Adopt A Guy: Online Dating Site Puts Women In The Driver's Seat

Any woman who's dated online has probably longed for a better way to weed out the creeps. Enter AdoptAGuy.com. The idea for the site originated in France after two friends grew tired of hearing women complain about how uncomfortable online dating could be for them. The site, which launched in 2007 in Europe, is now in the US and is seeking to help put women in the driver's seat of online dating.

A self-proclaimed "market of love," Adopt A Guy allows women to virtually "shop" for men. It takes less than a minute to sign up, fill out your profile—including a picture of yourself, your top 5 movies (amongst other things) and your shopping list i.e., an intelligent man with neatly coiffed hair who can play the guitar. Give or take. Online Dating In 8 Simple Steps

The catch? A man can only talk to you if you’ve added him to your shopping cart. He has the option to view your profile, charm you and send you a message, but you have to approve these charms in order for him to initiate contact. Alas, the more a user views your profile and/or sends you messages, the more popularity points your profile earns. How's that for girl power?

Adopt A Guy allows you to search for a man based on age, social type and style. Interested in a 35-year-old executive metrosexual? Check. A 25-year-old intelligent poet? Check. You don't have to answer any elaborate questions, and the site doesn't chemically calculate your compatiibiltiy. It leaves everything up to you. Not only is this strong sense of control empowering, it does wonders for your self-esteem. It's so easy to get started that once you do, it's hard not to get hooked.

Though the site says more than 114,000 adoptions have been made, not every user on the site is looking for love. There are still those looking to simply rent, not buy. A young man from Arizona was very interested in knowing what kind of naughty fun I got up to—now, where on my profile did I list an interest in that? So I guess creeps can get through Adopt A Guy's women-controlled gates, after all, albeit with much less frequency than your average dating site. Friends With Benefits: Can Women Handle It?