ndia's homegrown dating app QuackQuack ran a poll among 12,000 women, understanding their journey, their challenges, setbacks, and successes, and their story as women rocking the online dating world.
The survey participants (from both metros and smaller cities) ranged between 22 to 35 years, a majority of them working women and a smaller section pursuing higher studies. When the platform asked these women about some of the gender inequalities they have faced, online or otherwise, 33 per cent of women mentioned a woman's career growth and how it can be a threat to grown men is, unfortunately, the ground reality.
Time and again, it has affected romantic relationships between two working partners; as shocking as it seems in today's day and age, 4 out of 11 women addressed the same issue.
QuackQuack's Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, commented: "Understanding women's concerns and making our app women-friendly has been among our top agendas. We have seen an 11 percent spike in our female users, and from the approximate 2.60 million chats exchanged per month, we have seen a positive increase in the first messages sent by women hinting that we are doing something right in making them comfortable enough to make the first move."
Clash of Egos
27 per cent of women between 28 to 35 working in the top tier companies in the country mentioned that some men they have matched with could not handle that these women were in better positions in their careers compared to the said men. Their ego did not allow the relationship to grow. 3 out of 8 women mentioned prioritizing their happiness and peace of mind instead of putting efforts into building a relationship marred by ego and doomed to fail.
Career Conflict
4 in 12 women from tier 1 and tier 2 cities said that their office timings and hectic schedule had been one of the top topics of conflict in their relationships. They believe that while a man working hard and aiming higher is considered desirable when a woman does the same, they come off as cold and "overly" career-oriented.
What's On A Woman's Plate?
16 percent of women from metropolitan cities, working 9 to 5 jobs, believe women, working or otherwise, have more on their plates than men. There's inequality at the very core of things; it's unfortunate how comparatively fewer men pitch in at home, citing reasons like long hours at work. When speaking at length with their matches, it was clear to these women that their days looked quite different; while most women living away from home would work on completing their chores after coming back from work, most men in an identical position did not feel obligated to do the same.
All Thanks To Dating Apps
33 percent of women above 30 from tier 1 and 2 cities mentioned stepping out of their comfort zone and making the first move online, even at the risk of rejection. They appreciate that things have drastically changed in the past couple of years, all thanks to the virtual dating world, where women who dare to ask out a man or merely show interest are not instantly labeled desperate or worse.
Matched Online!
26percent of the surveyed women from tier 1 and 2 cities have found their current partner online, but they did have their fair share of rejections and challenges. 13 percent of these women above 30 mentioned how older women face more rejections than older men.
Dating Apps Breaking Gender Stereotypes
39 percent of women between 22 to 30 think the online dating space is becoming more women-friendly and challenging the gender dynamics in dating. From introducing features like chat before you match that focuses on the comfort of both men and women to enhancing and upgrading safety features that are undeniably more useful to women than men, dating apps have taken up the lion's share of the work when it comes to breaking gender-based inequalities and misogyny, even in finding love. 14% of these women expressed how they no longer merely "settle" for the first man who shows the bare minimum kindness and effort; women have gotten choosier for their own good.
According to a nationwide research conducted by a dating app, 80 percent Indian men would like their dates to sport a red lipstick the first time they meet and prefer them to make the “first move”.
An essay by Delta, BC writer Eran Sudds is one of four dozen published in best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert’s new anthology, Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It: Life Journeys Inspired by the Bestselling Memoir,” (Riverhead Books) which hits bookstores March 29th, 2016.
