Man Ends A Date As Soon As The Girl Shows Up Because She Uses Filters On Social Media
She insisted that she doesn't even look that different in person.
fizkes | Shutterstock First impressions are everything when it comes to dating, but in the age of online dating and social media, sometimes those first impressions don't happen face-to-face.
Such was the case for one woman, who was "extremely humbled" when her date immediately called off their dinner plans, insisting that she didn't look anything like she does on social media.
He ended the date as soon as she showed up because she uses filters on social media.
Content creator Emily King reacted to the unnamed woman talking about a recent date that she'd been on. The woman explained that while it was considered a "blind date," she'd met the man at least once before, and he followed her on social media.
As she entered the restaurant, she saw him drinking a glass of wine at a table. She greeted him and sat down, but as soon as she did, things went south.
"He's like, 'I'm sorry, this is awkward, but this isn't it for me," she recalled.
She was incredibly understanding about the entire debacle, pointing out that there's nothing wrong with not vibing with someone on a first date. However, she was still a bit confused about his sudden shift in demeanor and asked the man what it was about her "energy" that made him change his mind so quickly.
"He says, 'You don't look like the last time I saw you or your pictures on Instagram,'" she recounted.
She explained that she had the beauty filter while making that video, but that she doesn't Facetune her photos or use filters on Instagram that alter how her face or body looks. She even went as far as to take the beauty filter off, which again, didn't drastically change her appearance. If anything, her skin just looked a bit more textured.
"I genuinely think that it's a very good sign that this man she went out on a date with was able to be completely honest," King interjected. She claimed that the woman's date was "simply not attracted to her," which is well within his right.
While all of that is true, this issue is larger than one woman using a beauty filter to feel more confident — it's societal. Women are told they need to look a certain way — are compared to heavily edited photos of models, influencers, and celebrities — and then are subjected to complaints when that look is artificially achieved.
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock
Still, King is right in that drastically enhancing your photos and using filters that completely warp your face and body is only doing a disservice to you, even if the desire to use filters can be directly traced back to the pressures that young women face.
King emphasized that it's a 'very big risk' for women to use filters on social media.
She claimed that the woman talking about her failed date "missed the mark" when she insisted that she didn't look "that different" without the beauty filter. "That is actually what's in the eye of the beholder," King said. "You might not think you look that different but what I do appreciate is that she didn't bash the guy."
Concern over filters has been something that's long been talked about in the online dating community. The dating app Plenty of Fish banned face filters in 2019 after a survey showed that 84% of its users wanted more "authenticity" in dating, and 70% considered face filters to be deceptive.
At the same time, filters, especially among younger generations, have become more normalized and accepted. The Plenty of Fish survey showed that Gen Z is less judgmental of filter use than older daters.
No one should ever feel the need to alter their physical appearance in the hopes that someone will like them and give them attention. We should all learn to feel comfortable and confident in showing our authentic selves, no matter what.
However, that's easier said than done and this argument seems to only be directed towards women. Whether it's using a simple beauty filter on TikTok or wearing makeup, women are often damned if they do and damned if they don't.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.