Trump has changed dating forever. Ugh.

Swipe left on the president.
 By 
Cassie Murdoch
 on 
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Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

It’s been a year since Trump got elected, and a lot has, umm, changed in that time -- especially our need for love.

From the get-go, Trump’s chaotic reign has forced us all to think about politics morning and night -- there's no escape, even when we’re just trying to find someone to watch Netflix with. How you see this upheaval depends on your party affiliation, but it’s clear that something has changed.

There’s new evidence to back up the shift we’ve all sensed in the ether. Data from eHarmony shows that there has been a surge of mentions of Donald Trump from its users. It first started to climb after he got the nomination, but there were notable jumps both around the time of the election and the inauguration.

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But it's not just The Donald that has everyone talking. There’s also been increasing interest in politics overall since the election -- especially among women, who’ve seen a 43 percent rise in their use of political keywords, including candidates' names, since July 2016. Meanwhile, men receive 8 percent more messages from women when they mention politics than when they don't. Female members, meanwhile, get 23 percent more requests when they mention Trump (in any context) in their profiles.

This isn't totally representative of the dating world at large, since eHarmony’s users lean slightly to the conservative side of the spectrum. But there’s plenty of evidence that vocally liberal ladies are getting noticed too on sites like OKCupid.

It seems the uncertainty brought on by the election and Trump’s time in office have increased people’s desire for companionship. Gotta find someone to hang out with in your nuclear bunker. There's been a 35 percent increase in membership at eHarmony since election day last year.

Grant Langston, the CEO of eHarmony, draws a powerful comparison between this period and another tumultuous time in recent history: "People are reacting to the Trump presidency with the same intensity as they did after 9/11. We all just want human connection, especially during difficult times."

While singles may be more active in their search, it’s a much more divisive environment in which to be looking. People are now much more reluctant to cross party lines when it comes to finding mates, and whether the person is a Trump supporter is something you need to find out ASAP. There’s even a dating site geared specifically toward loyal Trumpists.

The good news is -- if you can bring yourself to see it this way -- the Trump's administration at least gives people something to talk about. If nothing else, it solves one of the biggest struggles people face when trying to find something to say to a complete stranger you think looks cute in their profile pic.

Topics Donald Trump

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Cassie Murdoch

Cassie Murdoch is Mashable's Culture Editor.. Before coming here, Cassie was Senior Culture Writer at Vocativ. She previously wrote for Jezebel and The Hairpin. Cassie spends most of her time thinking about and consuming cheese in all its glorious forms.

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