The dating world can be a very scary place, but I think everyone can agree that online dating takes the largest, most disgusting cake with a thick layer of sh*t on top. From douchebags on Tinder to more douchebags on Tinder, pseduo-anonymity makes people think they can get away with the worst behavior imaginable. I say “people,” but what I really mean is “creepy ass guys.”
Hence the reasoning behind “Jess, Meet Ken,” a new dating site in Boston that lets women vouch for their guy friends in order to set them up with single ladies. According to BostInno, the site operates as follows:
Women who know great guys answer a few questions about them, which then generate profiles that other users can scope out. And women who are looking for those great guys can browse through the database of eligible bachelors with the assurance that another chick has advocated for them.
A sound idea, no? With the female friend acting as an intermediary between the profiled man and the profile-skimming woman, the chance of any male libido-driven douchebagery decreases significantly.
Don’t get me wrong. While my male experience can never truly know the hazards of being a woman in the online dating world, I understand the logic behind such a site. I just can’t shake the feeling “Jess, Meet Ken” reduces men to mere pawns – objects, if you will. The site’s proverbial “Ken” literally has no say in the process:
“The majority of people using online dating feel that others misrepresent themselves,” said [Ken] Deckinger. “This eliminates that.”
And since all of the profile info and even the photo are posted by the woman, users can rest assured that they’re getting an accurate depiction.
“Frankly, the biggest advantage we have over other dating sites is that guys aren’t putting up pictures of themselves with their shirts off holding a big fish,” he added.
Who’s to say the intermediary won’t “misrepresent” their guy friend in his profile, whether intentionally or accidentally? Sure, we most often hear about the weirdos on Tinder, OKCupid, and other online dating sites, but what about the normal ones? What if the single men and women involved are really into fishing?
If anything, you could replace the phrases “intermediary” and “female friend” with “pimp,” but maybe that’s the point. Besides, feeling like an object can be a good thing sometimes. Just make sure you know the safe word:
(Source: BostInno)