A small school like Chapman is no stranger to trends. From crop tops to pitaya, to Orange is the New Black- if it’s trendy in Southern California, Chapman seems to jump on the bandwagon. The latest fad to sweep over the student body is a social media app that seems to be shaking things up. With its locality and anonymity bringing it to life, this newcomer on campus is called Yik Yak.
You may have heard of Yik Yak as the anonymous Twitter. Posts are only visible within a one and a half mile radius of your location, making it the hot new addiction on college campuses.
The anonymity has become a rising issue for many educational institutions. Yaks are typically meant to seem funny or clever—and many do—but the website’s growing degree of controversial and racy comments is difficult to not notice as the line between what is humorous and what is rude has become blurred. At Chapman, Yik Yak’s sexual content, particularly that regarding women, is becoming perhaps the most prevalent impropriety of all.
“I think the way that women are being sexualized is really gross, but at the same time, I am glad that it’s being put out there. Because for me, it’s a reminder for myself to be careful,” says new Chapman Yik Yak user, Caitlin Duffy.
Chapman University is notorious for a large population of beautiful women. This has fueled the app in becoming very sexualized. With more and more students downloading Yik Yak, a theme is quickly beginning to present itself. From anonymous flattery towards women in specific classes or sororities, to the bold requesting of casual sex, Chapman’s Yik Yak seems to be relentlessly “cat calling” it’s female students. While some comments could be considered sweet, others seem almost threatening.