Dating is complicated enough nowadays, but as one of those nasty right wingers, it can almost seem impossible! I never thought politics would get in the way of my dating life; however, I have sometimes found that dates have been deterred once they discover my political stance.
Dating app profiles allow people to be very open about their politics; these are just a few examples I’ve come across:
“We’ll get along fine if you believe in gender pronouns”.
“I’m left wing to my core”.
“If you voted to leave the EU, the chances are we won’t get along”.
At least you know where you stand in these situations! Some dating profiles are less obvious, although it can start to unravel on an actual date. When I lived in London, I went on a date with a junior civil servant; the date was going well until I fatally tried to display a sense of humour. As my date popped off to the facilities, I told her to be careful when choosing the right toilet, as you never know which one to pick nowadays! She never returned from the toilet and later text me to say that she’d been offended, as she was a trans ally! If anything, it helped solidify my opinion that the civil service is just a bunch of woke lefties!
Political views can allow potential matches to identify common interests.
A partner’s political affiliation has never bothered me. I always thought that if two people liked each other, they could accept each other for who they are. In my social circle, I have friends across the political spectrum. In fact, some of the most interesting conversations with my friends are borne out of disagreement; I might hold a different view on a certain topic, but hearing their perspective helps me to gain some nuance on the issue, and vice versa. Although, I do find the ‘left’ are less tolerant when it comes to listening to someone else’s opinion and this attitude from the left is evident in the dating game.
According to popular dating app Bumble, over 40% of Gen Zers and Millennials consider political incompatibility a deal breaker and a 2023 YouGov poll found that over a third of Labour voters said they would be upset if their child married a Conservative thinker. Dr Caroline West, Bumble’s sex and relationships expert, explains: “Being involved in politics often indicates a person’s values, which allows potential matches to identify common interests, gauge compatibility, and foster deeper connections beyond attraction”.
‘Compatibility’ was put to the test in the run up to the US 2024 election, when several women took to social media to vent about their Trump-supporting partners. A growing trend saw female Democrats attempting to ‘cancel’ out their male partners’ votes at the ballot box. After Trump’s landslide victory, liberal women swore to go on sex strike with their partners in protest. This strong strength of feeling has encouraged dating apps to allow users to set preferences based on political ideology. Some business models have gone one further and established specific Conservative dating apps. The Right Stuff launched in 2022 to mixed reviews, encourages users to “Quit swiping, scrolling, and trolling the wrong people. There are people out there just like you.”
Whilst compatibility in politics is more likely to lead to a successful date, I also believe that placing too much emphasis on politics could lead to misjudgements. Let’s take veganism as an example; this is often referred to in dating profiles. An assumption could be made that a vegan is likely to be a raging leftie, who spends their days gluing themselves to the road, stopping traffic and hugging wind turbines. This is where the lines can be blurred; my facetious stereotyping and tunnel vision could mean missing out on a great date. I’m making misguided assumptions on compatibility purely based on one aspect of someone’s life.
Whilst it’s true that I’m more likely to feel a connection to someone with similar views to me, there might also be an incredible right-wing vegan out there. In fact, let’s put it to the test! If any of our followers know a right-leaning vegan, I will take them out for dinner at The Ritz. I’ll even ask ‘View on the Doorstep’ to publish a lonely-hearts advert to test my theory!
I never envisioned I’d be one of those people who emphasises their politics on a dating profile, however given that I’m involved in the political scene, it might be something I have to come clean with! In the same way that people feel the need to use gender pronouns, I will champion my belief in free market economics, just to wheedle out potential matches!
The compatibility of politics in dating is a curious topic and becoming even more of a factor among singles. The lines can also be blurred; let’s see if I can find my right-wing vegan and shatter those pre-assumptions that partners should be aligned on all topics… I could be writing my next article from The Ritz!
© View on the Doorstep — 2025 All Rights Reserved.