Every time I tell people that, despite being single, I’ve never been on a dating app, they tend to assume I’m lying. Or worse, I’m smug. But the truth is far less flattering — a mix of self-doubt, cowardice, and the fear of being judged by strangers on a handful of curated photos, some basic personal information and some quippy one-liners. Personally, I’ve always found the whole thing to feel transactional, like ordering sex and intimacy off a menu.
Still, for years I’ve been the odd one out. Since Tinder first launched in the UK in 2012, dating apps have become the default. Whether in the hope of meeting “the one” or just out of boredom, most single people I know have downloaded one at some point. And there are success stories. Several friends of mine met their partners on Hinge or Raya and aren’t remotely embarrassed to admit it. One couple I know even printed the Raya logo on their wedding menus.
