There is a serious ethical issue – some would say– when it comes to ‘utilizing’ sugar daddies. In the old days, the sugar daddy business was frowned upon, because of the taboo sex-money exchange that alludes to prostitution. But walking around the Georgia State campus lately, it is becoming evident that there’s more and more people open to talking about their sugary experiences and the benefits that come along. Because let’s face it, college is expensive, yet it’s also important, and sometimes…you gotta do what you gotta do.
The amount of debt associated with enrolling in college has been rapidly increasing. According to Seeking Arrangement, “the average student debt rose by 13 percent this year from $30,867 to $35,000, which brought the total US student loan debt to $1.35 trillion.” The fear of debt has seeped into the minds of college students, so much so that many now choose to live with their parents to save all kinds of costs that would be associated with living on campus. According to a Pew Research Center analysis of census data, a third of millennials are now staying home.
Side jobs have bumped from one at a time, to two at a time, to holding multiple small-income ‘hobbies’ that students pick up to help out with their debt.
Though sugaring is often given a negative connotation, the increased involvement can only make sense. Sugar babies make an average of $3,000 a month, but it can reach up to $5,000, depending on the services they feel comfortable with providing. The average student that works a part-time job and goes to college will make an average of $464 a month after taxes. So does five grand sound sweet right now? Certainly.
In a way, sugaring can be considered a product of the time. The largest reason why college students partake in sugaring is to silence the nagging parent that is college tuition. According to Seeking Arrangement, in 2016, “more than one million students registered to find some relief from tuition, student loan debt, and other college-related costs.”
However, it is sometimes conveniently overlooked that sugaring often does not require sex, which widely distinguishes it from prostitution. Sometimes the relationship is based solely off of dates and spending time with the sugar parent. You’re not selling your body, but instead selling your presence. It has become about older individuals seeking some thrill, some fun, and some young company. It’s a lonely community and if you’re getting $4,000 to hold someone’s hand, get some food, or just watch a movie, are you really breaking any big, bad, ethical laws?
And so, as more people are realizing that sugaring has become more common and acceptable, students are less hesitant to join.
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