Is today’s political climate making dating harder for young people?
Some commentators and researchers have identified a trend of 'heteropessimism' — a disillusionment with heterosexual relationships, often marked by irony, detachment, or frustration. Anecdotally, women have widely expressed weariness with the gender inequality that can emerge in relationships with men. File picture
The last year has highlighted a political divide between young men and women. Data from elections in several countries shows that women aged 18-29 are becoming significantly more liberal, while young men are leaning more conservative. And a recent 30-country study found generation Z more divided than other generations on key questions around gender equality.
At the same time, there is growing evidence that this cohort is turning away from traditional dating and long-term romantic relationships. According to the National Survey of Family Growth, in the US between 2022 and 2023, 24% of men and 13% of women aged 22-34 reported no sexual activity in the past year.
