Seeing a guy’s photo before deciding to date him 📷🤵

Home Forums Shidduchim Seeing a guy’s photo before deciding to date him 📷🤵

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  • #1274433
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    So tonight I listened to a TorahAnytime shiur on dating and the shidduch expert said that girls should not ask to see a boy’s photo before going on a date. At all! Ever.

    He said that women were created for beauty. Not men. Thus there is no reason why a girl should account for the boy’s physical appearance. He said that a girl determining whether or not she will go on a date based on his picture is a secular notion and unacceptable for JewIsh girls in shidduchim.

    I contest! The photo can give more information than just his physical appearance. Granted I have gone on a date without seeing any photo before and that was okay.

    But a photo can provide insight on his health and hygiene. Okay it doesn’t have to be chiyuv. But don’t judge a girl who wants to see the guy. Plus you don’t know. Maybe some girls have anxiety and seeing his pic is reassuring. They want to know that not just any stranger is walking up to them saying, “Hi, I’m Chaim.” Because what if that was just an opportunistic bochur and the real Chaim is stuck in traffic?

    Maybe the shidduch expert was talking about super superficial girls who won’t date a guy who isn’t totally handsome. Are there girls like that? Maybe. I don’t know.

    I just don’t think it’s always wrong to want to see a guy’s photograph. Maybe he is talking about the majority of cases where it wasn’t helpful.

    Thank you ☺

    #1274490
    Chaver
    Participant

    It could be that it looking at the picture of a guy is sometimes silly because you can’t really learn so much about a person through a picture but if someone wants to see a picture what’s wrong with that? why can’t people be a little shallow? Furthermore if a girl doesn’t like the appearance of a guy then she should still marry him?!

    #1274491
    WinnieThePooh
    Participant

    “He said that a girl determining whether or not she will go on a date based on his picture is a secular notion and unacceptable for JewIsh girls in shidduchim.”
    I think the statement is equally valid if you replace “girl(s)” with “boy(s)” and “she” with “he” and “his” with “her”.
    A picture is not accurate. It is only 2-dimensional. It does not reveal the charm/grace and inner beauty that can make an otherwise plain person beautiful. It should not be used to decide if the girl is pretty enough to date. In terms of other info, I disagree that it can tell you anything about his health or hygiene. They guy could dress up all spiffy for the photo-op and in real life be a slob. And what does it mean to look healthy? He can look tanned and muscular from the shoulders up, but the picture misses that he can’t walk without a brace. Or has any other internal medical ailment. If you are anxious about meeting someone blindly, and that he might not really be Chaim, then have him meet you at third party’s house, or if meeting in a public place, get a detailed description of what he looks like.

    #1274495
    Joseph
    Participant

    What’s the likelihood of such an opportunistic scenario? I think that’s a virtual impossibility.

    And how many guys will offer a photo showing themselves looking sickly or badly dressed?

    #1274497
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    How dare you such a thing?!
    (JK, your post wasn’t modded yet.)

    #1274508
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    No, the right thing for a girl to do if she finds a guy unattractive is to waste his time going on a first date, maybe even a second date, then come up with some excuse to dump him without telling him he’s just ugly.

    #1274509
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant
    #1274510
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    A photo can reveal whether a person knows how to pose for a photo, which is a skill.

    #1274514
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    I can’t believe someone on TorahAnytime would objectify women to the point of saying that they were “created for beauty”. If you want a woman for her looks, get a painting.

    #1274522
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    A guy can’t send a pic of Miss America.

    #1274543
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Lol RebYidd23! 😄

    #1274554
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Okay so the guy can get all dressed up for the photo but that in itself can be a lesson in being presentable. Maybe it is dishonest. I don’t know.

    RebYidd23: Good point about how saying women are for beauty is objectifying. It just adds more pressure in my humble opinion. I already know guys who talk about how looks matter to them. Maybe I want a guy who sees more than looks.

    And showing guys pics puts pressure to always be perfect looking. But maybe there is the right balance of guy to date. Maybe being less attractive in photos helps women ensure that the guy isn’t being so superficial? Is that crazy?

    Thank you ☺

    #1274599
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    I once dated a really amazing guy and he was the least attractive. I didn’t want to date him at first because I was too chutzpahdik. He ended up being so good and became more attractive to me in time. The health thing did get to me after a while. Plus we had different life goals though so it didn’t work out.

    But on that basis of life experience and obviously knowing that there are more than looks in life I can see how I can be wrong. At the same time, I still contest to admonishing all women/girls for even requesting an image.

    Thank you

    #1274608
    Lightbrite
    Participant

    Lol Yay!!! 😄

    The Shabbat candles worked out!! And even with the Megen Davids, which wasn’t intentionally places but aww so perfect ☺☺☺

    Thanks for sharing!!! 💖

    #1274804
    CTLAWYER
    Participant

    A photo reveals much more than beauty. It may reveal things such as eyesight (coke bottle eyeglasses), clues to economic status (cheap suit?), hygiene (teeth and hair), religious sect (type of hat), etc.

    #1274839
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