A few years ago, I used to think my criteria for a partner were rather simple. He only had to be at least 170cm, older than me, and maybe exude bad boy vibes like BTS’s Jungkook ‒ nothing unreasonable like owning a car or drawing a five-figure monthly salary. Well, it turns out my preferences changed over time, and now, I am with a partner who doesn’t check off any of the aforementioned points.
Similar to a recent study by dating app Bumble, the results show that more Singaporeans now look out for qualities like honesty, kindness, and compassion in a romantic partner, rather than physical attributes.
Conducted with 500 Singaporeans in May 2023, the survey by Bumble shows that 70% of Gen Z and Millennial Singaporean singles have changed their definition of a “great partner” over the past five years.
Considering how Singaporeans are getting more informed about dating red flags and abusive relationships via social media, the result may not come as a surprise to some.
According to the survey, Singaporeans no longer wish to date someone who doesn’t make time for them (43%), shows toxic behaviour (34%), is emotionally unavailable (31%), or plays mind games (28%).
Well, it appears that Singaporeans have spoken loud and clear ‒ we’re now all about finding that special someone who values our time and treats us right.
For illustrative purposes only
81% of the respondents also mentioned that being kind is more important than physical attributes. This means instead of swiping right on those with hot bods, more Singaporeans prefer to match with someone with a kind personality.
Diving deeper into this interesting shift, 53% of those surveyed mentioned “honesty”, and 45% regarded “compassion” as the top two defining qualities of being kind.
Other factors that also contribute to a “great partner” include a person who respects personal space and boundaries (49%), and values equality in the relationship (43%).
The results also included a breakdown that shows Gen Zs placing a greater emphasis on the former trait (70%) than the latter (59%), and Millennials at 46% for each trait.
When asked about the change in their mindset over the past five years, the respondents listed a few reasons. 42% believed it was due to bad relationships or experiences, 38% thought it was the wider education on gender equality and women empowerment, and 35% suggested the influence of relationships portrayed in pop culture.
Since our local singletons favour kindness as an important factor in their dating choices, the survey also showed that 68% of respondents believe giving a compliment is one of the kindest things a person can do, with 78% of the Gen Zs agreeing to the statement.
As a matter of fact, 71% of respondents also admit that receiving a compliment from a potential romantic partner allows them to feel more interested in them, and 69% said that they’d feel more confident after receiving a compliment.
As a word of advice, always be kind to everyone you meet.
It is always insightful to observe the changes in dating preferences in Singapore over time, especially since it was not long ago that we noticed Singaporeans were more open to dating other races.
This time around, Bumble has also partnered up with Glenn Yong to approach dating with kindness. The collaboration fuels Bumble’s “Kindness is sexy” campaign, highlighting the fact that more Singaporeans place a heavier emphasis on kindness when it comes to choosing a potential partner.
Cover: TheSmartLocal
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