Dil Maange More: GenZ is not looking for archetypes like tall, dark & handsome

• Narrowing down the search for love with a physical ‘type’ is not working GenZ, says a Bumble report.
• GenZ says that being honest and upfront about dating intentions is a top dating green flag.
• About one in three people surveyed say that Indian GenZs believe in no set timelines for marriage.
  

Love, they say, is blind. Few, however, believe it. Unlike the preceding generations, GenZ does not put a premium on “good looks”. At least the women don’t. Archetypes of the Elizabethan era are summarily being dissed by this ‘woke generation’ like many other things. A tall, dark, stranger or a knight in shining armor are no longer the types of men this generation seeks to date. If Bumble’s survey findings are anything to go by, then GenZ daters in India don’t want to box up love with physical attributes — cutting the cord between love and looks.

Narrowing down the search for love with a physical ‘type’ is not working GenZ, says the Love Unfiltered Report. And even those who have a type are keen on dating beyond it. As many as 38% of GenZ respondents believe that love comes in different shapes and sizes, meaning they are open to date outside their ‘type’. This open-mindedness expectedly is more relevant to women than men.

Not that into me? That’s ok

Looking for a casual relationship or settling down? Mutually exclusive or can date others as well — many questions have long since dogged people who date regularly. Here too GenZ begs to differ – they intend to answer all these questions upfront.

As many as 52% of GenZ says that being honest and upfront about dating intentions is important – and that’s their top dating green flag.

“GenZ daters are honest, conscious and intentional in their dating goals. Refreshingly, they are not hesitant to challenge the status quo and date on their own terms and timelines,” the Bumble report says.

There has always been a thin line between being selfish and looking after their own interests — GenZ has gone to the other side and are not apologetic about it.

Decades after Sex And The City’s iconic character Samantha Jones said, “I love you but I love me more.” — this generation has taken this seriously.

No FOMO over Shaadi

GenZ doesn’t mind waiting for a partner who understands and shares their values and beliefs. They know it’s hard to find it, and are ready to wait. The trend is called FONMO – fear of not missing out.

They are unafraid to take a backstep from outdated societal norms. About one in three people surveyed say that Indian GenZs believe in no set timelines for marriage. A tad over a half of them are looking for someone who helps or will grow with them.

That kind of love – like any kind of love is hard to find, and harder to hold on to. GenZ is also facing challenges from earlier generations. The biggest is balancing their career and love life – which troubles more than half of the survey sample,

Then comes finding a partner who meets their expectations, and the last but not the least is commitment. Many of them struggle to find someone who is on the same wavelength sexually and emotionally, while the rest are worried about the pain of being rejected.

Across all ages, one truth remains that love is one of the toughest of pursuits, which even when achieved remains the adventure of a lifetime.