Surprising sexual behavior that feminists are more likely to engage in

New research finds that feminists are more likely to have casual sex than non-feminists.

Scientists surveyed hundreds of young adults around the world about their personalities, their views on gender equality and their sexual behavior.

Women who held feminist views or identified as feminists were more likely to support hookup culture, which encourages one-night stands and casual sex.

Researchers from Harvard University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill surveyed 318 men and women.

They were both feminists and non-feminists. They came from the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Researchers asked them a series of questions to gauge their sexual habits and personalities, using the Feminist Beliefs and Behavior Scale and the Endorsement of Hookup Culture Index (EHCI).

Some of the questions asked included: ‘What is your gender?’, ‘What term(s) describe your sexual orientation?’ and ‘Are you currently in a committed relationship?’

They also tested their belief in feminist ideals by asking them to agree or disagree with the statements: ‘Girls and women are not treated as well as boys and men in our society’, ‘Women and men should be paid equally for the same work’ and ‘Women’s unpaid work should be more valued in society.’

Finally, they asked people what they thought about casual sex by selecting two items from four original subitems.

These questions were chosen to represent four important aspects of hookup culture: whether people thought hooking up was fun, harmless, and best done without emotional commitment, a way to exercise control over one’s sexuality, and/or a reflection of sexual freedom.

Far more women than men identified as feminists: 75 percent versus 35 percent. Feminist women were also significantly more likely to endorse it than non-feminist women.

The authors reported: ‘Among women, endorsing the feminist identity or beliefs (or both) was associated with relatively higher endorsement of hookup culture, compared with women who denied both the feminist identity and beliefs.

Hookup culture, characterized by casual and unemotional sexual encounters, has had a major impact on the sexual behavior of young adults

They added that among those with feminist beliefs, men were more supportive of hookup culture than women.

That pattern also held for people with non-feminist beliefs, suggesting that the trend for men to embrace hookup culture more than women is consistent across belief systems.

They wrote: ‘Consistent with our predictions… among women, the only groups that were significantly less likely to promote sex were those who identified as non-feminist and also held non-feminist beliefs.’

The fact that men are more likely to endorse sex with someone was also no surprise to the researchers: ‘Because feminism directly concerns women’s sexual liberation, it may be less relevant to shaping men’s perspectives on sexual culture.’

Women are often judged more harshly than men when they have sex with a casual partner.

Meanwhile, the term “feminist,” which has become increasingly politically charged amid raging culture wars, is being likened to “man-hating” and misunderstood as a way to elevate women over men beyond simply seeking equality.

The researchers said: ‘The general stigma attached to the feminist label (e.g., hatred of men) may prevent people from identifying as feminist.

‘Furthermore, feminism has historically been at odds with traditional notions of masculinity, and therefore men who identify as feminists face unique social stigmas. These stigmas include being seen as gay, less masculine, and more feminine.’

Their research was published in the journal Archives of sexual behavior.

Feminists are believed to exert more control over their sexual choices in an attempt at sexual liberation, with a 2022 study finding that this is associated with greater sexual assertiveness and orgasms.