Zohran Mamdani Has Probably Had More Success on Hinge Than You
The current political landscape is filled with candidates who tirelessly attempt to brand themselves as 'of the people.' But I think there are some mundane human experience prerequisites you should meet before you get to flaunt that title. Have you ever been hit with an overdraft fee? Or stepped inside a public laundromat? By my judgment, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mandani has ticked at least one box in the "incredibly normal background" category. He and his wife, Brooklyn-based artist Rama Duwaji, met on Hinge.
The New York State assemblyman shared this fun fact on The Bulwark podcast last week to support his take that 'there is still hope in those dating apps.' And while you might hesitate to buy into his argument, I find this lore charming. There's been plenty of noise about Zohran's age and very online campaign approach. (Should he win, at 33 years old, he'd be the youngest NYC mayor in a century. And on his campaign, he's ventured to press stops that very few of his elder opponents have, from Hasan Piker's Twitch stream to Subway Takes.) But above all else, what's more millennial than meeting your life partner on an app? Zohran's big Hinge reveal indicates that one of the top contenders for NYC mayor has probably spent 20 minutes (at least) picking out his six most flattering photos and identifying his main dealbreakers. It also means that Zohran's familiar with the draining experience of trudging through 'how was your Tuesday' exchanges. Which, now that I think of it, probably doesn't differ much from the campaigning experience. If anything, swiping primed him for politics.
Since their first app-assisted meet-cute, Zohran and Rama, 27, have shared quite a love story. They got married earlier this year in a civil ceremony at the New York City clerk's office, a day he described adorably to Interview Magazine. 'The outside is just so beautiful and reminiscent of a different New York City, and the inside is in many ways public goods personified. All of these New Yorkers getting married at the same time at different ages and at different times in their lives, it's very beautiful.'
But because the world is sick and appreciation for real #lovers is at an all-time low (by my observation), Zohran and Rama's relationship caught some flak earlier in his campaign. Online skeptics (ones who don't seem to understand the instinct to protect the people you cherish) came for Zohran, claiming he was 'hiding' Rama from the world…instead of exploiting their relationship for political gain, I guess. But the mayoral candidate posted a stern defense on IG, with his vibey black and white wedding photoshoot in tow! 'Three months ago, I married the love of my life, Rama, at the City Clerk's office. Now, right-wing trolls are trying to make this race—which should be about you—about her,' he wrote in the caption. 'Rama isn't just my wife, she's an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms. You can critique my views, but not my family.'
Allow Zohran and Rama to be all the motivation you need to keep swiping. I also have follow-up questions for them. Was Zohran honest about his height on his profile? How much would I judge his opening line to Rama? Who chose their first date spot? For these answers, we may have to wait until Zohran pens his autobiography or hosts a Rama-themed Instagram Q&A, whichever comes first. But it's amazing that he could become the first New York City mayor to know what the Rose feature is. We are truly living through history.
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While this can certainly feel discouraging, it's important not to lose hope: There's still plenty of ways to meet people open to dating a short king. More: People are paying thousands for 'dating boot camp' with sex experts. I signed up. It's also important, they add, for daters to be open-minded. There's nothing wrong with preferring to date someone tall − but it's important to ask yourself how important a specific trait is to you before turning on a filter that will eliminate potential matches. "I understand preferences are important," says Amy Chan, a dating coach and the author of "Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart." "The problem is when we confuse preferences with deal-breakers." Blaine Anderson, a dating coach for men, says it's also important for people to keep their height preferences in perspective. For instance, someone who's 5'4" and wants to date someone taller probably doesn't need their height filter set to 6' and above; they might find someone who's 5'8" to be the perfect height for them. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Keeping It Together newsletter News that Tinder is testing a height filter has inspired conversations on social media about the ups and downs dating as a man when your height doesn't start with a "6." "Women aren't ready for this conversation but they need to stop filtering by height on dating apps," one X user wrote. "I met Kyle on Hinge. He didn't lie about his height (5'9") and was filtered out by a lot of women! Many of my friends would have filtered him out! Don't do this." Others cracked jokes: "I set my height as 6'4 on dating apps let it accrue matches for a couple weeks then set it back to 5'10 and message them." Some, like bodybuilder and fitness influencer Jeff Nippard, who's 5'5," offered advice: "This really isn't a big deal. As a short man, if a woman doesn't find you attractive because of your height then why would you want to be with her anyway?" Chan speculates height preferences stem from evolution, going back thousands of years to when physical size and strength were necessary for survival. Now, however, that's no longer the case. "Men's height has been culturally associated with masculinity, power and protection," Chan says. "I joke with my friends that, unless you're planning on getting into bar fights, the guy who has access to a good lawyer is probably going to be able to protect you more than a guy who's tall." Have you heard of 'relation-shopping'? It might be why you're still single. Chan encourages people to find ways of meeting people outside of dating apps, ideally in settings where their personalities can shine. "We know through research that apps cause people to filter very harshly, even if they wouldn't do so in person," Chan says. "I always tell my clients to have three different forms of 'lead generation'. If you're on apps, great, but add two more. Maybe that's joining a club or taking up a hobby where you'll meet other like-minded people and build relationships and community over time." More: Relationship experts say these common dating 'rules' are actually ruining your love life Anderson offers similar advice − and adds daters shouldn't waste their energy feeling frustrated over what they can't control. You can't change your height, but you can work on other attributes to attract a partner. "Rather than getting mad or feeling frustrated about it, accept the reality and control the things you can control," she says. "You can control the number of women you approach in a day or a week. You can control having a great smile and a nice personality when you approach that person." More: 'Tall Girl 2,' Zendaya and Tom Holland and the stigma around tall women dating shorter men And, if you're someone who does use a height filter, you might want to try expanding it an inch or two and seeing what happens, Anderson says. You could be surprised by who you meet. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tinder is testing a height filter. Sorry, short kings.
