Abstract
One aspect of relationships that is of interest when examining the reproduction of social inequalities are those that are reproduced in online dating relationships. With advances in technology resulting in more people meeting online, there is an increased need to study online dating relationships to fully understand them. There is research that indicates that social inequalities such as ageism, racism, homophobia, and gender-based violence, among other issues, are occurring frequently in online dating relationships. The purpose of this chapter is to explore how discrimination permeates the online dating world, resulting in unique challenges for its users.
TopIntroduction
Advances in technology over the past several decades have made the Internet a part of people’s daily lives in the United States. Internet-based technologies have affected all aspects of people’s lives, including the pursuit of romantic partners. Through dating websites and applications, people are now able to date others without leaving the comfort of their home (Lamphere & Lucas, 2019). In fact, the Internet is the second most common way that dating couples meet (Cocalis, 2016). In 2020 there were over 44 million Americans using online dating services, and this number is expected to grow to over 53 million by 2025 (Statista Research Department, 2021). Online dating has become a billion-dollar a year industry (McCartney & Hellier, 2021).
Social inequalities can be reproduced in our interpersonal relationships, and online dating is not immune to this. When the Internet first came to be, many researchers and people in the public viewed it as an environment where people could interact freely without the discrimination found in their daily lives (Tynes et al., 2016). The reality is that racism, sexism, ageism, and other social inequalities appear in the digital environment, but often in different forms than are unique to the online world. The use of new technology to pursue romantic partners can result in our social world being reproduced in these online spaces (Conner, 2019; Rudder, 2014). The objective of this chapter is to explore how social inequalities manifest in online dating relationships. The authors will explore different aspects of discrimination in online dating, touching on topic such as racism, appearance and disability discrimination, ageism, sexism, homophobia, dating violence, and dating for justice-involved persons.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Ageism in Online Dating: Discrimination or prejudice against another person met through online dating sites or apps based on their age.
Sexism in Online Dating: Discrimination or prejudice based on sex against another person (typically against women) met through online dating sites or apps.
Disability Discrimination in Online Dating: Discrimination or prejudice against another person met through online dating sites or apps because they are believed to be physically or mentally disabled.
Online Dating: The use of Internet-based technologies such as websites and application to seek out romantic or sexual partners
Race Discrimination in Online Dating: Treating someone met through online dating sites or apps unfavorably because they are of a certain race or display personal characteristics associated with a certain race.
Homophobia in Online Dating: Discrimination, prejudice, or hatred toward another person met through online dating sites or apps because they are LGBTQ+.
Justice-Involved Person: A person having contact or interaction with the criminal justice system, primarily through police, courts, or the corrections system.
Romantic Rejection Violence: The occurrences of people, primarily women, being met with physical violence when rejecting a potential romantic partner.