'Shrekking' is the latest dating trend that has people talking
Bad news: you could be the Shrek in your relationship…
The dating world is not always easy to navigate.
From dating apps to blind dates to simply trying to meet someone in public, it seems everyone is constantly on a journey to find someone to spend their life with.
Navigating this isn't always easy, especially when you think you've found someone who could be "the one," only to discover they were a walking red flag.
Or perhaps you meet an amazing person, but you’re just not physically attracted to them.
Cue Shrekking!
According to Vice, 'shrekking' is the latest dating trend that has the internet talking, and there might be some method to the madness.
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This new dating trend basically means dating someone you aren’t initially physically attracted to, in the hopes that they treat you better and make up for it with a stronger personality.
Of course, the trend has received plenty of backlash for being shallow.
Firstly, it creates the impression that you immediately think you are "above" the other person and that you're lowering your standards.
Others also argue that attraction isn't set in stone, saying that deep emotional connections can build physical and sexual intimacy.
"The term might be new, but the behaviour isn't," says Amy Chan, a dating coach and the author of 'Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewriting Your Heart'.
'Plenty of people have put looks lower on the list or hoped attraction would grow over time, and that in itself isn't a bad thing. Where it backfires is when someone assumes that just because they're dating 'down' in looks, they'll automatically be treated better."
Although for some it might seem like a bad thing, others believe it could actually help people focus on the important aspects of a relationship, like a person's personality or how they treat you.
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Just be careful not to assume you're better than someone simply based on looks.
Getting 'Shrekked'
Getting 'Shrekked' is when you date someone who isn’t conventionally attractive, or who you consider "below your standards," but they still end up hurting you.
"For those who've been 'Shrekked,' the goal isn't to retreat back to only dating conventionally attractive people; it's to develop better assessment skills for character, values, and emotional availability regardless of what package they come in," Chan told USA Today.
"Physical attraction matters in romantic relationships, but it shouldn't be the inverse predictor of good treatment that some people assume it to be."
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