With the click of a button you can order almost
anything online these days, including an attractive university student. It is perfectly legal and it’s becoming a growing trend in Toronto.
Nowadays with the ever-increasing costs of tuition,
female students known as Sugar Babies are seeking well-to-do business men to
fund their education. Who needs a scholarship or bursary when you have Mr. Big footing the bill?
A recent article written by Alex Ballingal published in the Toronto Star revealed that Ryerson University has the most Sugar Babies compared to all the
other post secondary schools in the city. Yikes! The
article stated a shocking 183 students have signed up for ‘Seeking Arrangement’,
the elite sugar daddy dating site for those seeking “mutually beneficial
relationships”. The extremely cautiously and cunningly written website
really pulls at your morals and values.
“You know you deserve to date someone who will
pamper you, empower you, and help you mentally, emotionally and financially.” Yes I do, but shouldn't I be enjoying those things because they are staples of a healthy relationship?
And just how much ‘help’ are we talking about?
On average Toronto Sugar Daddies spend $4,027 a month on their babies! And get
this, over 40% are married. (That’s a whole other blog...nasty, cheating men.) In exchange for all those dollar bills, fancy
dinners and lavish gifts, the Sugar Babies trade off their “companionship.”
A fancy word for S-E-X.
“It’s a way to find a relationship that is
win-win,” says Brandon Wade, who founded the site in 2006. You’ve probably seen
him on 20/20, Dateline,CNN or Dr.Phil with his 26 year old sugar baby wife that
he claims he didn’t meet on the site. (And I bet she’s not with you for your money
either.)
I have to pull out my John Stossel on this one.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
These are merely nicely dressed and well fed prostitutes.
Yet Wade maintains that his million dollar site is not the latter because here,
sex is not a requirement. Regardless, I’m sure it’s almost always a
defining factor. Call me naive, but I don’t suppose these older
men are paying huge amounts for school and gifts to simply walk around with arm
candy. I’m not buying it.
I graduated from Ryerson two years ago, so I am
well aware of the rising cost of tuition, but isn't the point of getting a
higher education so that you won’t have to sell yourself?
This subject matter hit mainstream TV in this
season of 90210 when Annie Wilson (Shanae Grimes) became an high paid escort to
pay for her brothers rehab. Her situation was not much different than the
students applying on Seeking Arrangement. She was strapped for cash and encountered
a business man that would meet all of her needs if she agreed to meets his sex companionship needs.
And who could forget the $464 million dollar
grossing romantic comedy ‘Pretty Woman’ starring Julia Roberts as the kindhearted
escort Vivian Ward. I admit it’s one of my favorite movies but never would I
ever put a price on my body to pay for school or anything else for that matter.
After coming across numerous ‘Pro-Sugar Babies’
comments online, I started to wonder if I was the only one that thinks this is
wrong. So after serving a couple glasses of
wine, I asked my girlfriends to ensure I’d get the truth. Conversation veered off track a couple times to all
designer things we would buy with a $4000 a month but when I cornered them for
an answer, they each said “It just wouldn't feel right.” Whew! What a relief.
But for Danielle, a 20 year old U of T student
on Seeking Arrangements, it feels perfectly fine. She requests a monthly
allowance of $10,000 to $20,000 PLUS expensive gifts and vacations. Ironic, isn't it? Here’s a woman that clearly
knows what she thinks she’s worth, yet she has no self worth at all.
When did objectifying our bodies in order to get
ahead become an acceptable thing to do?
Just because times are hard and it seems like
the economy is falling down doesn't mean your pants have to too.
Get in on the debate. Leave a comment below!
