Love trumps money:
In the dating criteria specified by single
women, income has become less important when choosing a mate.
While Britney Spears, Julia Roberts and Mira Sorvino have all
opted to marry an “average Joe,” the trend is not
limited to Hollywood. Women on Match.com have become less specific
about income, as the percentage who specified an income preference
for potential mates decreased by 20 percent in the past three
years, from 76 percent in 2001 down to 56 percent in 2004.
Seniors click with online dating:
According to Nielsen/NetRatings,
seniors represent the fastest-growing online demographic overall.
As older singles become increasingly Internet savvy, many are
turning to online dating sites to find companionship and romance.
Online dating appeals to older singles because it lets them
ease back into the dating scene at their own pace, connect
with other
eligible singles from the comfort of their own home and take
some time to get to know a person a little before going on
a first date. On Match.com alone, senior membership has tripled
since 2000.
Farewell, Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha:
This
year saw the final episode of HBO’s monumental series “Sex
and the City.” During its six-year run, the show focused
on the friendship of four single women living in Manhattan
and chronicled their dating and relationship experiences, often
shocking
viewers with the characters’ sexual frankness. Carrie
delivered the show’s parting line, “The most exciting,
challenging and significant relationship of all is the one
you have with
yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love,
well, that's just fabulous.”
Ladies first:
Women are more comfortable than ever when
it comes to making the first move in dating situations, and
online
dating has helped make that more acceptable. Statistics show
that it’s working to their advantage – according
to a January 2004 survey of more than 300 married people who
met on Match.com, 27% of the women surveyed admitted they made
the first move in contacting their current husband via email
on the site.
Politics and dating:
Politics got personal this year, as
the Presidential election sparked heated debate about beliefs
and
values, and many singles were determined to date along party
lines. But politics may not make such strange bedfellows after
all. A Match.com/Gallup survey of singles found that 57 percent
would be open to marrying someone who held significantly different
political views than their own.
Same-sex marriage ignites a national debate:
While a few
local municipalities wed gay and lesbian couples this year,
a variety
of states said “I don’t” to gay marriage
in the November election. It’s clear that the subject
of gay marriage will continue to be a high-profile issue on
the
local
and national levels. Fifty-one percent of singles in a pre-election Match.com/Gallup survey said that marriages between homosexuals
should not be recognized by the law as valid, while 41 percent
of singles said they should.
War in Iraq:
As military deployments have stretched on indefinitely,
the conflict in Iraq continues to redefine relationships in
2004. In the absence of face time, many husbands, wives and
significant
others rely on email, letters and phone calls to express their
affections for loved ones while they are far from home. Many
singles stationed overseas have been able to stay connected
with other eligible singles by using the Internet.
Online dating achieves mainstream status:
With 30 million
to 40 million people logging on to online dating sites each
month in the United States, online dating went from progressive
pastime
to mainstream phenomenon in 2004. A popular dating expert quoted
recently in The New York Times said, “Every single woman
in my neighborhood is on Match.com.
It's like brushing your teeth."
"He's Just
Not That Into You:"
This New York Times
bestseller by former “Sex and the City” staffers
Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo declared a no-excuses, no rationalizations
mantra to help women recognize when they are wasting their
time in dead-end or one-way relationships. By offering a glimpse
into
the male psyche, the book empowers women to set the bar higher
in a relationship or move on.
Single dads are sexy:
Single women find single dads sexy,
according to Match.com research,
and the phenomenon was highlighted this year by such shows
as UPN’s new sitcom “Kevin
Hill.” Seventy-four percent of the single women on Match.com
indicated that they are open to dating someone with children.
What makes a single dad so attractive? Could be qualities like
generosity, loyalty, responsibility and frequent displays of
public affection with the little ones.
