 "Photo: Tevin Neely")
A recent survey of N.C. Central University students revealed striking findings about how the predominance of women on campus is changing campus relationships.
One NCCU sociology adjunct instructor outlined the situation in which campus men and women find themselves like this: "It gives men hands up. It gives them more of a variety. It's their world in terms of dating. They have choices. They have more opportunities."
In the survey women say they are more likely to initiate relationships than men are, and that they are more likely to look outside their race — or inside their gender — for intimacy.
"I think the lack of males, especially good ones, is making females more open to same-sex relationships and people from different backgrounds" said one survey respondent.
But it's not only the gender imbalance, women say, that leads them to look elsewhere – they also say campus men are taking advantage of the situation.
"Most of the guys won't stick to one girl because there are so many options," writes one female respondent.
"All these boys see a lot of females every day and they have issues with being faithful," said one woman. You have to be "lucky and find a good man," said another.
"They explore their options," said a female respondent.
Another woman said, "They treat females like toys. They use and abuse them."
"One male put the matter bluntly: "Why stick with just chicken when you can have fish as well?"
In the survey of 101 NCCU students, 64 percent of the women agreed with the statement that "females are more likely to be the aggressor, or one who initiates the relationship."
One woman said, "Females have to be go-getters and take what they want … before another girl does."
This situation, writes one woman, can lead to "overcompetition when it comes to the affection of males." She adds: "Instead of building strong female relationships, we are tearing one another down."
Fewer, 42 percent, of the men surveyed agreed with the statement.
In the survey, 69 percent of the women agreed that "the lack of males leads them to being more open to the idea of dating someone of a different cultural or ethnic background."
A female respondent said, "For myself, anyways, I don't care what color you are as long as you're handsome."
Another woman writes: "There's nothing wrong with interracial dating. I myself have never dated a black man."
And another summarizes the situation: "They [women] pretty much go out and get who they can, pretty much."
Fewer men, 54 percent, thought women would be open to dating outside their ethnicity.
Although no questions were asked regarding whether women might be seeking intimacy from other women, a number of women wrote their opinions on the matter.
The imbalanced ratio of women to men "causes drama and turns females to other females. (Like me - smiley face)," writes one woman.
"It's a negative change because there are more females than males … causing homosexuality to increase with females," suggests one respondent.
Despite the surplus of women to men and various approaches to dealing with the situation, one thing remains wrote one respondent: "Everyone wants to be loved."
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