'ManServants' Is A Female-Founded Startup That Turns Men Into 'Accessories' And Cabana Boys For $80 An Hour

Alyson Shontell

Jul 30, 2014, 19:19 IST

Instagram/DearJosephine
Josephine Wai Lin, right, is the co-founder of ManServants.

Note: We recommend you read the following under the assumption this is a spoof startup, even though the founders told Mashable they're dead serious about ManServants.

Advertising mavens Josephine Wai Lin and Dala Khajah think they have a brilliant new company that they insist is not a gimmick.

Called "ManServants," their startup is essentially an escort service. It turns men into doting dates and on-demand cabana boys.

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"We believe personal assistants and pool boys are luxuries every woman, or gay guy, deserves - even if it's just for a day," the founders wrote on their site. "And they make great accessories."

The code of conduct is beyond disturbing. Women can name their ManServants anything they want, and they'll respond. They can choose what attire the man dresses in. ManServants are required to "keep their penis, and hands, to themselves" and they're expected to do things like "serve drinks, light cigarettes, take Instagram photos, and feed grapes." In exchange, ManServants can earn at least $80 an hour or $300 per day.

Wai Lin and Khajah say their dream is to "annihilate the stripper industry," and that ManServants is a suitable alternative.

"Everyone who watches [our promotional video] thinks it's a parody," Khajah, who is a copywriter for the AKQA agency, told Mashable. "Even the name of the company sounds like a joke. But it's not."

If ManServants is real, it joins a wave of startups that are trying to empower women, but may actually be achieving the opposite. Lulu is another controversial startup that's like Yelp for men. It lets women rate men anonymously on their personalities and sexual prowess.

We've emailed the founders of ManServant for comment. In the meantime, here's what the founders think men should do for women, according to their website: