What people are looking for in a partner in 2021: Long-distance relationships, honest pictures

From people who share their political leanings to those willing to go on an outdoor adventure, dating app OkCupid shares some ways dating might change next year.

This year, while most of the world effectively shut down, romance had room to bloom with numerous lockdown couples pairing up. But will that still hold true in 2021? Dating app OkCupid recently identified some interesting dating trends that could guide singletons looking for love in the new year. They found:

Long-distance gets a nod
Since the pandemic began and everyone was relegated to their homes, more singles than ever are setting their location preferences to “anywhere”, with conversations across borders jumping almost 50 per cent. More than 1.5 million people on the app admitted that they are now open to a long-distance relationship.


Your picture says a lot about you
As daters spent more time on dating apps, they admitted to focusing much more on having a photo on their profile that accurately depicts their individuality and personality. This has specifically become important to users since these pictures will be the sole way to ‘meet’ people, at least for a while. The app found that with daters stuck at home with no concert or vacation photos to upload, they are taking more selfies to keep their profiles up to date. They also found that 95 per cent of daters believe smiling selfies are best.

Take time to savour
With all of us stuck in our homes, the app has seen a rise in “slow dating” — a blend of deeper conversations and more romance through digital and virtual dating. 84 per cent of people on OkCupid think it’s important to have an emotional connection before a physical one. In India, 38 per cent of women confessed that they would like to take things slower and have more virtual interactions even in a post-pandemic world, compared to 25 per cent men.

Gear up for outdoor dates
After being in lockdown for most of the year, daters will be looking to experience the great outdoors as a way to get to know their match. 59 per cent of OkCupid’s respondents across the world said the recent pandemic has made them more motivated towards future adventures, with outdoor dates proving a popular option for socially distanced meet-ups. In fact, 27 per cent of Indian women have sworn to be appreciative of the outdoors when their lives get back to normal.

Stand for something
In the past year, more than 3,40,000 people on OkCupid said they consider themselves activists, with young women really leading this trend. 46 per cent of millennials in India considered themselves an advocate of important issues like voting, LGBT rights, climate change. Globally, questions regarding racial equality garnered over 2.5 million responses. This trend of daters looking for fellow advocates will only increase in 2021, believes the app.

Pick a side
The app found that women care more about what their partner’s political leanings are than men do. 54 per cent of women would like to match with partners who share their political beliefs whereas only 21 per cent men care. In the US, 64 per cent of respondents agree that cross-party dating is a deal-breaker.