Think like a man VOL. 1: How are men dating today
By Sanchia Saunders
Dating dating dating, when it comes to dating and really getting into the nitty gritty of how the male brain works, (during the dating stage and beyond) we could possibly be here all day trying to understand what really gets men going.
This is because with the
macho male stereotype diminishing each and everyday
with statistics finding that,
only 2% of young men between the ages of 18-24 identify as completely masculine, compared to 56% of men aged 65+’, it illustrates how there is a significant gap within the way that men perceive their masculinity.
As with
‘male’ author,
John Gray, even stating himself with his leading title that, “Men Are From Mars & Women Are From Venus” it reinforces the idea that even men can acknowledge when it comes to the mind of a man and the mind of a woman, there are many differences, which can often be reflected in a man's dating/
attachment style.
However, back to the topic at hand…
How are men dating today?
According to online dating giants Bumble, dating burnout can manifest in a variety of ways, but overall it boils down to a drained, despondent feeling.
One where you’re no longer having fun on dates, or even looking forward to meeting someone new.
You may feel like dating is a waste of time and start to disassociate from the idea of finding a partner - all together.
So with
Bumble
very much opening my eyes to the idea that I myself may in fact be experiencing dating burnout too - it poses the question of what is dating actually about?
What dating is actually about?
When it comes to finding love, specifically when it comes to finding love online, you have to expect the unexpected.
This is because the more the men of today become in tune with their emotions and in more cases than not, their feminine side, we often begin to see shifts in dating roles and dating expectations.
Reports found that 39% of men say they have been on a date planned by the other person and they’re into it. Highlighting that men actually like to be asked out too, and want to feel sought after and desired!
This is why with the importance of emotional connections beginning to rise with 62% of men saying they value emotional connection more than they did two years ago - it poses the question of….
Graphics by: Ellie Hamilton Miller
If dating isn’t just about the matches, what is it about?
So, in today’s society, different communities often have different experiences when it comes to finding love.
Whether that’s through, online dating,
offline dating,
speed dating, dating apps, you name
it everyone’s experience is different.
Thanks to the outdated views on hetrosexual males, which have been instilled into society for many decades, we expect men to lead, take charge and have no emotions.
However, with reports stating that 58% of men admit to feeling some dating anxiety, especially around the first move or defining the vibes, it showcases how men have feelings too - and things aren’t always as they appear in the fairy tales.
With a further 72% of single men saying they feel more confident dating when the app or event feels ‘low pressure’ and fun (such as curated meet ups, mutual connections or activity based dates.
It begins to make you think is it time for the iconic term ‘’men are trash” to be trashed?
The future of dating
So with male dating expectations and experiences continue to evolve each and everyday with 1 in 4 men having now paused dating apps at least once in the past year for a mental refresh it makes you think, is the future of dating online or is it offline ?
Head to our Instagram to share your thoughts.
Credits:
John Gray Wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gray_(philosopher)
YouGov:
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/15391-low-young-masculinity-britain
