I wonder how many people Craigslist founder Craig Newmark has helped to find an apartment, sell a guitar . . . or hook up.
Besides its helpful housing, for sale, and job sections, Craigslist has a personals section that caters to every predilection, ranging from the strictly platonic to relationship seekers to Casual Encounters — its anonymous sex hookup section.
Sometimes dangerous and often disappointing, Casual Encounters is nevertheless part of what gives the Craigslist personals section higher traffic than other online personals sites — including Match.com, eHarmony, and Yahoo personals.
"Our users like the ability to be both candid and, initially, anonymous," says Newmark matter of factly about Casual Encounters, which accounts for 2 percent of all Craigslist postings.
In a recent New York Times trend piece, 100 or so users were interviewed about their experiences and provided a peek into who posts and answers those ads: Craigslist Casual Encounters attracts a gamut, from "desperados" to prostitutes and spammers and thrill-seeking hotties. Click here to read more.
Nola, a 42-year-old saleswoman in Manhattan, seeks men who will meet her in a public place, so she can go to the bathroom, take her underwear off, and hand it to them in an envelope — for a fee. Melvin, a 35-year-old divorcé, recently made the mistake of going to a woman's apartment before meeting her in public, finding that she was insecure about her weight and trying to hide it by turning out the lights.
And then there's someone like Michael, a handsome artist who claims, "I've met some extraordinarily beautiful women, had a few extraordinary sexual encounters that made my teeth itch and my brain sweat, put me in states of weird contemplation like, 'My God, I’ve never experienced that before.'"
Casual Encounters has been around since 2000 and has probably changed the way a lot of sexually frustrated people deal with dry spells. The question is — does it work? And is it healthy for the parties involved?
Woodhouse Clothing
StyleBop
Balenciaga
Dan Savage has a lot of really great advice about how to make hook-ups via craigslist safer. there is always an element of risk but i dont see it being much different that going home with someone you just met at a bar or through an online dating website
1"Casual encounters" definitely aren't anything new; Craiglist is just one of the newer mediums for connecting with people. Personal ads in print publications have been around for a long time.
I also don't think most of the people using this part of Craigslist are there because of a dry spell. Most of them probably just enjoy casual sex or are discreetly stepping out on their partners.
2Just another reason for anyone looking for a real relationship to avoid Craig.
3Sounds hott to me, although I'm in a relationship if I was not then I would prolly want to hook up with someone.
4No thanks for me, but if it works for the people using it, more power to them.
5Per usual, gross. I don't get why people don't care about their health.
6Why doesn't Craig just file it under Seeking STDs?
7I have a soft spot in my heart for Craig's List because it helped me find my house, some furniture, and daycare facility. I think people who do this are crazy but no more crazy than folks who pick people up in bars.
8I know Craigslist has probably gotten asked or sued about this before, but...if you charge fees for sexual activity, isn't that prostitution? Which, last I checked, was still illegal in most states and cities.
Isn't there a better way to deal with sexual frustration, though? Invest in a good sex toy (or 4). Or at least hook up with people you somewhat know. At least that way you can track the STD trail if/when you should develop one/some. :\
9I would never find someone through craigslist.. Gross. although I will admit that I look at them sometimes because their descriptions amuse me..
10i dont think i would go to craigslist to get any.. but cheers to those who shrug off the judgements.
11Not judgment, realism.
Check out the headlines today...some medical student in Boston murdered a woman he met on Craigslist and is being looked at for other instances of robbery and assault against women he met there.
Why do people play games with their safety? I feel the same way about going home with a stranger you meet at a bar...you have NO idea what you are getting yourself into.
Rent the movie "Looking for Mr. Goodbar".....it will cure anyone of one night stands with strangers, trust me.
12I use Craigslist to find apartments, jobs and used furniture. I do not need it to find a sexual encounter. To each their own but it seems like it might be more dangerous than other online social networks because of the lack of accountability involved in a posting. This just isn't for me.
13I use Craigslist to find apartments, jobs and used furniture. I do not need it to find a sexual encounter. To each their own but it seems like it might be more dangerous than other online social networks because of the lack of accountability involved in a posting. This just isn't for me.
14gross
15Jazzytummy- it is just as likely (if not more so) to get an STD from someone you know.
16I met a guy through Casual Encounters. We hooked up a few times and it was the best sex I've ever had.
17I disagree that you are more likely to get an STD from someone you know.
Give me a break.
If you are willing to play russian roulette with your safety, more power to you. I hope the sex is worth it.
18I answered an ad and had the best sex in my life with an extremely hot man-firefighter just wanting something on the side with no strings.
19Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.