Honesty Day is on the 30th of April 2020 and in celebration of that day, we thought we’d have a look how Australians feel about honesty in their relationships.
Thinking about honesty brings up connotations of straightforwardness, integrity, fairness and a strong moral compass. As most people know, honesty is the foundation of any relationship — be that an intimate partnership or a friendship. For a lot of Australians, honesty is more important than physical attractiveness in their intimate relationships.
In fact, OkCupid has found that people in Australia who are in the dating game are prioritising honesty over looks more than ever before in 2020. For instance, in 2005 72% of respondents in Australia said they rather date someone who’s extremely honest than extremely hot. In 2020, 89% of respondents in Australia said they rather date someone who’s extremely honest than extremely hot. Looking beyond Australia for a moment, OkCupid also found that in 2019, 86% of respondents globally said they rather date someone who’s extremely honest than extremely hot. 85% of daters consider themselves a truly honest person, in all aspects of their lives. 85% of Millennial dater and 84% of Gen Z daters prioritise honesty over looks. Further proving this is research that shows Millennials top traits in romantic partners are honesty, kindness and a strong sense of humour.
According to Melissa Hobley, Global Chief Marketing Officer and dating expert at OkCupid says that:
“Honesty is so important in relationships, and it’s actually more important than ever before for daters on OkCupid. When asked, 89% of people in Australia on OkCupid this year said they actually rather date someone who’s extremely honest over someone who’s extremely hot…and this trend has been on the rise for the past 5 years! When you can wholeheartedly trust the person you’re with it helps you build a stronger, more meaningful relationship. So, when you’re thinking through that mental checklist of things that matter most to you in a partner, make sure ‘honesty’ is pretty high up there. We also found that 85% of our daters consider themselves a truly honest person, in all aspects of their lives, so I’m pretty confident that the perfect person for you might just be on OkCupid!”
Melissa has also included five top tips on how to maintain honesty in romantic relationships:
1. Consistency in your communication is key.
Make sure to always be honest and transparent about your feelings and beliefs. Being transparent about the little things, like how you don’t like the brand of soap your partner buys, is just as important as being truthful about the more important matters in your relationship.
2. It’s a two-way street:
If you expect your partner to be 100% honest with you always, then you must do the same, and reflect the same level of transparency. When you’re both being truthful with each other, honesty will truly become a foundation of your relationship.
3. Have an open-door policy, with zero judgment.
When your partner is being open, raw, and truly honest, you have to remember not to make a quick judgment or reaction and hear them out. Have an open mind and make sure you’re both reasonable in your responses to the hard truth.
4. Is there an action?
When you’re being honest about what you like, don’t like, what annoys you, and what makes you happy, remember to make it as constructive as possible by outlining an action or solution, if there is one. If you don’t have a solution, work on one together!
5. Establish trust and respect in the relationship.
Building a strong foundation of trust and respect will certainly pave the way for an open, honest, and meaningful connection from the start of the relationship. When these elements have a strong presence in your relationship, a sweet love will surely blossom!
Featured image via eco18