In these day and age of social networking, many of us have to put up a profile for other people to see. This may be in Adam4Adam, gay.com, manhunt, match.com or even facebook. We put information about ourselves and who we want to meet and network with. In a good amount of profiles, I have seen people put in their own words their preference on what kind of people they want to meet. And some of the wordings of the preference of some people are so prejudice sounding. So when is a preference simply just a preference and when does it become prejudice and bigotry?
Examples of preference are:
> Looking to meet people in their 20's to early 30's. Looking for guys +/- 5 years from my age. Please be close to my age.
> Prefer to meet white and latin guys. I am really into black and latin guys.
> Please be HIV negative and STD free.
> Looking for guys who are tops. I am top so looking for a bottom.
> Looking for masculine guys.
> Please be height and weight proportionate. Prefer guys who are in shape.
Examples of a prejudicial sounding preference.
> No oldies. No one over 40.
> Not into black guys. No asians need apply.
> Not into poz.
> No bottoms.
> Not into fem guys.
> No one over 200 pounds. Not into fatties.
As you can see, both examples pretty much convey the same message on who they want to meet. The difference is in the language. The prejudicial way of conveying preference shows the thinly veiled ageism, racism and bigotry of that person. I am sure it is obvious that the preference way of phrasing INCLUDES those they want to meet and the prejudice way of phrasing EXCLUDES a certain group of people that they loathe.
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