Life
Finding love online can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack — with the added bonus that the haystack is filled with f*ckboys, creeps, and ghosts (and not the friendly Casper kind). I know firsthand the saintlike level of patience it takes to wade through profile after profile, always wondering when you're going to meet someone worth ending the search. Being perpetually single can leave you questioning whether there's some 'it factor' you (or your profile) are lacking. So what are the most attractive traits for online daters?
According to a new report from OkCupid, outspoken, liberal women were more likely to find love online than their conservative counterparts. Gone are the days of the subservient Stepford Wife; now, it's all about independence, confidence, and open-mindedness. So how did OkCupid figure all this out? First, they defined 'successful women' as women who deactivated their profile because they met someone on the site. Then they looked at successful women's answers to their Match Questions to find trends that might indicate what traits they had in common that helped them find love. As it turns out, women who've found a partner on OkCupid shared a lot of left-leaning traits (like supporting marriage equality and being open about sex) in common.
Here are seven things that the OkCupid women with ~success stories~ had in common — BRB, updating my profile.
1
They Believe In Equal Rights
Compared to women who don't support same-sex marriage, the ladies who do were 85 percent more likely to find someone online. In fact, supporting marriage equality was the most common trait among successful women on OkCupid.
2
They're Caring
In addition to being open-minded, women who found love online also practice what they preach. Women who answered “Yes” to the question “Do you feel obligated to help your fellow human beings?” were 72 percent more likely to meet a partner. It's heartening to know that being a caring, compassionate human being can also help you find love.
3
They Believe In Free Press
When it comes to politics, women with a liberal point of view were more likely to find success on OkCupid. A prime example? Ladies who believe the public should have access to all literature (regardless of its contents) were 34 percent more likely to meet someone.
4
...And The Separation Of Church And State
On a similar note, women on OKC who believe that religion and law-making shouldn't mingle (aka the separation of church and state) were 30 percent more likely to have romantic success.
5
They're Open About Sex
There's nothing more important to a healthy relationship than honest, open communication — especially about sex. Women who said they'd answer any of their partner's questions about their sexuality were 33 percent more likely to meet someone. And the successful women of OkCupid don't just like to talk dirty; they take action, too. The report found that women who think 'saving yourself' for marriage is silly were 31 percent more likely to snag a partner.
6
They're Cool With Masturbation
Successful women on OkCupid agree that masturbation is healthy and normal — even if you're in an exclusive relationship. Women who believe that masturbating when in a relationship does not count as infidelity were 39 percent more likely to find romance.
7
They're All About Education
IMHO, there's nothing sexier than a genuine love of reading, literature, and (of course) grammar. The successful women of OkCupid agree: those who said they were bothered by typos had an increased success rate of 36 percent. They also believe that smart = sexy: women who think education plays a role in attraction were 31 percent more likely to find love.
Even though liberal women might have more success on OkCupid than conservative women, that doesn't change the fact that everyone — regardless of their political leanings — has awesome traits that would bring value to a relationship. If you're open, honest, and unabashedly yourself, there's nothing stopping you from finding love, online or off.
