Oh, how times have changed!

Did you know? It seems WOMEN are the ones taking the lead when it comes to dating today.

Dr. Justin Garcia, Biologist and Sex Researcher at IU’s Kinsey Institute, shares some recent findings that may just surprise you.

Justin Garcia, Ph.D. Bio
Dr. Justin Garcia is an evolutionary biologist and sex researcher at Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute. His research program focuses on the evolutionary and biocultural foundations of romantic and sexual relationships across the life course.

Garcia and colleagues have conducted research on a variety of topics related to social and sexual behaviors and intimate relationships, including variation in monogamy, intimacy, gender, courtship, dating, desire, satisfaction, and reproductive strategies. A specialist in interdisciplinary collaboration, Garcia’s research draws from and cuts across multiple fields of study. This approach aids his lab’s exploration of the relationship context of sexuality, including the meaning, expression, and impact of romantic and sexual attitudes and behaviors.

Since 2010, Garcia has served as Scientific Advisor to Match.com. In this role, Garcia provides expertise to Singles in America (SIA), the online dating company’s annual study on the attitudes and behaviors of single people in the United States.

About Singles in America
● The dating app Match (formerly known as Match.com) has just released findings from its ninth annual Singles in America study – the nation’s largest and most comprehensive annual scientific survey of 5,000+ single men and women living across the U.S. It’s an unbiased survey representative of the population, not just Match members. The survey aims to insight and inform Match’s scientific advisors about what dating is like in 2019 and what are the hot button issues singles are thinking about.

Interesting Data:

● #MeToo
○ One of the most interesting angles that was included for the first time this year is how the #MeToo movement is affecting dating and even workplace culture. The survey found:
■ Half of men (51%) say the #MeToo movement has caused them to act differently overall.
■ Specifically, nearly 40% of men are now more reserved towards female colleagues at work and 34% of men said they act more reserved on a date because of the movement.
■ Overall, both men and women are more reserved when approaching someone new in public (35%), as well as when on a date (33%), and with what they post on social media (28%).
■ Additionally, when with a new potential partner, 19% of singles think twice about the jokes they make; the topics they discuss (15%); and about inviting someone to come home with them (15%).

● Gender Norms in Dating
○ Although women are fighting for equality in the workplace, straight women still want men to take the lead in courtship. Heteronormative courtship traditions live on in women even though many men would love for women to take the lead!
■ 75% of men are perfectly comfortable if a woman is the first to say “hello” on a dating app/site, yet only 19% of women often take this lead.
■ 90% of men are happy to have a woman ask them for their phone number, yet only 14% of women often do.
■ 67% of men would be comfortable having a woman offer to split the bill on the first date, but only 24% of women regularly extend this offer.
■ As for that first kiss, 90% of men would be delighted if a woman made the first move, but only 15% of women often do.

● Finances
● The survey found your financial situation frequently matters to your partner.
● 30% of Millennials feel that their financial stability affects their readiness to find a relationship.
● 22% of singles say a potential partner’s financial situation has held them back from pursuing a relationship with them.
● 23% of singles say that they argued about money in their last relationship.
○ Many singles hold off on love because of their financial situation:
■ A quarter of singles, regardless of age, feel financial stability also affects their readiness to find a relationship. 21% of Millennials also believe they need to reach a certain income level to even pursue a relationship with someone (vs. 14% overall).

● Dating Burnout
○ The survey found a real feeling of dating burnout from single all generations who are fatigued by the search for a meaningful relationship.
■ 83% feel that love is hard to find, while 43% reported believing that technology has made finding love more difficult.
■ Furthermore, when singles were asked their feelings about dating today, their top descriptions for dating included: “overwhelming,” “sexual,” “transactional, ” and “unkind.”
■ Yet still 75% of singles are hopeful that love is out there, and nearly 60% are motivated to find romantic love and a long-term companion. Only 9% of singles are looking to date casually.

● Dating in Indy:
○ Indianapolis and Chicago are two of the top 10 cities where women take the lead in dating (Indianapolis ranks No. 4 and Chicago ranks No. 8 on the list).
■ Feminist Dater Cities (top cities where women take the lead in dating)
■ 1. Atlanta (30%)
■ 2. Austin (29%)
■ 3. Washington, DC (26%)
■ 4. Indianapolis (25%)
■ 5. Houston (24%)
■ 6. Nashville (23%)
■ 7. New York (22%)
■ 8. Chicago (22%)
■ 9. Baltimore (22%)
■ 10. Boston (22%)
○ Indianapolis also ranks in the top cities cities that are the “hardest crushing”
■ The Hardest Crushing Cities (top % of singles who have had a crush/most types of crushes- these are the average number of crushes checked)
■ 1. Denver (3.91)
■ 2. Columbus (3.85)
■ 3. San Diego (3.77)
■ 4. San Francisco (3.73)
■ 5. Indianapolis (3.65)
■ 6. Fort Worth (3.64)
■ 7. Portland (3.57)
■ 8. San Antonio (3.57)
■ 9. Philadelphia (3.53)
■ 10. Jacksonville (3.48)
○ 64% of Midwestern singles say #MeToo movement is important to them, that the movement opened up a discussion that needed to be talked about (43%), and has made them reassess their own behavior (13%).

To learn more, visit SinglesinAmerica.com.