A new billboard is turning heads for what some say is an outdated and racist way of thinking.
The advertisement in West Valley City, Utah is for the dating site WhereWhitePeopleMeet.com, and although you'd logically think the service is for white people only, its website claims otherwise:
I am sure some of you are wondering about the concept and need for a dating website titled “Where White People Meet.Com.” Our answer to that would be why not? There are various dating websites that promote and cater to just about every origin, race, religion and lifestyle out there. So again, why not “Where White People Meet.Com?”
While the site claims to seek inclusiveness, some Utah residents say the billboard sends the opposite message.
“I just feel we should be past that whole mindset of staying within our own race and segregation pretty much," Salt Lake City resident Michelle Dessau told local Fox 13 News.
Dating sites seeking to connect users of the same religion, lifestyle, or race are not new, but online meeting places for the majority hardly seem necessary. A 2013 Pew Research Center study found that white Americans frequent dating sites more than other races, with 11 percent of dating site users identifying as white, compared to 7 percent black, and 5 percent Hispanic.
Beyond dominating the online dating pool, white people are also viewed more favorably on dating sites. A 2014 OKCupid analysis found that users of all races gave white users the highest average match scores. OKCupid's co-founder Christian Rudder thinks that represents our cultural climate.
"I think that’s no coincidence. Beauty is a cultural idea as much as a physical one, and the standard is of course set by the dominant culture." he wrote.
Still, Where White People Meet does have seemingly nonwhite people on its membership page:
Its blog contains tips about safe dating and—perhaps the truest show of white Ameican culture—metaphors comparing love to hunting.
"As an avid hunter, I know that you need to ready yourself, take steady aim and then fire."
WhereWhitePeopleMeet.com did not immediately respond to NTRSCTN's request for comment.
