Bumble, the women-first dating app, released its top six trends that will define dating in the new year. 2022 focused on rediscovery as we emerged from the pandemic with new behaviours such as hardballing, the rise of alcohol-free ‘dry-dating’ and an obsession with making hobbies part of our dates.
Looking ahead, it seems this year has taught us some lessons about what we want and how to best articulate our needs and boundaries. Following 2022’s year of rediscovery, the app’s global research suggests that 2023 will be more focused on challenging the status quo and finding more balance in the way we date.
According to the popular dating app, we should be optimistic about dating in 2023 with 70% of people saying they feel positive about the romance that lies ahead, a trend that is even more prevalent in India, with 81% of Indian respondents feeling positive about dating as we head into 2023.
When it comes to dating next year, we should expect:
- Open Casting: It’s time to do away with the tall, dark, and handsome requirements as the narrow search for our physical ‘type’ is not serving us. The opposite of type-casting, open casting refers to how 1 in 3 (38%) people are now more open to who they consider dating beyond their ‘type’ and 1 in 4 (28%) of us are placing less emphasis on dating people that others ‘expect’ them to. What are we looking for? The overwhelming majority of people (63%) are now more focused on emotional maturity than physical requirements.
- Guardrailing: With the return of office culture and busy social schedules, majority of people are feeling overwhelmed. This has forced us all to prioritise our boundaries and more than half (52%) have established more boundaries over the last year. This includes being clearer about our emotional needs and boundaries (63%), being more thoughtful and intentional about how we put ourselves out there (59%), and not overcommitting socially (53%).
- Love-life Balance: There has been a shift in the way we think about, and value, our work and our partner’s work. Gone are those days that our job titles and demanding work days are seen as a status symbol with half of people prioritising work-life balance (49%). When it comes to their partner, more than half of people care more about their work-life balance than their career status (54%). Over the past year, more than half of people (52%) are actively creating more space for breaks and rest and more than 1 in 10 (13%) will no longer date someone who has a very demanding job.
- Wanderlove: Looks like we’re after an eat, date, love moment with 1 in 3 (33%) people on the app saying that they are now more open to travel and forge relationships with people who are not in their current city. Post-pandemic work-from-home flexibility means that 1 in 8 (14%) of us have explored the idea of being a ‘digital nomad’, opening up how we think about who and where we date. In fact, 12% of Indians actually find it easier to date in another country.
- Modern Masculinity: As Indian society evolves, conversations about gender norms and expectations are coming to the forefront, especially among Gen Z and Millennials. Over the last year, 3 in 4 (74%) of men say they have examined their behaviour more than ever and have a clearer understanding of ‘toxic masculinity’ and what is not acceptable. This is even more pronounced in India where 47% of men on the app have indicated that they are actively challenging stereotypes that suggest that men should not show emotions, for fear of appearing weak. 29% of men on the app in India now speak more openly about their emotions with their male friends, and more than half (52%) of Indian men agree that breaking gender roles in dating and relationships is beneficial for them too.
- Dating Renaissance: Much like a well-known Queen B, many of us are having a renaissance with 1 in 3 (39%) people on the app having ended a marriage or serious relationship in the last two years. In fact, this is more prevalent in India, where people are now jumping into their second chapter with 42% of Indians using dating apps for the first time, learning to navigate new dating language and codes.
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Samarpita Samaddar, India Communications Director, Bumble says, “2022 was a formative year with the return of travel, busier social lives and commitments, and a number of turbulent global events. However, for some people. this post-pandemic shift left them feeling not in control and exhausted. In response to this, we’ve seen that people on Bumble are now prioritising, identifying and clearly articulating their boundaries. These boundaries can be emotional, like being upfront about what they want or recognising red and green flags or physical, like ensuring they don’t overcommit themselves.”
Samaddar further adds, “All of these shifts are changing the ways that people are thinking about relationships, what they are looking for in their partners, and how to better balance our relationships, work, and life. Looking ahead, there is a sense of optimism and excitement with 81% of Indians feeling positive about dating in 2023. As we head into 2023, we are encouraged by various ways single people are challenging the status quo and taking control of defining what a healthy relationship means for them.”
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