Like any scholarly college student, I have wasted countless hours on Facebook procrastinating my studies. The homework gets done, but my attention span only lasts for so long, and when I need a break, it's easy to turn to my favorite social networking site and, well, network.
I even friended my mom.
Facebook does, however, cater to a sexist and homophobic world.
These are aspects of the site I choose not to use, out of a sort of silent protest. Realizing that silent protests don't usually do a lot of good unless someone speaks up and explains what the hell they're boycotting, and why they're doing it, I am thus compelled to explain my reasoning.
Facebook has become for me what e-mail is to my parents. They don't come from the digital generation, but they use certain aspects of technology through their jobs and thus have become very comfortable with them. E-mail is one. They can e-mail all day long.
I, in a similar capacity, can send private messages, write on walls, comment on photos and links, and my personal favorite, "like" things. Facebook makes me seem much more optimistic than I truly am, with no "dislike" button.
One thing I don't spend time on, however, are the pointless quizzes about what type of guy likes me, who I should marry, or if I'm pretty or not. These are the kinds of things I honestly don't need to take some made-up test to know. And even if it did require a test to find out what kind of guy liked me or how pretty I was, these are not the things that legitimate me as a woman or a person.
There are all types of quizzes, because they are created by Facebook users who are interested in so many different things. Topics range from football teams to sex positions and the number of children you will have to the date of your impending death.
Quizzes primarily geared towards females on Facebook center on issues such as attractiveness and relationships. For example, as I browse through I see quizzes with names such as "What Type of Wife Are You/Will You Be?," "What Engagement Ring Style Fits Your Personality?," and "Are You Pretty? Girls Only!"
An obvious pattern emerges. The quizzes geared towards women and girls are preoccupied with the goal of marriage, and a standard of beauty is created.
I find it interesting that no one has created a quiz asking "What Type of Husband Are You/Will You Be?" or "Are You Handsome? Guys Only!" But while there are plenty of quizzes that focus solely on women and many to choose from that are androgynous, there aren't too many that focus primarily on men.
From what I can find, there are a few that focus on characters from popular TV shows and movies, and possibly one or two focusing on hobbies that are seen as very masculine.
But either by the name of the quiz or the way questions and answer choices are worded, it is easy to see that there are very few quizzes women cannot fit themselves into on Facebook. Why are women being targeted?
Well, stop to think about what a quiz does. A quiz categorizes people into specific groups, and in doing so, it has the power to legitimate the traits that should or should not be included in certain roles in society.
A quiz also brands the person who takes it. Granted, people who take Facebook quizzes understand (hopefully) that these are just for fun and really aren't too accurate. Still, the quizzes are created by Facebook users for Facebook users, and if the answers that correspond to your personality type give you a result that you don't agree with or, worse, offends you, the effect can be devastating. After all, Facebook quizzes may not be scientific, but they are reflections of some of our Facebook peers' attitudes.
In addition to categorizing and branding, Facebook quizzes tell us what we think a woman's role in society should be. Just by looking at the names of quizzes focused solely on women, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the ideal woman in America is like. A mother. Married. Heterosexual. Pretty, by societal standards. Loved by the people around her.
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