“Pigging” Is A Cruel New Dating Trend That Shouldn’t Be A Thing

Sometimes a particularly gross dating trend comes out that shocks everyone and currently, that’s “pigging.” It’s a horrible and cruel behavior where guys show interest in you, then take it back by saying they were never actually into you and it was all one big joke. WTF?

  1. It can happen in different ways. Pigging doesn’t just occur on a first date with a guy, although that’s a common way in which this trend plays out. It can actually happen after many dates. The guy might date you for a while or sleep with you and really seem to be into you, but then he’ll appear to ghost you…with a catch. He’ll return to tell you that he’s been joking about liking you all this time. What a cruel jerk.
  2. A recent pigging story brought the trend to light. Recently, a British woman said she’d fallen victim to this trend, which is sometimes disturbingly called the “pull a pig” prank. She had a holiday romance with a guy and then they stayed in touch afterward. She saved up money to fly out to the Netherlands to meet up with him but then she got stood up at the airport! WTF? The jerk sent her a message saying that it had all been a joke—and she was clearly the punchline.
  3. It’s emotional abuse. Let’s not call it “pigging”—let’s be real and call this emotional abuse. It’s about guys messing around with your feelings, treating you like crap, and making you feel bad about yourself. It’s totally unacceptable!
  4. It zaps your confidence. The pigging trend is also reported as being when men target women they’re not attracted to just to make fun of them. They might even sleep with these women beforehand. Disgusting. In some cases, the men might humiliate these women for many weeks after having sex with them. This behavior can really mess with your head, making you feel like you’re not worthy to date.
  5. It’s not a joke. Guys who do this horrible behavior might call it a joke but they’re full of it. How is this funny? Guys could be asking the woman out on a dare from their friends or as a prank they want to play for their own entertainment but it’s not benign. They’re using and abusing women.
  6. It’s nothing new. Sadly, this sort of thing isn’t really new. It’s been around for ages, even going back to ’90s movies like “10 Things I Hate About You.” In this rom-com, Heath Ledger’s character pretends to be interested in Julia Stiles’s character because he’s being paid to date her by his friends. Yup, the douchebag was pigging her.
  7. It’s been around in different forms. Pigging might have made an appearance in your dating circles. Remember dating advice for men that they should approach a hot woman’s “unattractive” friends to make her jealous? That was pigging too, and it was cruel AF.
  8. It’s about dating leagues. Central to the pigging trend is the idea that there are certain dating leagues. For instance, some people are too attractive to date others, but the idea of dating leagues is complete BS! People are not in dating categories—they’re just people who can date whoever they want.
  9. Only insecure guys do this. I’m sorry but there’s no way decent guys will be doing such pathetic things just to boost their egos. Only insecure man-children will resort to such tactics. Period.
  10. They’re the problem. If you find yourself the target of pigging, bear in mind that the guys are twisted and have real issues. Plus, they need to grow the hell up because this is childish. Even though they’re making you feel less confident and less attractive, their opinion means nothing—they’re the ugly ones.
  11. It can empower you. Let the pigging trend empower instead of frighten you. By knowing that this is happening, you can be more aware of the guys who ask you out and seem super interested in you. You can gauge your gut and GTFO if something just seems “off” about how much they’re showing you interest. If the guy’s a loser who has childish friends and they’re always up to something stupid, don’t waste your time. Even if he’s not going to resort to the pigging trend, he’s not worth your time and energy. Get yourself a grown man who has something real to offer.
  12. The best way to deal with guys who follow the trend? Don’t let them see you sad or think that they’ve got to you. Laugh at them, tell them they’re stupid for thinking you were ever into such a loser, and tell them to GTFO off back to the pigsty they crawled out of. You have every right to be downright mean to them.
Giulia Simolo is a writer from Johannesburg, South Africa with a degree in English Language and Literature. She has been working as a journalist for more than a decade, writing for sites including AskMen, Native Interiors, and Live Eco. You can find out more about her on Facebook and LinkedIn, or follow her on Twitter @GiuliaSimolo.
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