"Update Your Fairy-tale"--A Media Analysis of Hook-up Narratives

"Hooking-up" with friends and acquaintances consists of a variety of sexual activities that range from kissing to intercourse. Rising in popularity, an estimated two-thirds of college students have engaged in at least one “hook-up.” This research explores the context and significance of popular media representations of “hooking-up,” attending to what shared meanings they convey to audience members. This paper presents qualitative analysis of 2011 United States, mainstream, romantic comedies featuring "hooking-up" as their primary narratives. Key findings include a positive portrayal of women’s sexual agency, a reification of men’s sex drive discourse, and the presentation of "hooking-up" as an alternative to relationship development.