Happily ever after might be changing, according to Harlequin

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says we’re in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. 

And, according to a new study from romance publisher Harlequin, romance and dating are also on the decline in the wake of the pandemic. The study consists of two surveys of U.S. adults: one of 2,000 unmarried adults, and a second of 681 individuals who identify as romance readers. Here are the highlights of what Harlequin discovered:

• Men enjoy first dates more than women: Most adults are meh about first dates. Only 42% said they enjoyed them, and 20% said they actively don’t. However, 49% of men said they do enjoy first dates compared to just 37% of women.
• Many people just aren’t dating: 46% of unmarried adults reported that they aren’t dating at all; 30% of unmarried adults said they aren’t dating because they are already in a relationship. Meanwhile, 77% of single adults said they had not been on a date in the past month, and 18% reported that they’d been on just one to two dates in the past month.
• Happily ever after doesn’t have to mean a relationship: 57% of adults said they believe they can live happily ever after with or without a long-term partner. Women were particularly likely to agree—63% said so compared to 51% of men. Meanwhile, 55% of respondents said happily ever after means surrounding themselves with friends and family with whom they are on good terms, while only 37% said it meant finding a long-term partner.