We live in a world where casual sex is a regular part of life for many people. In the age of our parents, grandparents, and beyond, the idea of a hookup or fuckbuddy was unimaginable. In fact, the words themselves were likely not even around. The entire idea of a casual fling was taboo and certainly frowned upon. Luckily, the sexual revolution of the 60s (and pretty much every decade since) has flipped that narrative on its head and created a more open-minded and comfortable attitude towards sex of any kind. But we must ask the question, is casual sex actually a good thing?

Here’s the deal: sex is part of life. And we don’t think you need to be in a committed relationship to have it. Besides, there are all sorts of committed relationships – and plenty that allow for outside affairs and casual hookups while maintaining health inside the relationship. There’s no hard and fast rule about how you should have sex – pun intended. All that matters is that you feel comfortable with the sexual decisions you are making and that everyone involves verbalizes and shows enthusiastic consent. But like anything else, there are pros and cons to every choice we make! We’ve run down a list of some of the biggest pros and cons to casual sex.

Pro: It’s easy to find casual sex

Sex is something that humans crave (some would argue that it’s necessary for a healthy life). There aren’t always folks around for serious relationships and many people don’t want that commitment. Through hookup sites, casual sex is right at your fingertips. You can head to any fuckbuddy site and meet someone who lives nearby and is willing to bone!

Con: Safety issues

In almost any situation, there is going to be an STI risk. Even if you and your partner were both virgins before you met, one could always have something contagious obtained in childhood that can be passed sexually. These days, most STIs are treatable or curable. However, they aren’t always fun, and having sex with more partners puts you at a greater risk for exposing yourself to one due to nothing but numbers. Condoms are always highly recommended during casual sex (and non-casual sex!). That said, having casual sex and obtaining an STI says nothing about who you are as a person and it happens to most of us.

Pro: It can help you feel more confident

Having confidence in the bedroom comes with practice, which casual sex allows! Through experimentation like threesomes or roleplaying, casual sex allows for new channels to explore ourselves, set boundaries, and voice our desires. All of that confidence translates outside of the bedroom too!

Con: Different safety issues

With casual sex scenarios stemming from casual sex apps, it’s likely that you are meeting a total stranger for private time. The danger here is that you don’t actually know if the person you are meeting has good or bad intentions and it’s crucial that you keep yourself safe. That’s why meeting in public first and establishing a rapport, getting social media handles, and Facetiming beforehand are all good practices!

These certainly aren’t all the pros and cons, but it’s enough to get your wheels turning. As you may notice, the cons have a lot to do with safety. However, there are ways to protect yourself during fun casual flings!