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Marshea RobinsonTitle of Research Project: Performing for LoveAims (100-200 words): My hypothesis is that the users I interact with are assuming personae to attract the people who they believe would be attracted to them. Whether or not people are using the dating apps for just friendships, or sexual relationships, users are all performers especially when it comes to gender. They advert to the gender norms demanded by society for acceptance. The thesis is as follows, individuals use dating sites to find sexual partners, friends, and even professional connections, however, many of these individuals are acting and performing right in front of one’s eye. A profile is an invitation to the party’s fake life filled with fun and attractive photos. The engagement in conversation is the full show being performed. Ultimately, I want to know if these dating sites perpetuate the systems of gender currently placed in society. I want to see how people behave behind a phone or computer screen, and whether they heed to gender norms or not. Background and Significance (300-600 words)I was first interested in this topic after a conversation I had with a close friend. My friend complained about how lonely she had become after breaking up with her partner. I suggested a mobile dating application to her, and she immediately rejected the idea. I started to think about my own perception of dating sites, and realized that I, too, viewed them negatively. We both agreed that dating apps, such as Tinder, are filled with desperate individuals with values that do not align with ours. This was one of the negative assumptions we related to Tinder, but I tied these stereotypes and assumptions to our WGSS 200 course. One of the readings written by Kate Rushin, mention the pressures females face in society when males force themselves upon them sexually in the streets by catcalling and making sly remarks. Even male family members engage in this demeaning behavior. To some, this is what it means to be male. It did not make sense to me, which is why I wanted to research it further through online dating. I wanted to see if men truly believed these gender norms, and if they acted upon them. Ultimately, I want to see whether the performance of gender is true, but from the modern lenses of online dating. The research questions I hope to answer are, do dating sites perpetuate the systems of gender currently forced upon society? How does attention toward same-sex dating disrupt these systems?When I began research regarding gender and dating apps, I found very little information especially regarding same-sex relationships. This is a key area that has yet to be researched in depth, as dating apps are fairly new, and not often connected with the subject of gender. It should be understood that although dating sites, themselves, are not new, applications accessible on mobile phones, such as Tinder and Bumble, are and have been in existence for less than 10 years. I am excited to research this topic, as it would be one of the first of its kind. Few ethnographies have been completed regarding newer dating apps, and how gender plays a role in the actions and behaviors of the users. Online sites allow for individuals to hide behind a screen and perform beyond just their gender, so it would be an exciting examination. Additionally, I want to address the stigma regarding dating apps. Depending on my results, I would confirm or disprove the assumptions people have about the apps. Overall, I want people to feel safe and respect their decision to use the dating app, so I will be sure to use it respectfully and with confidentiality. Research Plan (200-500 words)I want to achieve my research goal by creating my own profile on a dating site. The two main dating sites I plan to use are Tinder and Bumble in order to study the behaviors of these individuals using the site. My first step is to create four different profiles. One profile will reflect a college-aged, heterosexual female looking to attract college-aged males. The second profile will be of a college-aged, heterosexual male who is looking to attract females around the same age. The third profile will portray a female who is gender-fluid, desired to be called by “they” and “theirs”, and does not specify what specific gender they want to attract. Lastly, I want to create a profile depicting a male who is also gender-fluid, and desires to use the “they” and “theirs” pronouns, but wants to attract females. After creating the four profiles, I would need to track them constantly. By using fake names, editing photos, and having group members who would share the passwords in order to spread the workload, this can all be achieved. We will begin by “liking” and “disliking” to target the type of people we want in order to see what type of people are attracted to our profiles (i.e. matching). I will allow myself to match with a total of 5 people for each profile I create, and some form of conversation must be held with each. I will wait to see who reaches out first to communicate to examine the dynamics of gender. Most assume that it is masculine for the male to reach out first, so this is one concept that I will be testing. We will also test to see how long the conversation and engagement lasts. Lastly, I will be testing the concept of the more feminine figure being more reserved, quiet, and passive. To conclude the research, we will gather our findings and as a group discuss what we saw during our interactions. From this, I hope to discover whether or not users are performing gender even through a computer screen. Literature CitedGewirtz-Meydan (11/01/2018). "Forever young: Visual representations of gender and age in online dating sites for older adults.". Journal of Women & Aging (0895-2841), 30 (6), p. 484.Forever young: Visual representations of gender and age in online dating sites for older adults.Producing desirable bodies: Boundary work in a lesbian niche dating site. DOI: 10.1177/136346071455090Dating deception: Gender, online dating, and exaggerated self-presentation by Guadagno, Rosanna E; Okdie, Bradley M; Kruse, Sara A. Attraction: An online dating field experiment. CourseworkWomen’s Gender and StudiesEthnographic Methods with Dr. Jan FrenchIntroduction to Sociology ................
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