Second Year Hon. Mention: App-rehensive Dating

WRIT 2004, Writing in Digital Cultures. CD: Andrea McKenzie.

Abstract

Hitting the ground running, this piece skillfully unpacks how one individual’s experiences of a dating app highlight larger issues around race and sexuality. Ultimately, the piece asks what individuals can do when someone “slides into their DMs” expecting them to be someone they’re not based on the labels they’ve used to describe themselves. Made even more convincing by the inclusion of anecdotal evidence in the form of actual messages from potential matches on a dating app, this compilation of blog posts tells the story of a bisexual Asian woman’s experiences with online dating and how those experiences color her understanding of online dating as a whole. With strong pacing and a gripping narrative, these posts build on one another, and it becomes clear that the longer the writer has had to immerse herself in these contexts and reflect on them, the more (rightfully) frustrated and exhausted she becomes by the process. A wonderful rendition of how something meant to be light hearted and fun can become dismal and depressing depending on who you are and what others expect you to be.