For those of you who have read a few of my articles, you can probably imagine that deep down, somewhere in the pit of my chest, there is the heart of a diehard feminist screaming to be heard. Yet for the most part, I leave it to my writers to keep society’s sexist attitude in check. Instead, I spend most of my time trying, hopefully not futilely, to engage my fellow students in the democratic process, as it cries for our generation’s attention.
Then, try as I might to let degrading hip hop lyrics and reality TV roll off my back, came along something I simply could not ignore. Last Monday, Oct. 21 the world saw the release of yet another ridiculous app, “Carrot Dating.” Self described, “the world’s first bribe-for-a-date app,” it carries some serious implications.
For a moment, let us try to ignore the app’s striking resemblance to prostitution and even the disturbing imagery conjured up by the app’s instructions to “dangle the carrot.” Let us pretend that those are inconvenient coincidences. Those aside, what is this app saying about the men and women it targets?
According to Leroy Velasquez, Carrot Dating’s public relations manager, “women have all the power in the dating world, while men struggle for even a single reply.” Thank you, Velasquez, for shedding some new light on the subject. Next time I have to say “no” for the fifth time to a man who clearly views me as nothing but a sexual object, I will keep in mind that the poor guy just wants a simple response. After all, I clearly have all the power. Pardon my sarcasm, I simply do not know how to respond to such a blatantly ridiculous remark.
Velasquez does not stop there, but continues the pitch with, “It’s a concept so simple that even animals understand-give a dog a bone, and it will obey. Give a woman a present, and she’ll…” And she’ll what, Mr. Velasquez? Again, let us pretend that like the dangling carrot, the bone imagery was merely accidental. What we have left is a statement that implies women are stupid, “so simple that even animals (and women) understand,” compares women to dogs, and encourages men to expect women to “obey.” In the Carrot Dating world, women are merely objects, or animals, that can be bought and used by the men that best understand how.
Yet, women are not the only targets here. According to Brandon Wade, founder of the Carrot Dating app, “Carrot Dating puts the romance back into the dating game by forcing men to improve their approach.” In other words, Carrot Dating tells men that women are definitely not interested in them for who they are, companionship, or love (the “old approach”). Carrot Dating says if you want a woman, you must have more to offer than just yourself. But don’t worry, all you need to get the woman of your dreams is, well, a carrot.
Lucky for you, your new app will conveniently organize your carrots, from a free tank of gas to plastic surgery, into five categories, “dining,” “entertainment,” “gifts,” “activities,” and “popular,” so that you no longer have to try to use someone, because now it’s blatantly simple. Thank goodness Carrot Dating came along to improve the quality of dating by assuring that you “will never leave a date empty handed.” Again, pardon my sarcasm.
I desperately hope that the obvious statements Carrot Dating makes about their motives and value will offend both men and women. I pray that Carrot Dating never becomes a part of our culture. At the very least, I am sure that the young men and women of West Chester University would never stoop to embrace such a distasteful fad. Thank goodness for values and education.
Joy Wilson is a fourth-year student majoring in communications with a minor in studio art. She can be reached at JW794401@wcupa.edu.
Sat. Apr 20th, 2024
