On-line dating has firmly established itself as the new norm and according to Pink News nearly two-thirds of LGBTQI+ couples in the UK met online and approximately 39% of straight couples. It may be safe to say that this has gone up even more during lockdown! We asked you for your lockdown dating stories and you didn’t disappoint...
Abbie
I'm in a long distance relationship with my long term girlfriend, Hayley (she/her) and our dates mainly happen over Skype when we can't physically be together. Hayley lives in Canada and I am from Scotland. We have been together for nearly 6 years. And this year we were hoping to close the distance but the pandemic affected all our plans. When we have our dates we watch TV shows like Orphan Black and She-Ra. We talk about work, our pets and when we can hope to see each other again. It's hard but so worth it when you find someone you just click with. So for us...our dates have just increased more during the week as we don't have any other plans due to lockdown. We have loads of fun even if we miss each other!
Emma
We met on the Diva Community Page. Someone posted saying “That’s it! I’m getting out there and dating.” She posted “I love lunch dates. Who wants to have lunch with me?” And I replied “Any date that involves brunch, lunch or cake...I’m in!” That’s how it all began. We started messaging and spending a lot of time chatting and getting to know each other over WhatsApp video chat. Our first virtual date was making a sandwich for each other. I took mine outside to eat like a picnic and the wind blew the rocket and lettuce from the top of the open sandwich...it was a funny moment! Since then we had many lovely virtual dates, and we’re watching the news closely for updates on how we could meet in person. As restrictions began to be lifted, we agreed that I would drive up to her and book an AirBnb. We stayed there together for several days. She bought lobster and worked her cheffy magic. We had a real connection. We met several times after that and are already talking about the future. These are indeed strange times and sometimes such new things bring you great new connections and adventures!”
Ana-Marie
I met a wonderful woman on Twitter because of JK Rowling’s weird, transphobic and homophobic tweets. I haven’t met up with her yet because I’m classed as vulnerable. Even though I’m a proud trans woman, I was feeling so crap about the world - not for me but I know there are thousands of trans people who aren’t as thick-skinned as me. I want to help, but donating to charity just isn’t enough right now. However, I could see the overwhelming support for trans rights. One woman in particular stood out to me. We have such a wonderful spark online. I’ve chatted to her on Facetime almost every day. Of course, I have to stay slightly realistic and remember that we may not click in person! However…..it is very hard to stay level-headed because she really is such an amazing and intelligent person. It has made me a little more hopeful for the future. Love really does win over hate.
Sam
My family and I have been holding our own quiz over Zoom every week. It really has helped us to keep in touch and I happened to meet someone. We all take a subject each and create questions based on that subject. Some of my relatives invite their friends to our quizzes now and again and this time my cousin invited a couple of her close friends. I’d never met one of them annnd it turns out she was a lesbian too. We both joked that my family must have set us up - you know the whole “My mate is a lesbian too, I bet you’ll fancy her.” It is SOOO cliche but we did fancy each other. I tried to hide it because, you know, my family was there and all...but she kept cracking me up. After the quiz, I asked my cousin if it was OK to have her friend’s contact details - of course she got way overexcited that she had accidentally matchmade us. It’s early days yet but my date and I have had a couple of Netflix Party dates together and we’ve made plans to meet up when we’re allowed.
Ola
I’ve only just come out as bisexual - so the dating world is entirely new to me again. I’m a big gamer so I play online with randomers a lot. Started talking to a really cool girl from Ireland. Not sure where it’s going to go but I’m really enjoying it! I think we’ve spent around 100+ hours talking on Skype - not including all the gaming we do together.
Michael
I’m a nurse for the NHS so I meet a lot of people all the time. I never seem to meet any gay guys though...or so I thought. I started to notice a man on my bus to work, so over the weeks we graduated from nodding terms to actually saying hello to each other. One day I sat across from him, observing the 2 metre rule of course!!, and just asked how he was. Luckily he didn’t think I was a stalker and we just started chatting - like people do in movies. I did NOT think that was possible in the UK. Even though we take the same bus to work, we still have to social distance on our dates. We’ve been drinking Aldi champagne in the park and going on stunning coastal walks in our local area. He’s a key worker too so we’re both busy working but we still find the time to spend together.
How to have a 'virtual date'
Choose an on-line event and watch or participate whilst keeping a separate phone call or video chat line open.
There is so much to choose from on-line from comedy shows, concert, museum tours. It can really work as it gives you a focus for the date and helps as an ice breaker.
Emma and date both joined zoom 'ghost tour'. It was a guuided tour talking you through London and famous haunted spots... "We also video called each other from our phones so we could chat as well (we muted ourselves on zoom). Not quite the same as in person, but we laughed about how funny some of the audience were"
Ghost Tour: https://facebook.com/events/s/ghosts-ghouls-gallows virtual-/3167483993315073/?ti=cl
Zoom Speed Dating?
Yup it's a thing. Check out Griffin's experience in the Bustle article
Any other successful lockdown dating ideas you would like to share? Drop your comments down below.