There may be ‘plenty of fish in the sea’ (as our platitude-loving Aunts like to remind us every Christmas we turn up solo), but these new 2020 dating trends making the relationship landscape feel more like the battlefield described in the Pat Benatar song.
Identified by Canadian online dating app, Plenty of Fish, these dating pitfalls will make you miss the days of simply being ghosted, and despite their extravagant names, perfectly sum up the all-too-familiar feelings associated with navigating the modern-day dating scene.
Fleabagging
Those who related to Pheobe Waller-Bridge’s quick-witted character in the Emmy award-winning show, Fleabag, may be guilty of ‘Fleabagging’ when it comes to their own dating lives.
The term describes people who consistently gravitate towards the wrong people, and according to data collected in the polls to determine the dating trends, a whopping 50% of all singles feel they’re Fleabaggers themselves. Women outweighed men in this trend, too, with 63% of women admitting to Fleabagging compared to 38% of men.
Eclipsing
This dating phenomenon occurs when one half of a couple adopts the interests and hobbies of the other person after pretending they like the same things. Almost half of singles on app (48%) have dated someone who adopted all the same interests and hobbies as them, and 45% of people admitted they’d Eclipsed a former partner themselves.
Cause-Playing
Perhaps you’re familiar with this one… Cause-Playing occurs when a casual relationship fizzles out naturally before one person circles back later with a favour to ask, usually relating to a fund-raising effort.
Think questions like: “Will you come and watch my sister’s gig?” or “Would you mind supporting my friend’s Go Fund Me?”. Apparently, 61% of singles have had a former flame reach out to them with a Cause-Playing question.
Glamboozling
Guilty! To be Glamboozled means getting fully dressed up and ready for a date, only to have them cancel on you last minute. According to the data, 58% of singles have done this. All dressed up and nowhere to go, eh?
Dial-Toning
Those burnt by Ghosting may be triggered by Dial-Toning, but unlike its spooky counterpart, this dating trend happens before the relationship has even had a chance to begin.
It’s the act of giving someone your number, but then completely ignoring them when they reach out. 60% of singles have been on the receiving end of this, while 35% admit to doing it to someone they’ve met.