foursquare is a new social media tool, and count me as a big fan. In case the phrase foursquare to you only brings up images of students playing at recess, foursquare is new application that allows you to "check in" at locations as you go through your day to day life on your smart phone. Based on the frequency and nature of your check-ins, you can get badges and if you have the most check-ins of anyone at a specific location, you will be designated the "mayor."

Recently, I received the “Player Please” badge. Badges are given out for various reasons, you can receive the “Crunked” badge for checking-in at 3 “Fratastic” bars, and you can receive the “Local” badge for checking in at the same place three times in one week. I received the “Player Please” badge when I was at a College Democrats event in Washington DC. At the time that I checked in, four of my good friends had already checked in at the hotel the conference was in. Three of my friends (Tucker, Tori, and Victoria) are female, and when I received the “Player Please” badge, I received this message-

Look at you, checking in with 3 members of the opposite sex! Player, please!

At first I simply laughed. I’m great friends with all three of those women, but I have no desire to hook up with them (I self-identify as a gay male). Ironically, my fourth friend who had also checked into the hotel with me was also gay.

Over the course of a couple days, I started to realize that there was a problem with the “Player Please” badge. Foursquare should not make the assumption that everyone who uses their social networking device is straight. We live in a hetero-normative society, and while some might think that I’m making a mountain out of a mole-hill, imagine that you are a closeted high school lesbian, trying to come to terms with your sexuality, and check in with a group of friends. You receive a badge based on your perceived attraction to males, yet the female object of your desire is totally ignored in this equation.

If you are also concerned about the “Player Please” badge, contact foursquare at this e-mail address to share your thoughts

team@foursquare.com

Or if you really want to get your social media on, you can tweet at them at @foursquare.

Final note- While I love foursquare, I understand many real concerns expressed that foursquare can be potentially dangerous, especially for women who might be facing stalkers or individuals who desire to know the location they are in to do them harm. My friend Leah Josephson constantly reminds me that not all individuals feel the same comfort to share their location, even if to a group of close friends. Check-in only as much as you feel comfortable.