Online dating can perpetuate racial bias and exclusion, highlighting the need to address and challenge these issues.
Exploring the motivations behind dating preferences and recognizing societal conditioning can help foster inclusivity and expand connections beyond traditional boundaries.
Deep dives
The prevalence of feeling like an outsider in online dating
Feeling like an outsider is a common experience in online dating, particularly when it comes to issues of race. The podcast discusses the importance of addressing racial bias and the pain it can cause.
Unpacking racial preferences in online dating
The podcast explores the question of whether excluding a race in dating preferences is racist. It delves into the inherent biases and conditioning that shape our attractions and highlights the need to challenge societal norms and unconscious biases in the online dating world.
Using the 'five whys' technique to explore dating preferences
The podcast introduces the 'five whys' technique, a method used to delve deeper into the motivations behind dating preferences. It encourages listeners to ask themselves why they are attracted to certain races and to explore the underlying values and goals that influence their choices.
Creating a more inclusive online dating experience
The podcast suggests that online dating platforms can play a role in promoting inclusivity by removing racial preferences as a search criteria and prioritizing diversity. It emphasizes the importance of curiosity, openness, and reframing attraction to foster connections beyond traditional boundaries.
The experience of being “othered” is such a prevalent, universal experience in the world of dating. And it occurs powerfully around issues of race, in very particular ways, in the world of online dating. In this episode, I interview Damona Hoffman, host of the Dates and Mates Podcast, about this under-discussed and hugely important subject.
