Second Year Hon. Mention: App-rehensive Dating

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

Abstract

“App-rehensive Dating” is a sophisticated and smart discourse on dating apps, exploring both the contemporary and historical assumptions guiding these pervasive technologies. This complex piece unravels the undisplayed contradictions, showing how these supposedly neutral interfaces reproduce the sexual, racial and gendered hierarchies of our society. The author develops a strong voice throughout, confidently displaying a commitment to honest discussions about inclusion and exclusion. While eschewing the easy answers which dominate the blog form, “App-rehensive Dating” points us in the direction of a more accepting and compassionate response to navigating difficult and often fraught interactions.