Politics makes dating tough for Gen Z

Politics is making the process of finding Mr. and Mrs. Right impossible for those who fall under the Generation Z umbrella, a poll has found.

Compared to the baby boomers, Generation X and millennials, the generation with the biggest political divide are those born between 1997 and 2012.

A recent NBC News poll determined that Gen Z men are more conservative and Gen Z women are more liberal, and that is making finding the right person tough for a lot of members of that age group.

WTOP headed to the National Mall, which some call America’s backyard, to see if single Gen Zers would go out with someone they politically disagreed with.

Local college student Jaslynn said while she does love a good cowboy, country man, he would “have to be the most liberal cowboy ever” — or she wouldn’t be able to do it.

On the flip side, Katie, who is on a work trip from North Carolina, believes you should never bring political drama into your relationship. Katie did admit she would date someone she didn’t agree with politically so long as it did not affect her directly.

“You know, ignorance is bliss,” Katie said while laughing.

Some, like Florida’s 21-year-old Srikar, believe social media deserves to shoulder some of the blame for Gen Z’s dating troubles.

“Everyone posts really radical comments, because that’s just how you get more views,” said Srikar.

Another college student visiting the National Mall was Cecil, who told WTOP that some people pretend to be moderate at the beginning of a relationship.

“A lot of guys pretend to be very conservative and have old political views,” Cecil said.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.