Blind Date Contestants’ Prejudices Spark A Debate About Fatphobia and Asian Fetishization

Do you think they were both in the wrong?
Stories
Kesha Bright
Kesha Bright

Blind dating shows are some of the most popular reality programs around the world and are often a favorite trope in works of fiction. Normally, blind dating programs can have a positive response online but a recent video depicting two individuals showing racist and fatphobic prejudices toward each other has gone viral.

The YouTube channel Cut has recently popularized a new version of the dating show in their series called The Button. In these episodes, two contestants are seated on seated for a blind date with a button between the two of them. As the two converse and learn more about each other, they are eventually given the chance to press the button once it turns red. Doing so will cause the other person to leave and a new contestant will come forward.

If a pair make it to 10 minutes on their date, they will win an all-expenses paid second date. Normally, the two contestants are able to see each other, but in the channel’s most recent video both are blindfolded and only able to hear the other person.

In a now-viral portion of the show, a Caucasian woman, Sam, and an Asian man, Nathan, are matched for their blind date. Sam is seemingly dressed in cosplay as a character from the series Demon Slayer while Nathan is dressed normally.

The date gets off to a seemingly regular start, with the two introducing themselves. Nathan asks Sam a few questions including what her guilty watching pleasure was, to which she responds that she watches “a lot of anime” and “a lot of Asian shows, like Korean dramas.”

Things take seem to take a different turn when Nathan asks Sam what her dating type is. She replies that she is “into Asian men” and shows excitement when Nathan confirms that he is Asian.

A clip of this moment was spread to Twitter where it quickly gained millions of views and viewers called out Sam for her alleged Asian fetishization. Asian fetishization can be described as a strong attraction to Asian people based on untrue and harmful stereotypes. While Sam also followed up her comment, with the fact that being non-Asian wasn’t a deal breaker, she has attracted a lot of criticism.

While many directed their comments towards Sam, another Twitter user pointed out that Nathan seemed to have his own prejudices that he was bringing into what was supposed to be a completely anonymous date. After speaking with each female, Nathan would ask for a hug, after which, he would press the button.

The female contestants pieced together that he was doing so to see their body type and for those not skinny, he would press the button as soon as it was able to be pressed.

Users began to call out Nathan’s alleged fatphobia as well, with many commenters saying that he did not seem to have an issue with being fetishized but did with Sam’s body shape. Others have spoken in his defense, stating that his “preference” is his choice.

Ultimately, a completely different set of people won the second date, but users online are still debating Nathan and Sam’s behavior. What do you think of this situation?

You can check out the full video below.

Source: Cut

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