Gen Z Dating Trends
Generation Z has been stereotyped for having different attitudes towards relationships because they were expected to be different from previous generations. Even though there are differences between Millennials and Gen Z, both share similarities in terms of attitudes and behaviours.
What does dating mean for the group that has been dubbed the “TikToK” generation because they’re so good at turning everything into a TikTok trend? We asked some Gen Z’ers (ages 18 to 23) for their thoughts on online dating, ghostings, talking with your crush politically and finding “The Ones.”
Here are the six rules for Gen Z dating, according to Gen Z.
1) They don’t want to be in a relationship with you if they can avoid it.
2) If they do date you, they will not commit.
3) They have no interest in having sex until marriage.
4) They expect their parents to pay for everything.
5) They think that being “cool” is more important than actually doing something useful.
6) They want to live life like a YouTube video.
You’ve been out with them for 4 dates now, so you’re pretty sure they’re not just flaking on you. You can safely assume that they’re not just going through the motions. According to Gen Z, not at all.
An overview of Millennial and Gen Z dating statistics
72% of millennials make a conscious decision to be single. They value freedom and independence.
75% of Gen Z are single.
44% of millennials are married.
Millennials spend an average of two hours a day on dating apps.
74% of millennials and Gen Zersuse dating apps.
90% of Gen Z say they are frustrated with dating apps.
The most popular reason for ghosting is to avoid confrontation.
56% of women and men have been ghosted.
29% of millennials and Gen Z have married at the same age as 59% of older generations.
30% of millennials and Gen Z say that their financial situation is holding them back from dating.
Gen Z is having less casual sex than previous generations. 24% of Gen Zers have sex on a casual basis.
Attitudes to cheating and open relationships are more liberal than before. As many people (43%) want a monogamous relationship as a non-monogamous relationship.
Gen Z dating statistics
Are Gen Zers having harder times finding dates than previous generations? What percent of Generation Z is single? Here, we’ll look at some of the issues facing Generation Z when they’re looking for dates.
75% of Gen Z are single. (BBC)
Gen Zers are having less casual sex than before. While 38% of young adults had casual sex in 2007, this number dropped to 24% in 2017. (Socius)
The majority of Gen Z daters believe in splitting the costs of dating. (The Balance)
28% are willing to spend at least $100 on the first date. 1 out of 3 spends $250 or more per month on dating. (The Balance)
Almost three-quarters (74%) of Gen Z daters say they wouldn’t match with someone who holds different views on green issues to them. (Refinery29)
73% say they wouldn’t match with someone who doesn’t have the same humor. (Refinery29)
71% say it’s a deal-breaker if a potential match has different political views than them. (Refinery29)
67% of Gen Z think it’s important that their partner supports the BLM movement. 58% of all singles believe the same. (Match)
68% of Gen Z think their partner should support the Stop Asian Hate movement. The same applies to 62% of all singles. (Match)
Millennials and Gen Z and online dating
How do millennials and Gen Z approach dating apps?
83% of millennials spend up to two hours a day on dating apps. (Bustle)
90% of Gen Z are frustrated with dating apps. (Financial Times)
Smoking or drugs is the most common reason millennials swipe left. (Bustle)
50% of Tinder users are part of Generation Z. (Tinder)
40% of Gen Z Tinder users say they will continue to go on digital dates after the pandemic. (Tinder)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, 40% of Gen Z daters came to Tinder to get out of their echo chamber and meet new and interesting people. (Tinder)
More than 74% of millennials and Gen Z use online dating apps. (The Balance)
50% use them at least weekly and a third pay for at least one app. (The Balance)
What is ‘Hardballing’?
So if you’re going out with someone after the pandemic, be sure to tell them exactly what you expect from the date — not just assume. And if you don’t know what you want yet, ask for clarification before planning any dates. Both parties should share their needs and desires without fear of rejection.
Why is Gen Z embracing this dating trend?
A generation whose signature phrases are “Hasta la pasta” and “insert pleasantries here” would be an excellent source of inspiration for anyone trying to avoid sugarcoating what they say. Indeed, Gen Z appears to be at the forefront when it comes to the use of hashtags on TikTok, and the #Hardballing one is becoming increasingly popular. It seems reasonable why Generation Z might adopt a more straightforward dating mindset. When it comes down to it, no one really likes swiping left and right on dating apps, so these young adults decided that they’d rather spend their time doing something productive instead.
What is slow dating?
Millennials were not looking for long-term relationships, but rather short-term hookups, according to one woman who has been using Tinder. And Generation Z is approaching dating completely differently than older generations did. They’re using apps for chatting, meeting people, playing games, sharing music, and maybe even going out on dates.
Slow Dating: The CEO described this approach as one where people go out for coffee or drinks before meeting up to see if they’re compatible.
Dating sites aren’t especially new, but slow dating has only recently become popular. According to Business Insider, the term “slow dating” was coined by the founders of the French online hookup site Once. However, as Kate Balestriere, sex therapist and co-author of “Modern Intimacy,” recently explained to Men’s Health, “Slowly building trust through slow dates isn’t a new phenomenon, but may feel radically different to people who’ve been using online datings sites intermittently or vociferuously over the past few decades.”
