One-third of women admit to changing their behavior to make someone feel more powerful or comfortable whilst dating or in a relationship. — IStock.com pic via AFP
LONDON, March 23 — The man should make the first move, a woman should not propose, the man should earn more money in a couple… You may have thought these were ideas from another era. And yet, some of these ideas are still socially ingrained, according to a recent survey. The dating site Bumble calls this discrepancy in behaviour expected from partners of different genders in a relationship, the “Romance Gap.”
Gender stereotypes can be particularly strong when it comes to dating and relationships. Based on gender, men and women are often expected to act in certain ways.
According to a YouGov survey for the dating app Bumble, half of those polled believe it is the man’s job to take the lead both in asking someone out, but also initiating the first kiss. In the UK, one in two respondents say that men are expected to earn more money and be responsible for finances, while one in 10 women have felt worried about being judged for earning more than their partner.
This gap is called the Romance Gap. Some 85 per cent of the Europeans surveyed for the study consider gender equality to be important in a couple. And yet 74 per cent of respondents agree that “when it comes to romantic relationships, there are different expected behaviours based on your gender identity.”
The Romance Gap is defined as “the discrepancy in behaviour expected from male/masculine presenting people and female/feminine presenting people when dating and in relationships.” This phenomenon could stop lovers from being their authentic selves when dating or in relationships. In fact, one in two respondents say the effects of gender roles can make people behave in a way that is less true to themselves. Women are particularly affected by such expectations. A third of them “changed their behaviour to make someone feel more powerful or comfortable whilst dating or in a relationship,” the study warns. As a result, it’s perhaps no surprise that almost half of people feel that “the impact of gender roles and behaviours makes dating and romantic relationships more stressful and difficult.”
* Unless otherwise stated, all figures quoted on the Romance Gap microsite are from YouGov Plc, research commissioned by Bumble. The total sample size is 6,770 adults, including 2,069 in the UK, 1,053 in France, 1,015 in the Netherlands, 2,129 in Germany and 504 in Ireland. Fieldwork was undertaken between January 25 and February 4, 2022. The survey was conducted online. The results were weighted and are representative of each of the respective countries (adults over 18). — ETX Studio