The Real Sex Lives of College Girls

I have observed that dating apps, specifically Tinder, are widely used at Vassar and on other college campuses and have received many anecdotes indicating that there is significant dissatisfaction from female users with their experiences. In this documentary, I explore how Tinder shapes how college women navigate dating and hookup culture because I want to better understand how social norms and expectations surrounding online dating are formed and the implications of these emerging standards. The literature I examine provides evidence for gender differences in how Tinder is used and how hookup culture is perceived, revealing gendered patterns related to dissatisfaction and insecurity (hint: women are dissatisfied). To better understand how Tinder relates to sexual empowerment and contemporary women's movements, I look at Tinder through a feminist lens that recognizes patriarchal standards and objectification as inextricable from dating and hookup culture. Through my interviews, I examine how some women at Vassar College use Tinder as well as understand it, revealing a bit about how the game-like qualities of Tinder impact women’s participation in hookup culture. Information from sources ranging from online discourse to peer-reviewed articles provides numerous reasons for why Tinder is a negative platform for women, including the app simply not fulfilling women’s desires and it being another space for harassment. I look to some women at Vassar College to ask: why do you use Tinder?