Where the white girls at?
Do you consider this racist?
The founder of new Utah-based dating site WhereWhitePeopleMeet has responded to online criticism by saying the site is “not racist in the slightest bit”, despite its discriminatory sounding name.
“It wasn’t in any way shape or form based on racism or any of those types of things at all,” founder Sam Russell told KSTU, a Fox-affiliated station based in Salt Lake City. “We’re not racist in the slightest bit.”
Russell said he established his site in response to other exclusive dating services like blackpeoplemeet.com, farmersonly.com and Christian Mingle.
“There are various dating websites that promote and cater to just about every origin, race, religion and lifestyle out there. So again, why not ‘Where White People Meet.Com’?”, the website reads.
A giant billboard for the service sits along Route 201 in Utah’s West Valley City, featuring a smiling Caucasian couple. But anyone of any color who is over the age of 18 can join, according to the site, which advises prospective members that it wants – simply and inexpensively – “to connect like-minded people in a non discriminatory fashion”. Membership is free, but subscriptions cost between $4 and $69.
“Here at Where White People Meet | Find your mate, find them here! we believe that all people, regardless of race, creed, color or religion deserve to be happy and that no one should go through life alone,” the description reads.
But a quick perusal of the website shows that only heterosexual people are welcome as the filter function does not allow same-sex options. Users can, however, filter through ethnicities, smoking preferences and body types. As of Tuesday morning, about 1,700 people were members; 1,270 of which were men.
The website and its billboard have received mixed responses in Utah, ranging from outrage to support. NAACP Salt Lake branch president Jeanetta Williams told the Salt Lake Tribune she found the billboard odd considering that Utah’s population is 91% white.
“A large population here is white,” she said. “So you’re going to put up billboards here so you can meet other white singles? Every day you can meet white singles.”
WhereWhitePeopleMeet founder insists site is 'not racist in the slightest bit' | US news | The Guardian
