Onely.Org

Chemistry.com solicits Onely! October 6, 2008

On our post about dating sites capitalizing on National Singles Week, we tagged chemistry.com. Probably in response to our tag, a chemistry.com solicitor whom I shall call “J” (short for his name, not for “Jerk”) offered to hook me and Lisa up with eligible men for seven free days! Wooeeee! 

“Dear Onely,” he says, “I noticed that your blog discusses the challenges that single women go through in today’s hectic world of dating.” Oh, J, you’re so sensitive! Are you available?

“This week,” J tells us, “Chemistry.com is going to make it a little easier.” Oh, J, do you really mean it? Are you going to petition Congress to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act? Are you going to demand that airlines and insurance companies and other corporations charge singles the same as couples? Will you publicize the fact that married men earn more than single men?  Encourage singles, an untapped voter demographic,  to get out and participate in the upcoming November election?

Uh, not so much. This is how J tells us that he will make it easier for singles:

It’s National Singles Week, so anyone who visits http://www.chemistry.com/offer/7daysfree?bannerid=2008972 this week (9/22-9/27) will receive a free seven-day membership to Chemistry.com.

That’s right, Copious Readership, the way to fight singlism is to not be single anymore!

I know what happened: J did not read our blog before soliciting Onely. Either that, or we did not make our mission statement clear on our front page. (Copious Readership, are we clear?) J only saw that we write about singlehood, and then he went into autopilot. Many, many, many people–even singles themselves–assume that all singles aspire and should aspire to couplehood. J saw the word “single” and assumed the same.  Granted, he works for chemistry.com, which would probably brainwash anyone into a couplecentric mindset.

Also granted, it’s not always easy being single. But we should find ways to make life easier for singles, not turn them into couples (normalizing them to heteronormative standards).

Chemistry.com’s “Come As You Are” mantra has created a destination that attracts millions of diverse and creative people who are looking for the kind of relationship that fits their needs and their life-philosophy – whether it’s a marriage, long-term commitment, or romance.

I think your readers would be interested in learning about this free trial that Chemistry.com is offering. Please let me know if I can answer any questions or if I can do anything to help.

Whatcha think, readers? Are you interested in learning about this free trial? If you’re reading a blog about singles, then you must be interested in becoming a couple, right? Now, nothing against online dating sites–they can be a fine resource. You can date and still be Onely, of course! In the future I might use an online dating site, if I feel there’s room for it in my life, but I sure won’t be using chemistry.com, because I can hold a grudge like no one’s business.