Join us for this in-person NGM Circle discussion in Toronto! NGM Circles are facilitated discussions about the things that matter to us — gender equity, inclusion, mental wellness, healthy relationships, and social justice. Our focus is typically on how men and masculinity fit into the feminist movement, but folks of all genders & backgrounds are welcome to attend.

Online dating is becoming far more common (and less stigmatized) than it was previously. According to eHarmony — one of the larger online dating platforms — about 36% of Canadians use online dating platforms in 2018. It’s likely even higher now!

There are a ton of messages we receive about gender from society that have an impact on how (and who) we date —messages like “it’s important for a man to be tall, financially successful, and athletic” or like “it’s important for women to be thin, beautiful, and domestic”. So how do these messages (and others) shape our experiences of online dating?

How are we challenging and changing those gendered messages? How do we continue to reinforce them, and what are the impacts of these kinds of messages on individuals, groups, and couples? If the messages are changing, how are we adapting to those changes while dating online?

According to a 2022 Bumble survey of 14,000 daters from across the world, men are doing some serious reflecting about how they date online: “74 percent of male respondents around the world said they have examined their behavior more than ever and have a clearer understanding of what is not acceptable when dating”.

Interestingly, many of those behaviour changes may revolve around emotional literacy, as “38 percent of men on Bumble said they now speak more openly about their emotions with their male friends and this figure increases to 42 percent for Canadians”. Interesting! Where are they learning these new skills? How do these new skills affect their lives in dating and outside of it?

We’re curious to explore the impact of gender stereotypes and expectations on people’s experiences of online dating. We're asking questions like:

• How do gender stereotypes and expectations impact heterosexual people’s experiences of online dating? How about queer or trans folks’ experiences? What’s similar and what’s different?

• How might changing gender norms benefit people looking to find dates online?

• How could online dating be improved for people of all genders? What does safety look like in online dating? How can we promote, teach, model, or encourage ethical and safe online dating behaviour/practices?

Join us on July 8th from 2-4pm ET for another Circle discussion at Movember House.

We hope to see you there!