After seeing a friend swipe through a new dating app called Hater, which matches users based on mutual objects of loathing, I started wondering about what got my fellow Washingtonians into a tizzy. Was everyone as piqued by the people who park in the bike lane as I was?
I hit up the folks who run the app to learn what we despise the most, compared to users in other areas. They also gave me the top 10 lists for our neighbors, Maryland and Virginia:
DC
No.1 Uber surge pricingBut you all deleted the app following its recent scandals anyway, right?
No.2 Mel GibsonLooks like Hacksaw Ridge really struck a nerve.
No.3 People that don’t voteSurprising absolutely no one.
No.4 People who block the whole escalatorYou’re not a true Washingtonian if this doesn’t irk you.
No.5 Meetings that should be emailsBetter yet: GIFs on Slack.
No.6 9/11 truthersNo further comment needed.
No.7 MansplainingTrue story: I recently went on a date where the guy told me he doesn’t really read the news, then proceeded to give me an in-depth explainer of journalism.
No.8 Tramp stampsLet’s move on.
No.9 LitteringThe trash can is right there.
No.10 The Confederate flagUsers are united in their hate for the “heritage, not hate” brigade.
Maryland
No.1 Misplacing your keysJust keep them in your pocket or on a designated hook and you won’t have this problem.
No.2 Bad parking jobsUh, really, Maryland?
No.3 Two girls one cupThe heartwarming internet classic.
No.4 “Cash me outside”You’re universally loathed, how bouh dah.
No.5 Picky eatersIt’s food, just eat it. You’re not 12.
No.6 The 1%Occupy lives!
No.7 Musicians who lip syncTo be fair, you’d be excluding most major musicians–including Beyoncé.
No.8 Being sickYou get to stay home and watch Netflix though.
No.9 SnitchesWhat authority figure are these “snitches” appealing to, exactly?
No.10 People who use snapchat filters for profile picturesClassic selfie hate with a fun contemporary twist.
Virginia
No.1 TrafficInfuriating, universal, something we can all get behind hating.
No.2 SpidersUm, what kind of hellish arachnids are y’all hosting over there?
No.3 Man bunsI’m still a fan to be honest. *hides face in shame*
No.4 Meetings that should be emailsAgain, I say: GIFs in Slack.
No.5 Bud Light LimeVirginia, don’t lie.
No.6 MoochersYeah, these are annoying.
No.7 Country musicAgain, such a cliché. The Dixie Chicks are fly as hell.
No.8 The glass ceiling*snaps*
N0.9 PETAYou don’t win friends with salad.
N0.10 Cookies with raisinsWho among us hasn’t been fooled into thinking they were about to ingest chocolate?
As for other cities, Hater users in New York loathe bad wifi and Donald Trump the most, while in Los Angeles they despise people who talk during movies and littering.
Julie Strupp is an editorial fellow. Before Washingtonian, she did francophone video, radio, and photography projects addressing gender-based violence in Togo, West Africa with Peace Corps. She worked at the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and AllAfrica and has contributed to Mic, Center for Public Integrity, DCist, and more. Now a proud Petworth-dweller, she’s also a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate who loves judo, biking, art, and keeping the powerful accountable.
