In anticipation of National Singles Week (September 18-24), Match.com conducted a new survey of 1,500 single Americans to get to the bottom of the age-old question: When it comes to love, are men and women really that far apart? And who really does wear the pants? This latest research shows that contrary to popular belief, the sexes understand each other better than ever and that traditional dating challenges are breaking down.
According to survey results(*), today's single Americans place a stronger emphasis on equality and teamwork in their relationships, and they want their intellectual and financial equals. Key findings include:
- 86 percent of both men and women say they would rather have equality
than wear the pants in their relationship.
- 76 percent of women and 71 percent of men are looking for someone of
equal intelligence.
- Nearly 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women say income doesn't
matter when looking for love.
Dr. Ian Kerner, Ph.D and relationship expert, says he believes this "meeting in the middle" on dating issues is the result of a gradual cultural shift.
"Today's women are more educated and more successful than ever before and are looking for a man who shares their financial and career goals," Kerner said. "This also means men are being relieved of the traditional pressures of taking the reins in the relationship, and what you're left with is a relationship built on equality, which is ultimately a lot less stressful for both genders."
Along with a shift toward teamwork in relationships, Happen magazine Editor-in-Chief and lifestyle expert Janet Siroto says she sees more and more couples making the transition from friendship to love.
"Couples that realize the importance of sharing similar goals and ambitions in the dating phase will be better prepared to face the future together," Siroto said. "Sharing a close friendship before dating often opens the doors of communication about these goals and makes the transition to dating a natural progression."
Through the end of November, Match.com is encouraging single men and women nationwide to take the first step toward finding their perfect partner by offering its exclusive Make Love Happenâ„¢ Guarantee -- a promise to new Match.com subscribers that they'll find that someone special in six months or less or they will get the next six months free. To learn more, visit http://www.match.com/.
About Match.com
Match.com pioneered online personals when it launched on the Web in 1995 and continues to lead this exciting and evolving category after more than a decade. Throughout its 11-year history, Match.com has redefined the way people meet and fall in love and is credited with more marriages than any other site. Today, more than 15 million people around the world participate in the Match.com community, providing a rich tapestry of ethnicities, interests, goals, ambitions, quirks, looks and personalities from which to choose.
Match.com is the world's biggest online dating and personals property, according to the November 2005 global ranking of the Personals category by industry-leading independent measurement firm comScore Media Metrix. Number one across North America and Europe, Match.com operates leading subscription- based online dating sites in 32 countries, in 18 languages and spanning six continents. Match.com also powers online dating on MSN across Europe, Asia, the United States and Latin America and is the premier provider of personals for Love@AOL. Match.com is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI).
About Dr. Ian Kerner
Ian Kerner, Ph.D., FAACS, is the author of She Comes First: the Thinking Man's Guide to Pleasuring a Woman, which was selected by both Amazon.com and Borders as a "Best of 2004" non-fiction title and has been translated into numerous languages around the world, as well as its companion book He Comes Next: the Thinking Woman's Guide to Pleasuring a Man. Ian also authored the New York Times bestseller Be Honest, You're Not That Into Him Either, and the recently released D.S.I. Date Scene Investigation: the Diagnostic Manual of Dating Disorders. Ian has appeared on a number of national television shows and recently co-hosted a television series for the Discovery Health Channel entitled Love On The Rocks, and regularly contributes to a variety of editorial and broadcast media outlets.
About Janet Siroto
Janet Siroto boasts 20 years of editorial experience at a variety of lifestyle publications, giving her a unique insight into lifestyle and relationship trends. Siroto currently serves as editor-in-chief at Happen magazine (http://www.happenmag.com/) where she directs an eclectic group of expert authors and contributors. Prior to her time with Happen, Siroto served as executive editor at Cosmopolitan, Redbook and Family Living. Siroto often provides commentary on lifestyle trends and has made appearances on national television programs to share her expert insight.
(*) Zoomerang Survey of more than 1,500 U.S. singles conducted by
Match.com, August 2006
SOURCE: Match.com
CONTACT: Annie Palmer, +1-816-512-9566, apalmer@beap.com; Liz Entwistle,
of Match.com, +1-214-576-9321, Liz.entwistle@match.com