A Romantic Recession: How Gen Z isn’t settling for love

What in the World

Recent data from the United States shows there’s a big political divide between Gen Z American men and women. For decades young Americans have mostly voted for the Democrat party. But in last year’s Presidential election, that trend was reversed. Gen Z voted for President Donald Trump and his Republican party, but young men a lot more so - one analysis found that 18-year-old men were 23 percentage points more likely to support President Trump than 18-year-old women. That’s more than double the gender gap in other generations. So is this a problem for our romantic relationships? Is it possible to date someone across the political divide?

BBC journalist Jasmine Boykin explains the latest data. We hear from people who’ve dated across the divide - did it work out for them? And Maria Avgitidis, matchmaker and CEO of Agape Match, a matchmaking service based in New York City, tells us why this is a bigger issue for Gen Z compared to previous generations.

How can you make a relationship work if you have opposing political views? Jennie Rosier, a professor of communication in interpersonal relationships at James Madison University in the US, and the host of the Love Matters podcast, gives her advice.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: [phone] Presenter: Iqra Farooq Producers: Jasmine Boykin, Chelsea Coates, Emily Horler and Adam Chowdhury Editor: Verity Wilde