If you use dating apps, you may have come across phrases like 'hardballing', 'flexting', and ghosting. 'Or perhaps 'shaveducking', 'mosting' and 'roaching' are on your radar. Even if you're the most clued-up singleton out there, it still feels like there's a new dating trend every minute - and sometimes it is hard to keep up.
As we head into the New Year, those who are looking for love will want to get their heads around the dating trends that are about to become seriously popular for 2023.
Whether you are an adventurous singleton or a devoted lovebird, understanding the coming changes to next year's dating scene just got a whole lot easier, as Bumble has announced its 2023 predictions. Having become a household name with its women-first approach, the dating app knows a thing or two about romance.
Now, you can too - as the experts have helpfully shared what you can predict from your relationships in 2023. Here are seven trends we can all look forward to next year, according to Bumble.
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, according to the experts.
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'. Here in the UK, over half of daters (52%) are making use of this approach. Meanwhile, 1 in 4 (28%) of us are placing less emphasis on dating people that others 'expect' them to.
Guardrailing
With the return of office culture and busy social schedules, it makes sense lots of us are feeling overwhelmed right now. The experts think people's changed attitudes have influenced us to prioritise our boundaries, as 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
The experts say 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 are 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
Interestingly, 1 in 3 (33%) people on Bumble say they are now more open to travel and relationships with people who are not in their current city. Post-pandemic WFH 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.
New Year, New Me(n)
Bumble's research found conversations about gender norms and expectations have been front and centre in 2022. 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.
More than half of people on Bumble (52%) are actively challenging stereotypes that suggest that men should not show emotions, for fear of appearing weak. 1 in 3 (38%) now speak more openly about their emotions with their male friends, and half (49%) of 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 Bumble having ended a marriage or serious relationship in the last two years.
These people are now jumping into their second chapter with 1 in 3 (36%) using dating apps for the first time, learning to navigate new dating language and codes.
Ethical sex-ploration
The way that we are talking, thinking about, and having sex is changing, according to the experts. More of us are approaching sex, intimacy, and dating in an open and exploratory way (42%) and sex is no longer the taboo, with more than half of us agreeing that it's important to discuss sexual wants and needs early on (53%).
Over the past year, 1 in 5 (20%) have explored their sexuality more, and 1 in 8 (14%) of us are considering a non-monogamous relationship. However, this doesn't mean we’re all having more sex. 1 in 3 (34%) people are not currently having sex and they are okay with that, and this particularly true for the UK (42%).
Commenting on the predictions, Naomi Walkland, Bumble's Vice-President for Europe said: "2022 was a formative year with the return of travel, the drastic increase in our social lives and commitments, and a number of turbulent global events. However, for some people this post-pandemic shift left them feeling out of 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; physical, like ensuring they don’t overcommit themselves; or financial, encouraging candid conversations about previously taboo topics.
"All of these shifts are changing the ways that people are thinking about what they are looking for, and how they better balance our relationships, work, and life. As we head into the new year, we are encouraged by the many ways single people are challenging the status quo and taking control of defining what a healthy relationships means for them."
The research was conducted by Bumble using internal polling between October 12 - November 1, 2022 with a sample of 14,300 Bumble users around the world, including the UK.
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