1) War in Iraq: With thousands
of our troops in harm's way overseas, the cliche "Absence
makes the heart grow fonder" has become
a troubling reality to husbands, wives, boyfriends
and girlfriends who
have
found themselves separated, often for the first
time, by these world events.
2) Older women/younger men: This year's much-publicized
pairings of Demi and Ashton and Cameron and Justin
acknowledged the growing acceptance of older women
dating younger men. A 2003 study by AARP The Magazine
confirmed that more than a third of single women
in the U.S.
ages 40 to 69 are dating younger men.
3) Older men/older women: The new movie "Something's
Gotta Give" with Jack Nicholson and Diane
Keaton is an example of a cinematic trend we saw
this year
-- movies showcasing the sexuality of older women.
Actresses such as Diane Keaton and movies like "Calendar
Girls" have stretched the age-related boundaries
of what is considered sensual in film today.
4) Bachelor
and Bachelorette series: Although Alex and Amanda,
Aaron and Helene, Andrew and Jen and Bob and Estella
may have all parted ways, Trista and Ryan officially
tied the knot in December, proving that the hit
format can deliver results beyond great ratings.
5) Bennifer: The most closely watched relationship
of 2003, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's on-again,
off-again union was the talk of the tabloids and
every other magazine on the newsstands. They called
off their
much-anticipated wedding, but appear to have weathered
the ups and downs and look as if they'll still
be together to toast the New Year.
6) Online dating sheds stigma: The
numbers were staggering. In the twelve months ending
November
2003, an average
of 40.7 million Americans per month visited at
least one online personals site, according to comScore
Media Metrix. And earlier this year the New York
Times ran
a much publicized feature story "Online Dating
Sheds Its Stigma as Losers.com."
7) Importance of physical attraction highlighted
in new reality shows: Reality shows Average Joe
and Mr. Personality increased public discussion of
the
role physical beauty plays in attraction and love.
Mr. Personality, hosted by Monica Lewinsky, challenged
Hayley to find Mr. Right among several masked suitors,
in order to base her selection on personality rather
than looks. On Average Joe, Melana was asked to
choose a mate among a selection of average-looking "Joes;" then
in the show's final weeks, some handsome hunks
joined the cast. She picked the hunk over the nice,
smart,
successful, but average-looking, guy.
8) Metrosexuals: 2003 saw the rise in popularity
of the Metrosexual male (heterosexual men who care
about fashion and grooming). Coupled with the surprise
hit "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," heterosexual
men are getting the message that a beer gut and
a sweatshirt won't get them very far in today's
dating
climate.
9) Email breakups: Carrie on "Sex and the
City" may
have found out about her "break-up" on
a Post-it, but research shows that more relationship
breakups are happening via email than ever before.
10) Gay and lesbian relationships and the
law: This year marked two high-profile court decisions
on
gay and lesbian relationships and marriage. A 6-3
U.S.
Supreme Court ruling struck down a Texas law that
had made it possible for the state to arrest and
prosecute
same sex couples for sexual relations that were
not illegal
for heterosexual couples. And in Massachusetts,
a November court decision declared that the right
to
marriage
is guaranteed under the Pilgrim State's constitution,
and "barring an individual from the protections,
benefits, and obligations of civil marriage solely
because that
person would marry a person of the same sex violates
the Massachusetts Constitution."
> Perfectmatch.com - The best approach to find the one.
<
All
Online Dating Magazine content, including the content on this page,
is ©
copyright by Online Dating Magazine and may
not be
republished or reused in any form. You do have
full permission to link to this article.
Do you agree or disagree with this
article? Have
more to add? Submit a Letter
to the Editor today or post a comment below.