Why is Gen Z embracing slow dating?
So why did I create this whole new approach to dating online? Nyborg says the pandemics’ effect had a strong influence.
“When I talk to 18- and 19 year olds who are on Tindr for the first time, many have never met anyone before, let alone gone on a date.” Young adults usually go through their school years without ever having any real dating experiences and many come to online dating platforms like Tinder because they’re lonely.
For the company, it means providing young people with dating advice. To help you become an effective communicator, some of the features we’ve added include coaching you on the types of words and phrases to use when you’re talking face to face, and how to avoid saying the wrong thing online. You can use Tinder for all sorts of romantic purposes — date, hook up, meet friends, etc. “I would say that the most important thing for us when we started was making sure that anyone could follow their own path without judgement. We want to create an environment where they feel safe and free to express themselves. And then, we want to focus on replicating and improving the things that worked well in the real world. For example, we replicated the way people found each other by using the signal from social media but made them feel safer and gave them more privacy.”
Gen Z dating culture defined by sexual flexibility and complex struggles for intimacy
As Generation Z grows up, they’re taking their sex lives into their own hands. But isn’t this what they want? For the sake of this year’s Valentine’s Day cards, let’s look at some interesting facts about human sexuality.
These youth are often thought to be entitled, dependent, and lack real-world skills but they’re also resilient and creative. This adaptability extends to their ability to navigate sexual and relationship issues. These changes stem from factors such as the proliferation of online dating services, declining marriage rates, and growing socioeconomic disparities.
Are they happy with their sexual relationships? Some people describe today’s youth culture as the “hook up” culture, where young adults are having less sexual intercourse than their predecessors, but are not necessarily less sexually expressive.
Is online dating something new? What is it exactly? And why would anyone want to use it? Research has indicated that a mix of internal and external factors influence people’s decisions about their romantic relationships.
Recently, I asked some undergraduates from Western University about their sexual experiences. We interviewed sixteen women and seven men from different socio-economic contexts and sexual orientations, ranging from gay people to lesbians (and some bi-curious people), to heterosexuals.
It was interesting to learn about the different types of relationships people had when they were growing up but at the same time confusing to me. Friendships mean nothing anymore. Where’s the fun in dating apps? There’s no guarantee of finding someone who wants something serious from you.
My preliminary findings suggest that Gen Z dating cultures in Canada tend to be characterized by high levels of sexual flexibility and some degree of struggle for intimacy, which makes achieving them more challenging when compared to their predecessors.
There are various dating terms that students use. One popular term among university students is ‘wheeling.’
Many of my participants come from Toronto, Canada. If someone asked you if you were dating, they would assume you’re not just having casual sexual relations. Instead, they say something like, “it’s a thing.” In the city, some who have been influenced by Jamaican culture call it a “ting.” “It’s kind of called a thing if you’ve heard that, a ting, it’s a Toronto thing, ‘oh it’s my ting.'” Ellie (not her real name) confirms this:
Dating is a more substantial concept than just finding someone to hook up with. It seems like I hear from many students who say “I don’t want to be exclusive” because they fear rejection, so instead of saying “we’re dating,” they prefer to keep things ambiguous.
“I don’t know if [it’s that they’re afraid of commitments] but I do believe there’s something else going on.” Both trust issues and the risks associated with committing themselves to things that may not work out well are involved.
Those in a hyper-sexualised world Many participants talked about being judged on their sexual prowess. Sex is a critical social and cultural resource for people, as Ji says.
“You know, if you were to use it, I’d say it would show off your power and be cool”.
It’s a very sexual atmosphere at work – everybody wants to hook up and get laid. So I got pushed into dancing with one of them. But I didn’t want to do it. And I was like “Do I?” That kind of thing, the pressures.” Chris identifies the reasons why men worry more about sex than women: the fear of intimacy and expectations from society that everyone has sex.
“Sex” is a common term used for physical contact between two individuals who intend to engage in sexual activity; “sex appeal”. It may refer to an individual’s ability to attract others based on his/her appearance, behavior, body language, clothing style, personal qualities, etc. Sex appeal may include social aspects, including how one acts toward others. A person with high sex appeal may project confidence, energy, and enthusiasm through his/her actions, gestures, clothes, hair style, makeup, facial expression, eye contact, voice tone, posture, and overall demeanor.
While some may argue that young people’s sex lives are fleeting, these interviews demonstrate an extraordinary ability for them to improve their sexuality and emotional maturity.
What would happen if we could teach our hearts to think differently than they’ve been taught to think before Does it help them feel better?
Recent studies have shown that Americans are having a lot less sex than they used to, and apparently, the youngest generations (millennials and Gen Z’ers) are the biggest culprits. Experts say that increased social media use, alcohol consumption, video games, and living longer under a parent’s roof are all contributing factors to this nationwide dry spell.
