Hily Study Reveals Gen Z’s Striving for Authenticity in Online Dating
September 5, 2024, USA — Hily, the dating app that values authenticity and encourages users to date as you are, is releasing the Gen Z and Authenticity Study. The app asked 2,500 Gen Z users to discover their desires and fears when it comes to being authentic on the online dating scene. And as it turns out, authenticity is hard—but the majority of Hily Gen Z daters desire it.
Authenticity Is the Number 1 Value
Gen Z craves authenticity and considers it important in online dating. More than 90% of Hily users strongly believe that dating is only enjoyable when people are honest and present their true selves, with nearly 90% of men and 94% of women sharing this belief.
This desire for authenticity is reflected in their preference for individuals who embrace their unique imperfections rather than those who try to hide them. Nearly 85% of women and 81% of men agree. This suggests that Gen Z values genuine connections built on authenticity and self-acceptance.
To fit this desire, 60% of Gen Z women and 59% of men said they want to be totally honest in their dating profiles, but the anxiety and vulnerability that go along with it are hard. In Hily’s study, 44% of women and 28% of men admitted they feel anxious about being honest on dating profiles.
All in all, Gen Z wants to reveal who they are but worry that their real version won’t be attractive to others.
Top Dating Pressures That Challenge Authenticity
Based on Hily’s study findings, three key personal challenges make it difficult for Gen Z to put their values into action when it comes to authenticity.
Hily’s study revealed that 41% of women experience a fear of not being attractive enough, compared to 34% of men. Additionally, nearly half of Hily users (50% of men and 40% of women) feel the pressure of unrealistic expectations on dating apps.
40% of Gen Z women and 27% of Gen Z men on Hily admitted that the fear of judgment on dating apps prevents them from being real.
Fear of rejection is an actual, frequent, and painful dating app experience for over 52% of men and around 36% of women.
In the given circumstances, 42% of all Gen Z respondents admitted that rejection on dating apps harmed their self-esteem. Additionally, over 60% of men and 68% of women reported feeling hesitant to pursue connections on dating apps due to concerns about their self-esteem.
Based on these dating pressures, Gen Z daters tend to think they must create a polished and perfect online dating persona. This creates a gap between what people want and what they put out there when it comes to authenticity.
The Lies We Tell Online
Based on Hily’s team findings, around 49% of men and 47% of women have changed their profiles at least once or twice, striving to broadcast the image they think others want to see. In other words, they are doing some kittenfishing on their profiles.
Kittenfishing means misrepresenting yourself in your online dating profile, like taking photos from deceptive angles to make yourself appear taller, or posting older photos to look younger.
Not all kittenfishing is about appearance. Some people choose to be deceptive in other ways. They might fudge their career information or pose in front of a rental car to make it appear as their own. According to Hily’s study, the top areas where Gen Z daters tend to kittenfish on their profiles appeared to be profile photos (27%), bios (22%), and interests (16%).
“Being authentic publicly takes self-awareness and vulnerability. Many people struggle with that, because of positivity bias—a pressure to present your life and self in a favorable way. Changing dating culture may be contributing to that. Thus, the cure is going to be cultivating a culture of authenticity consistently.” – Marisa T. Cohen, PhD, LMFT- Relationship Scientist at Hily dating app
Gen Z Continues to Strive For Authenticity
Despite feeling pressured to appear perfect, worrying they aren’t attractive enough, and fearing judgment, Gen Z singles genuinely want to be authentic. Thus, dating apps should find new ways to encourage honesty and make people feel safe being vulnerable online. Only then will we see authenticity become the norm, not just some aspirational standard.
Download the report here to discover the latest insights on authenticity in online dating.
About Hily
Hily is a dating app designed to make dating fun and enjoyable. By allowing everyone to date as they are and encouraging curiosity and a sense of adventure, the app helps people make new connections and explore themselves through dating. With features like icebreakers, compatibility checks, messaging, and video calls, Hily helps users connect in genuine ways. Released in 2017, Hily has become one of the top 10 dating apps in US app stores, with over 34 million users worldwide.