Don Broco – "Uber" (2021)

Been a long night

I'ma call me a Uber

Tout le monde is talking about Uber’s recent announcement of its new “Women Preferences” program – which allows female Uber riders to be matched with female drivers (and vice versa).  

Uber is actually a little late to the choose-your-driver’s-gender party.  Female-only ride-share companies already exist in a number of cities.  Uber’s rival Lyft launched a similar service a couple of years ago.

But Uber is the 800-pound gorilla in the world of ride-sharing, so its decision to offer “Women Preferences” is getting a lot of attention.

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One of the women who commented on a Washington Post article about the new Uber policy thought it was long overdue:

It took them this long to come up with this concept?  Isn’t this just common sense?  I won’t use an Uber or Lyft because I’ve read too many stories of women being molested or otherwise attacked in cars by their drivers.  I don’t trust their so-called background checks! 

Here’s a comment from another female WaPo reader who thinks  “Women Preferences” is a good idea:

I applaud this development.  I have never, in fact, taken an Uber or Lyft without a male companion for the very reason that I fear getting into a car with a male stranger.  Having been assaulted several times in my life, I simply do not wish to repeat the experience.  Unfortunately, we women cannot tell the good guys from the bad guys based on appearance alone.

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There’s no doubt that a lot of women want no part of being alone in an Uber with a man . . . and for good reason.  After all, there have been thousands of reports of sexual assaults on female Uber riders and drivers over the years.  And while comments about a woman’s appearance or questions about her relationship status may not rise to the level of crimes, they can make her very uncomfortable.

But as critics of the “Women Preferences” program have pointed out, the vast majority of male Uber drivers or passengers don’t say anything inappropriate, much less commit sexual assault.  They accuse Uber of penalizing all men because of a few bad apples.  

Here’s what one Washington Post reader who opposes the new Uber policy had to say:

By creating women-only options, we reinforce the outdated and harmful stereotype that men are inherently dangerous or untrustworthy, and that women are perpetual victims who need special protection.  This approach doesn't challenge sexism; it entrenches it, creating a system of segregation that undermines the very principle of equality we should be striving for.

True progress means addressing predatory behavior, not gender. Let's demand better safety standards for everyone, everywhere, rather than promoting division.

Another WaPo reader questioned the legality of the new policy:

Denying people service based on their sex, race, religion, or other protected characteristics is a violation of federal, state and local civil-rights laws.  Someone is bound to file a lawsuit over this.  Can you imagine Uber allowing drivers to reject passengers because of their race?  Of course not.

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I wouldn’t be too quick to conclude that the “Women Preferences” program violates the law.  (I’m sure Uber had some very high-priced lawyers go over their new policy with a fine-toothed comb before rolling it out.)

But that reader makes a good point.  Presumably Uber would never provide riders with a mechanism for requesting a driver who wasn’t black, or Muslim, or gay.

If it would be wrong for Uber to allow riders to choose drivers on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation, why it is OK for them to allow riders to choose on the basis of gender?

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One final note on Uber’s new “Women Preferences” policy.

It’s true that males are more likely to commit murder or assault than females, so there’s a certain logic to women asking to be paired with other women when they use Uber.

But many of the violent crimes committed against women are committed by their husbands, boyfriends, or ex-partners – not strangers.  When you look at violent crimes involving strangers or non-intimate acquaintances, most of the victims are male.

In other words, the statistics indicate that males actually have more to fear from Uber rides with other males than females do.  But Uber has no plans to allow males to express a preference for female drivers or passengers – except for biological males who identify as female or non-binary.

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Don Broco’s “Uber” was released in 2021 on that group’s fourth studio album, Amazing Things, which made it all the way to the #1 spot on the UK album charts.

Don Broco thought about calling itself Don Loco, but decided to go with Don Broco after the group’s guitarist broke his wrist playing soccer.  (Don Broco is pronounced “Don Broke-o” – get it?)

Click here to listen to “Uber.”

Click here to buy “Uber” from Amazon.