoke.

--

Some gay men vibe with monogamous relationships Not that there aren't gay men, or queer individuals looking for sustainable monogamous relationships out there, those rare breeds are there. It's just difficult to sort through the clatter to find them. How can it be easy to find them when pleasantries have switched from hello to a picture of someone's penis as a more suitable attention-grabbing greeting?

Please do not misquote me, I am not condemning nor advocating for hookup culture. People have different reasons for engaging in casual sex. As explained earlier in the article, meeting your soul-mate in a conventional way in the LGBTIQ community is difficult. So if you can open an app, click on a picture of a perfect torso, and get laid, why wouldn't you? The selling point of hookups is simple, get satisfied with no strings attached.

We are pressed for time Monogamy requires commitment and is time-consuming. You are likely to exhaust time finding that person, and further stretch time trying to build a strong enough bond. Even then it doesn't guarantee that your person won't slip up and revert to sliding into other people's DM's for meaningless quickies.

--

Noah, a gay character from the LGBTIQ film Fire Island once said, Monogamy is a disease created by straight people to make us less interesting. Is it?

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY LUH TSELE

SOAPIE QUIZ: How well do you know Generations: The Legacy'? WIN R1 000 in cash!

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/opinion/monogamous-relationships-dying...
	See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines