One twentysomething is seriously disillusioned with the gay dating scene. “Seriously, who said this sh*t was supposed to get better after high school?” he wrote in a recent Reddit post.
Related: Gay guys list the Grindr profile quotes that turn them off
“Guys are f*cking cruel,” he added. “The first date goes swell, they talk a lot of sweetness to you about how cute you are. Some even blow up your phone texting you. And then there’s the inevitable flaked date (whether it’s 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.) that leads to a ghost.”
He went on: “None of them are ever man enough to just tell you, ‘Hey, I think we should just see other people’ or something polite. Like, why are you even putting in the effort to text me if you’re just gonna ghost me anyways? Why waste your own time and mine like that?”
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The Redditor lamented that none of his contemporaries want anything serious. “It’s really f*cking weird,” he wrote. “I guess everybody just wants to waste the prime of their lives mindlessly f*cking instead of building meaningful connections. It feels like if you aren’t into casual sex, then there is nothing to be gained but disappointment at this stage in life.”
Other Redditors could sympathize. “Dating gay men is like pulling teeth. Or not trying to scare away a deer,” said one.
And some said that dating in one’s 30s is just as hard, if not more. “If you think it’s gonna get better with age, I hate to be the bearer of bad news…” wrote one. Added another: “30 here. Dating is WAY harder now. I’m lucky if I even get a guy to say hello to me.”
“At least in your 20s, all the older guys want a piece,” one commenter mused. “In my 30s, you’re kind of in this ‘too old for older guys and not old enough for younger guys’ stage. Lame AF.”
Related: Gay guys share the most embarrassing ways they’ve acted with a crush
Others had advice, though, like the guy who suggested leaving formal dates behind. “I had a great time meeting people through common friends, going out to parties/clubs, through common interest groups at uni, on gap year, travels, etc.”
Another dude advised not wasting one’s 20s — “or any phase of life” — looking for love. “Just meet guys to have fun and make friends, and maybe, eventually, you’ll get to meet someone that you like with similar interests and who enjoys spending a lot of time with you. In my experience, significant people come to your life when you’re not looking for it.”
Our two cents? We’re certainly not judging those who are more into lust than love. But if everyone could communicate their mindsets and their expectations with their matches — instead of ghosting or putting on pretenses — the dating scene wouldn’t be quite so miserable for this Redditor.
Vince
Well, you can definitely tell this is coming from a twenty something even if they didn’t list his age.
WashDrySpin
be careful to discern if you are dating or boning
steve_michaels
No different for the older crowd, even worse. Sex is number one online, no conversation, no dates, and thanks to the internet, everyone always has one eye on the door and one foot out. Don’t get me wrong, still plenty of opportunities to explore, but if anyone (regardless of age) thinks ‘online’ is the way to meet the love of your life – I believe it’s a rare occurrence. Get out of the house, put your phones down, and really meet people. No matter how much ‘easier’ you think online is, it does you a disservice by slowly (or quickly) eroding your ability to interact with someone face to face. Even if bars and night clubs aren’t your ‘thing’, they, at least, give you the opportunity to smile, nod, and hopefully chat with someone face to face —- IF the other person will put their phone down too 🙂
wellinmysoul
stay home and jack off
JJinAus
Pff. I have a friend who is in his 80s. Walk a yard in his shoes…
Grandolphrz
If you think it’s bad in your 20s. Wait until you get to your 50s.
There’s one thing to be said about masturbation. You certainly don’t have to look your best.