Barriers in Women's Romantic Partner Search in the Digital Age

Abstract

What are women's experiences of searching for and making romantic connections in the digital age? Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 111 Asian, White, Black, and Latina, heterosexual, college-educated women between the ages of 25 and 33, the author finds that, regardless of race, women searching for romantic partners encounter cyberaggression and men who are intimidated by their educational background and/or career achievements. Women of color also experience cultural sexual racism, and Black women additionally contend with being excluded as potential romantic partners by Black and non-Black men. She argues that these experiences constitute barriers to relationship formation in the digital age. Furthermore, this research contributes to scholarship that explores the intersection of race, gender, and technology and its impact on individuals' lived experiences.