HOOKUP CULTURE

WHAT'S THE FUTURE FOR GENERATION Z WHEN IT COMES TO DATING?

Everything we do now seems to be done online and that isn’t any different when it comes to dating and relationships. With the recent popularity of dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid, there are now digital ways of meeting people from all across the country, or even from across the world. Many people are taking this opportunity to meet others online.

However not everyone is keen on the idea and some people like to stay clear of dating apps. Shannon, aged 21, who often uses dating apps herself stated that “it’s good for meeting people etc … but a lot of people only tend to use it for one thing”. She also mentioned that “people can be very different over text than in real life”

ARE DATING APPS REALLY THE BEST PLACE TO FIND ROMANCE?

Many that Tag ‘21 interviewed said that they felt dating apps were not trustworthy, with many people on them being ‘catfishing’ (see page 35) and using fake pictures. The majority of the people we talked to seemed to feel the same way about dating apps, however Max, aged 18 felt differently about dating apps: “I like dating apps as I’ve read that overweight people have found love on them” and that they are “a good way of finding love quicker”. Sky, aged 18 also stated that “some people could meet someone they really like on there”.

Another way young people often meet people online is through games. One young person we interviewed explained how “many people who enjoy playing games can play games on duos, which can match you with someone else if you are playing alone”. Many people had positive experiences with this due to the fact that you can find people with similar interests to you. However the downside to this is the people you meet can often live far away.

When we were younger, how we imagined love and romance was very different to how we imagine love and romance now. We don’t expect any of us imagined finding love on a dating app. Many of us probably remember fantasising about princes and princesses and about characters we had seen in movies and TV shows. A lot of girls and boys (more secretly) swooned over One Direction, hoping to find someone like their favourite band member one day. Apart from this many of us based our definitions of love and romance on our parents, or other adults in our lives, which could be bad or good depending on how you experienced them. You would also have seen films and imagined that was what love and romance must be like. When we approached our teens we imagined other possibilities: watching sunsets and crazy imaginary situations which involved running away together and starting a new life in Cambodia, as well as other weird scenarios. Although of course a lot of these fictional romances were totally unrealistic, many of those Tag spoke to felt that it was sad we have lost our innocent curiosity about love and romance. Do we now often settle for less through dating apps, online dating and hook-up culture in general without searching what we really want? Others we asked disagreed with this, saying that now they are looking for different aspects compared to what they thought they would want to look for when they were younger.

Depending on what you’re looking for, Tag thinks dating apps can be bad or good. Some people will find lasting love and romance on them, however we think that at the moment the apps are used mostly for adult fun (you must be over 18 to use them). However there is a perceived problem with hook-up culture in general. There can be social pressures especially on girls to be into anything and say yes to everything to please boys – even if they don’t feel comfortable, and on boys to pick up a certain amount of partners and have sex by a certain age. You should always check in with the person you’re with to ask if they’re ok with it, and make sure they know they don’t have to do anything they don’t want to do. You should not feel pressured to use dating apps and take part in anything you’re not comfortable with.

STAY SAFE ONLINE

All dating apps are for over18s only. When meeting people online, everyone should be on the same page.

You should make sure you both want the same thing.

You should do what is best for you and what you want to do with your life and with your body. That is going to make you feel happy in the long run rather than feeling pressure to please someone.

SOME POPULAR SOCIAL NETWORKING APPS (YOU MUST BE OVER 18)

BUMBLE

Bumble Inc. is an American social media company that operates the Bumble online dating application facilitating communication between interested users. In heterosexual matches, only female users can make the first contact with matched male users, while in same-sex matches either person can send a message first.

GRINDR

Grindr is a locationbased online dating application for gay, bi, trans, and queer people. It was one of the first geosocial apps for gay men when it launched in March 2009 and has since become the largest and most popular gay mobile dating app in the world.

TINDER

Tinder is an American geosocial networking and online dating application that allows users to anonymously swipe to like or dislike other profiles based on their photos, a small bio, and common interests. Only when two users have ‘matched’, can they exchange messages.

Olivia Kelly, Skye Alksaris Design: Curtis Kenwright