Which JAC Girls Should You Avoid?

MTL Blog Can Help You with That

by Vanessa Burns

I would be surprised if you haven’t all seen the recent video uploaded by MTL blog, “Types Of John Abbott College Girls You’d Never Date”. This video, uploaded on February 11th, consisted of interviewer Adam Susser asking a few of John Abbott’s finest the question: “What type of Abbott girl would you never date?” The answers ranged from commenting on physical appearance to sassiness. The reactions ranged from alphamale to angry feminist.

Firstly, we need to look at why this video was made: for entertainment. I don’t think Adam Susser or anyone at MTL blog was thinking about the consequences this video could have when they posted it; they just do it for the likes. And unfortunately, this video is the type of thing their audience wants to see. I think that no matter if they were asking guys or girls this question, it is simply a very negative stance to take. Instead of asking what type of girl they would date, which would highlight the qualities of the person, they are devaluing an entire group of individuals based on one characteristic that they don’t happen to like. But why would they ask a more positive question? Well, it simply wouldn’t generate enough views. Nobody wants to hear that you are attracted to girls with a sense of humour. It just isn’t interesting. This is why I put most of the blame on MTL blog, and not on the guys of Abbott who participated. As a highly popular website, they have a responsibility to evaluate the effects their content can have on their viewers. They put students on the spot with this question and published this video that has the potential to bring down the selfesteem of girls and that shows the state of our sad, patriarchal society.

I am not saying people shouldn’t have the right to have a “type”. But this video completely isolates an entire group of individuals just because of one particular characteristic. It may seem harmless, but think of the girls watching this video; if this video is supposed to be an accurate portrayal of the various guys at Abbott – which it totally isn’t – it is telling them that they are un-dateable. This is an excellent example of the ability that men have to control women so that they conform to their desires. This misrepresentation of the male student body of Abbott gives girls the impression that they need to change who they are for guys, which is a message that we receive on a regular basis from the media and even from classmates.

It would be interesting to see how girls would answer this question. Of course, women can be just as judgmental as men. For example, many girls are only attracted to guys who are taller than them or who have a certain body type. However, many of the responses don’t simply judge appearances. The one that got me the most, and that actually came up twice in the video, was “sassy” girls. The interviewer added on to this reply with, “the ones who talk back”. Now, I’m not sure about you, but I was under the impression that we lived in a society where women were allowed to speak their mind and weren’t treated as subordinate to their partners. If you don’t want to date a girl who has an “attitude”, then you are probably just scared of dating someone stronger than you, and she probably deserves better than you, anyway.

Despite the atrocity that is this video, I am happy that girls – and guys – have had the courage to speak up against it. I think this reminds us all to think about what we say and its repercussions, and also, to think about what we watch and what we should and should not take into consideration.

And to all of you fellow crazy/ ratchet/sassy chicks out there, well, you rock.