On day four of Her Campus GSU’s pink week, ladies and men packed the classroom to discuss sex, love and what the dating scene looks like for twenty-somethings in college.
The fifth annual Netflix & Chill event drew gasps, eye-rolls, laughter, and arguments as men and women discussed their unique dating styles in an attempt to bridge the gap between our often contradictory and mysterious romantic approaches.
Is there a difference between talking and dating? What do you wear to the first Netflix and chill date? How do you handle a partner’s bad sexual hygiene? Why do women “shoot their shot” with their eyes? Would you date a virgin?
The audience attempted to answer many of the questions that could not be settled by member panelists, but little is ever agreed upon when it comes to love and how to do it right.
To the question of why it’s unheard of for a woman to not want a relationship, an audience member summed up the answer most people did not consider a realistic question.
“Society stigmatizes women as trying to be needy,” an audience member said. “It seems like if a man just wants to talk to you, it’s okay, but as soon as a woman shows interest– “oh she must want to be my girlfriend– that’s not necessarily true.”
Many women snapped and nodded their heads in agreement.
There’s also a bias in today’s dating culture that illustrates men as pursuers and women as the pursued, but many of our romantic gestures suggest this is the way it should be.
For example, men openly complained about a woman’s reluctance to make the first move, but most of those same men relented that a forthright woman takes the thrill away from the chase. All but two women quickly agreed that courting was the man’s job.
This year’s Netflix & Chill was nothing short of draw-dropping. Nothing was left on the table or too taboo to discuss. Next year, I look forward to a panel diverse in sexuality as I can imagine the dynamics of courting, sex, and all questions of romance are equally confusing for the LGBTQ community.
Until next time, Happy Pink Week!