10.08.2009

Gin & Tonic for the Soul: Safety is Sexy

Interesting Discussion Topics for Happy Hour

Back to gender studies, this week, we visit the "Safety is Sexy" photo phenomenon, found most commonly in the on-line dating world, but also on various social networking sites.

We could wax poetic for hours about on-line dating, but have chosen this week to narrow down the field to a strange subgroup of young men who post self-portraits of themselves driving cars. Often wearing seatbelts, hey Safety is Sexy! Cheesy car photos might make a little sense if these guys were driving fancy, sporty, or old-timey cars, but they’re not. They're in non-descript cars, unidentifiable from the often unflattering angles the self-portrait artist employs while driving.

We get that we all have our self-portrait quirks. JB has a curious addiction to taking self-portraits in public restrooms (of her face, gutter-minds!), but she would never make these photos her main profile pic on any dating website. Not even on Adult Friend-Finder and Craigslist Casual Encounters, where other users might appreciate such bathroom humor.

So, why are these guys posting these driving pictures? Did someone tell them that ladies love this? Do they honestly think these pics are going to moisten the pantaloons of the internet babes of the world? Are they proving they have cars? We just don't get it!

It's been hard to explain this strange issue to people, but as we like to say, the proof is in the pictures. Take a gander at these main profile pics we found in a single night perusing one free dating site.


Classic "Safety is Sexy" Shot:


This repeat offender had 4 "safety is sexy" shots in his profile!


Straight on “Safety is Sexy:"


“Safety is Sexy” side-view (aka pretending you didn’t take the picture yourself)


“Safety is Sexy” Variation – from behind:


“Safety is Sexy” Variation – the “Passenger:"


“Safety is Sexy” Variation – drinking Starbucks:


“Safety is Sexy” Done Right: Show off your (test-driving) Benz, JB!

California has a law making it illegal to text or talk on the phone without a headset while driving. We think they should also enact legislation to illegalize taking bad self-portraits while driving and posting them for prospective dates. Please sir, leave the camera in the car. At the very least, can we issue a citation for those who post these pictures?

And guys, we’re not hatin’, some of our own good friends and even former beaus are guilty of this vehicular crime. But hey, that doesn’t mean we can’t think this is weird and downright silly!

Guys, what drives you bonkers in a prospective date's profile pic? We want to know!

4 comments:

  1. hahahahahaaaa! Side-view is my fave! Next, you girls'll have to explore the guys who take pics of themselves shirtless (or pulling their shirt up) in the bathroom mirror. I think there's a whole website dedicated to it. Oooh too funny!

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  2. don't hate on the guys who take shirtless pics of themselves in the bathroom mirror!!! i can't speak for the straights, but i think almost every gay man who's ever posted a profile on an online "dating" website (and I use the term "dating" loosely) and wants to show off his body has done that...except for yours truly :-) I'm waaaaaay to modest for that! besides you know that you women do something equally scandalous, like post ridiculous pics of yourself smiling at the camera in a normal setting...or some such ludicrousness.

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  3. I have to say that my favorite "lady's pose" is the one of the lady subject taking a peepee. I know a few girls who have posted that in their facebook or myspace page. I guess not too sexy to put in a dating profile, but still. They are posted!! Who wants to watch you take a piss? Unless you're into that sort of thing...?

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  4. Thanks for the notes, guys! I adore the lifted shirt bathroom mirror pictures as well. Shirtless - ok, we kinda get it, you're hot... Shirt lifted, hilarious!

    And A, guilty as charged on restroom photography! Hey, the lighting is always good :)!

    -- JB

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