Daters no longer care about age, according to Bumble (Credits: Getty Images)

First, Patrick Dempsey was crowned the Sexist Man Alive aged 57. Now, it seems more of us are open to a ‘Zaddy’ relationship than ever before.

Age gap relationships are set to be one of the biggest dating trends of 2024, according to the dating app Bumble, which has just released its trend predictions for the year ahead.

Based on insights from 25,000 singles, the annual report suggests 2024 is all about personal prioritisation. It will see singles rejecting the constant strive for perfection, discarding outdated timelines, challenging ‘jobification’, and placing more value on emotional vulnerability, self-acceptance, and shared priorities. 

Oh, and we’ll also be tuning out the haters who have opinions on our younger or older beaus.

Toby Ingham, a psychotherapist and author of Retroactive Jealousy, Making Sense of It, previously told Metro.co.uk there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ age gap in a relationship.

‘There used to be an idea that, as a rule of thumb, half your age plus seven was the guide to the younger age a partner should be,’ he said. ‘That may now be outdated.

‘From one point of view, we might prefer that our partners were peers – contemporaries of us. That if the gap was too big there would be problems in terms of cultural values, interest, etc.

‘Now, the [societal] accent being on inclusivity and normalising difference might eradicate such ideas.’

Here’s a closer look at the predictions:

Gen(erational)-blend romance

Building on dating beyond your ‘type’, there has been an increase in cross-generational relationships.

Nowadays, singles are increasingly open to connections both older and younger. For two in three (63%) of people, age is not a defining factor when dating with more than half (59%) of women saying they are now more open to dating someone younger than them. 

This is especially true for the UK, with nearly two-thirds (61%) of British women claiming this. Meanwhile, the way we view others’ relationships are also changing with more than one in three (35%) women on Bumble stating they have become less judgemental towards generational-gap relationships over the last year. 

Val-Core dating

In 2024, shared priorities are just that; a priority. It’s no longer enough to simply care. Val-Core refers to the rise of people valuing engagement on issues that matter to them. For one in four (25%) people on Bumble it is key that their partner actively engages with politics and social causes, in fact it makes them more attractive. 

When it comes to dating, Bumble’s research also shows that women are less open to someone with differing political views and for one in three (33%) women it is a turn-off if someone they are dating is not aware of current societal issues. 

Betterment burnout

Instead of striving for perfection, singles in 2024 are rebelling against constant self-improvement with more than two in three women surveyed (68%) taking active steps to be happier with who they are here and now. Plus, 40% of women will now only date people who will not try to change them.

Intuitive intimacy

For people today, and particularly women, it seems attraction comes down to one key thing; emotional intimacy.

Single people are now are focused on finding security, safety, and understanding, with a third (32%) of people surveyed on Bumble believing that emotional intimacy is now more important than sex and that it’s actually more attractive than physical connection. When it comes to dating, more than three in four UK women (80%) say it’s key that their partner has an understanding of both emotional and physical intimacy.

Open-hearted masculinity

The conversation around masculinity and gender roles continues it seems. When it comes to relationships, 25% of men state that they have actively changed their behaviour, becoming more vulnerable and open with people they are dating.

And for a quarter of men (25%), this new-found openness has had a positive impact on their mental health.

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Timeline decline

Sadly, people, especially women, continue to feel a constant pressure to follow traditional relationship timelines. Into 2024, we’re seeing the decline of timelines in favour of women choosing to actively build their own path, with one in three (31%) women saying they are no longer focused on adhering to traditional timelines and milestones. 

For nearly a third (31%) of women globally, this means only dating people who have the same perspective on timelines and milestones. And for one in eight (16%) this means actively avoiding friends and family who put pressure on them. 

MVP (Most valuable partner)

Sports is a big player in dating in 2024. For one in three (31%) singles, a shared love of sports has now become a ‘must have’ regardless of if you’re a player or simply a spectator. Our obsession with sports is also changing how we date with a quarter of people (24%) stating that attending sports together is important, particularly amongst Gen-Z and millennial singles.

Consider-date

Mental health is also an important topic of conversation for singles. More than half (58%) of singles are now more open about their mental health and making a concerted effort to slow down. 

Single people are reframing how they date to better protect their mental health, with almost one in three (31%) actively ‘slow-dating’ and being considerate about how much they are dating to ensure quality over quantity, even more so amongst women. In fact, more than one in three (36%) of women are actively seeking people who value both time and self-care.

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Time to find yourself a Zaddy.