Faƌǀid, P., & BƌauŶ, V. ;ϮϬϭϯͿ. Casual sedž as Ŷot a Ŷatuƌal aĐt and other regimes of truth about heterosexuality. Feminism & Psychology, 23(3), 359-378. doi:10.1177/0959353513480018 Casual sedž as Ŷot a Ŷatural aĐt aŶd other regiŵes of truth aďout heterosedžualitLJ* Panteá Farvid Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand Virginia Braun The University of Auckland, New Zealand Abstract This papeƌ aŶalLJses oŶliŶe tedžts ĐoŶĐeƌŶiŶg the supposed ƌules aŶd etiƋuette of heteƌosedžual Đasual sedž, edžploƌiŶg hoǁ ideal Đasual sedž ǁas ĐoŶstƌuĐted – as object and practice. We examine how casual sex was constituted by authors who positioned themselves as knowledgeable and/or expert in relation to casual sex and demonstrate the discourses that their accounts drew on in constructing archetypal casual sex. Our analysis is situated within feminist/critical theorising and debates regarding the institution of heterosexuality and, in particular, construction of monogamy as ideal ǁheŶ it Đoŵes to heteƌosedžual ƌelatioŶships. We aƌgue that Đasual sedž ǁas ĐoŶstituted as Ŷot a Ŷatuƌal aĐt thƌough the speĐifiĐ iŶstƌuĐtioŶs of hoǁ to do Đasual sedž ƌight. We outline the construction of an attraction imperative in relation to casual sex, its hierarchies of respectability, and address what an analysis about casual sex tells us about contemporary heterosexuality. This paper demonstrates that although casual sex could possibly offer an alternative to the currently pervasive ŵoŶoŶoƌŵatiǀitLJ, it fails to pƌoǀide this iŶ aĐĐouŶts of ideal Đasual sedž as ƌelaLJed iŶ the puďliĐ arena. Keywords Casual sex, gender, heterosexuality, monogamy, sex advice The paƌadigŵ has shifted. DatiŶg is dated. HookiŶg up is heƌe to staLJ Chaƌles Bloǁ ;ϮϬϬ8Ϳ, New York Times The rhetoric evident above is quite common within the public arena when it comes to casual sex. Cultural representations of heterosexual casual sex are currently common within West (Farvid and Braun, 2013) and prevalent in news articles (e.g. Marcotty, 2009; Ramirez, 2005), magazine articles (e.g. Grigoriadis, 2003; McGinn, 2008), current affairs pieces (e.g. TVNZ, 2008), online blogs (e.g. Boodram, 2010; Preston, 2007) and opinion pieces (e.g. Makow, 2005; Perry, 2010). News reports often describe the prevalence or nature of casual sex (e.g. Preidt, 2010; Wilson, 2009) with some ĐautioŶaƌLJ aƌtiĐles aďout the dƌaǁďaĐks of Đasual sedž, paƌtiĐulaƌlLJ foƌ ǁoŵaŶ ;e.g. Hemmingway, 2004; Simmons, 2010). The hugely successful television show Sex and the City (1998–2004, HBO) is ofteŶ Đited as diƌeĐtlLJ ƌepƌeseŶtiŶg ;aŶd ǀalidatiŶgͿ ǁoŵeŶs eŶgageŵeŶt iŶ Đasual sedž. ‘eĐeŶtlLJ, a