The Sugar Daddy Phenomenon and Why it’s Problematic

Now more than ever, young people are scrambling to make ends meet. While many are sticking to what would be considered conventional ways of earning money, some are going outside the box and engaging in activities that could potentially put them in danger. How, you may ask? Sugar daddies.

In recent years, having a sugar daddy has become somewhat of a meme across social media. A number of social media influencers have joked about having sugar daddies and even create content testing out sugar daddy websites and/or talking about their experiences using them. For example, on a recent episode of the popular comedy podcast “Call Her Daddy”, the female hosts joke about their experiences with the website SeekingArrangement.

SeekingArrangement defines their platform as “a new way for relationships to form and grow. Sugar Babies and Sugar Daddies or Mommas both get what they want, when they want it”. Although some users express having positive experiences using the platform, it is highly likely that many others experience quite the opposite. It is also likely that those who have had negative experiences don’t share their stories due to the embarrassment and/or judgement associated with engaging in such relationships.

If you search “SeekingArrangement Storytime” on YouTube, you will be bombarded with videos — some with millions of views — of people discussing their experiences using the platform. Most of these videos do not warn watchers about the potential dangers of interacting with strangers online.

When young girls see their favorite influencers joking about having sugar daddies, they may think these are safe and normal relationships to engage in. However, it is nearly impossible to know what one is getting themselves into when entering into one of these “mutually beneficial relationships”. If boundaries are blurred or not properly set, it can be easy to find oneself in a dangerous situation.

I, myself, have received countless direct messages and emails from self-proclaimed sugar daddies offering everything from thousands of dollars per week, to limitless shopping sprees. Although I choose not to engage, I am sure that many other young girls receiving the same messages can’t pass up the promise of a “dream lifestyle”.

At the end of the day, we can’t stop willing individuals from engaging in these relationships if they feel comfortable doing so. However, I think the way in which sugar daddy culture has become a normalized phenomenon is concerning and could potentially put naive participants in danger.