In a TikTok video, billionaire influencer Becca Bloom argues that men should pay the bill. The video prompted commenters to debate equality in dating, including the gender pay gap and personal safety. Bloom, who posts on TikTok under the handle @beccaxbloom, said equality does not simply mean splitting a restaurant bill 50-50. The video received approximately 1.4 million likes.
"Women live in a society where equality has never existed in the first place," Bloom said. “She also said a 50-50 split could place a greater financial burden on women because they earn less. She cited the gender pay gap as part of her argument. She said women earn ‘80% of what a man makes for the same full-time job.’
However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics usually measures the gender pay gap by looking at median earnings rather than by comparing men and women who have identical jobs.
Bloom also said women face additional expenses related to dating; they may have to spend around $400 a month on grooming and beauty due to social expectations. She linked these expenses to social expectations around appearance. She linked these expectations to the pressure women can feel to appear a certain way when dating.
@beccaxbloom What men dont understand about equality and why they should pay the bills.
♬ original sound - Becca Bloom
She also cited personal safety as part of her argument. She said women can face a greater risk of violence from people they date and pointed to practices such as sharing their location with friends and carrying personal safety items.
Viewers Debate Dating Equality as Some Question the Bill-Splitting Tradition
Many commenters said they agreed with her, "Her point is not invalid just because she's rich." Another user commented, "We need equity!!!" Others pointed to the costs of menstrual products and the expenses associated with motherhood. Several TikTok users added that women are under extra pressure to prove themselves professionally.
Other users questioned Bloom's figures on the wage gap and said differences in working hours and career decisions can contribute to differences in earnings. Other commenters focused on her wealth and said her financial situation might make her views on splitting bills difficult for some people to relate to.
Bloom summed up her position by saying: "Equality isn't identical treatment. Equality is balanced responsibility."
Commenters disagreed over what equality means in dating, with some debating whether it means splitting costs equally or accounting for differences in income, circumstances and unpaid responsibilities. Some TikTok users said Bloom’s argument made sense because it questioned whether a 50-50 bill automatically means fairness.
Other commenters questioned whether financial expectations should be negotiated between individuals rather than determined by gender.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in the video, including Bloom's statements about the gender pay gap, dating-related expenses and personal safety. The story is based solely on information shared by @beccaxbloom on TikTok.
