The significant topics of hookup culture, consent and masculinity will be discussed at “It’s A Guy Thing,” a monthly casual group meeting that is open to all students at Sonoma State University. 

This particular meeting will be held on Wed. April 3 from 6 – 7 p.m. in the HUB, located on the second floor of the Student Center. These meet-ups are for people of all genders to talk, share ideas and discuss the multiple challenges, responsibilities and advantages of being a man in today’s society.

Masculine is defined as “having qualities or appearance traditionally associated with men, especially strength and aggressiveness,” according to dictionary.com. The term has conjured up many different meanings throughout the recent years, with more people rejecting societal norms and gender stereotypes. while others still struggle with expectations.

“Growing up with two brothers in the 60’s, we were taught to be tough and powerful,” said Timothy Dean, a father of a Sonoma State student. “Those ideas of toxic masculinity were thrown upon me at a very young age.”

The other topic, hookup culture, is especially prominent on college campuses and popular with the young age range of college students.

Hookup culture refers to the idea that casual sexual encounters are the best or only way to engage sexually. The concept also refers to rules of social interaction that create casual sexual encounters and organizational arrangements that support these encounters. Today’s younger generations are generally more open, permissive and hopeful of the future than other generations, allowing them to seek out new experiences with different people.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), which is intended to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it. 

Asking for consent is a healthy, normal and necessary part of everyday interactions, which is why the campaign theme of SAAM is “I Ask”. 

Sonoma State has been very active in shedding light on this sensitive subject by holding many events on campus throughout the years that encourage people to talk about this important issue, such as The Clothesline Project, which was created to bring awareness to the topic of violence against women.

“The fact that our school is actively participating in making people aware of sexual assault and its effects is very inspiring,” said Kevin Kingston, a freshman at Sonoma State. “College campuses need to be more transparent and straightforward with their students because this is a huge issue for us.”

The HUB is a great resource on campus that creates a space that includes everybody, allowing students to feel accepted and respected as individuals. The HUB stands for Honoring the past, Uniting the present and Building the future.

“We seek to understand ourselves as individuals by exploring the diverse variables and life circumstances that make who we are,” states the HUB webpage on Sonoma State’s website. “We bring this self-awareness to light so we can hare ourselves with each other and in doing so, learn to engage and respect each other’s experiences, insights and humanity.”