Since Generation Y has been repeatedly told they’re not good enough (we know where we’re going), let’s talk about Generation Z for a moment—and what “romance” means to them.
1. The Snapchatter:
dating as a Gen z human in their early 20s is so embarrassing because sometimes you get hurt by someone who uses Snapchat as their primary method of communication
2. The acceptance:
dating as a gen Z is just accepting the fact that u will be ghosted.
Twitter: @iszporation
3. The bluntness:
i’ve never felt as beautiful as i did the moment a date said unprompted “u seem like u would have acid reflux”
Twitter: @fettyschwapp
4. The truth:
I don’t even think dating as a gen Z exists. We’re all just aimlessly wandering around, crying that we’re single and doing nothing about it LOOOOOOOOOL
Twitter: @hannahakhalu
5. The conundrum:
Dating as a Gen Z 👇🏽 Let’s be friends. Just friends. I’m not ready for a relationship, but I expect you to do things with me considered inappropriate in terms of a friendship. We’re not together, you can’t claim me, but you can’t be with anyone but me.
Twitter: @CareWilson3
6. The butterflies:
bumble boy just asked me if i wanted to facetime tonight && i got butterflies. is this dating as a gen z?
Twitter: @briarbray
7. The capital letters:
I FUCKING HATE DATING AS A GEN Z. ALL ANYONE WANTS TO DO IS FUCK BUT ALL I WANNA DO IS FEEL FOR SOMEONE LIKE A HOZIER SONG MAKES ME FEEL
Twitter: @_MY0NLYANGEL
9. The lifted judgement:
The Gen Z dating scene is so bad. I will never again judge people who decide they’re dating to marry
Twitter: @flavoredasian
Gen Z is ready to break up with Tinder, and these new dating apps are here for the rebound
Gen Z Dating Trends
What has love got to do with anything?
Because generational differences can often be most apparent when it comes to relationships and dating. The youthful years of the 1960s and 1970s were filled with the lessons learned from the sexual revolutions, which had occurred earlier. Throughout the second half of the twentieth century as Boomer and Gen Xers entered the workplace en masse, they began focusing less on romance and relationships than they had before.
Dating has changed significantly for younger generations of teenagers, who are now called Generation Z or simply ‘Zoomers’. Since the emergence of online dating platforms and social media sites, Gen Z has become increasingly involved in these types of activities. They’re currently at an age where they’re starting their own families and settling down, so marketers need to consider them when designing products and services for this generation.
Time to Update Your Dating Profile
If you’re looking for advice on finding dates for Generation Z, you may want to consider using social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat instead of traditional sites like Match.com and OkCupid. As people who grew up with smartphones and social media, we are stereotypically expected to be glued to our smartphones 24/7.
Research says otherwise, but there may be exceptions. Compared to the slightly younger Millennials, Generation Zs are less likely to rely on dating apps and are more likely to use them for casual dates and hook ups. Married and engaged couples tend to differ from each other in terms of their attitudes toward sex. Only 16% of people who use online matchmaking services meet their partners via these sites, compared to over 25 percent for millennials. The most common way for engaged zoomers to connect is through schools. It could be because they’re relatively young, but it’s definitely an interesting trend given their reputation as digital natives.
It can’t be denied that some people rarely use any kind of social media platform for casual relationships, but most people do at least occasionally. These apps may be the worst performing group (or even the least performing), but they’re often the largest number of people using them for any purpose at all. Participants in one Vice article claim that they don’t find online dating sites shallow. And some people say they’re not using their dating app anymore. Furthermore, Gen Z reports a general belief that social networks can have a negative effect on their dating lives. One common reason why people don’t get into shape is because they believe it’s too difficult to change their habits. They’re confused and/or mixed up by conflicting messages from various sources.
Despite their reservations, digital technology plays an important part in the “dating life” of older adults. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online video chat applications, including Zoom and FaceTime, allowed people to keep up with their daily lives despite lockdown regulations. Also known as “apps like TeleParty” or “Apps like Houseparty,” these services allow people to virtually meet up at one place and watch movies together or play games together. Despite the fact that Zoomers are eager to return to in-person dates, the rise of these online datings alternatives demonstrate that there is always room to grow, notwithstanding, or maybe even because of, the current climate.
4 Trends Defining Gen Z’s Relationships
Other factors beyond the coronavirus pandemic influence Zoomers’ attitudes toward online relationships. According to research, younger people tend to prioritize different things compared to older generations when it comes to relationships. Shifted values may change things slightly; for example
Less stigma on being single
Focus on career
economic situation Gen-Z grew up during, and general uncertainty about the future.
No rush to get married
Politics matter
Even though everyone has different dating styles and behavioral patterns, no one knows exactly which ones they prefer until after they’ve tried them out for themselves. That being said, there are definitely some things to pay close attention to, and these include dating app fatigue, among other things. It may be useful for marketers to understand how Gen Z differs from previous generations in terms of how they approach relationship and dating issues.