Are dating apps really that bad?

A recent survey by dating app Bumble states that 60% of women on the app are looking for a man over 6ft tall, with just 15% open to dating men shorter than 5ft8. Tinder, meanwhile, is trialling a new feature that will allow users to filter by height. These developments reflect a growing phenomenon seen on dating apps, with height representing one of the most prominent physical preferences mentioned on app profiles. But where does this obsession with the 6ft threshold come from? Where does that leave short kings? And what does this tell us about the nature of romantic engagement in the digital sphere, our hyper-fixation on physical characteristics, and the difference between our stated preferences and true desires? In this episode, Matt is joined by Novara Media's Ash Sarkar to discuss how dating apps can warp our romantic ideals, and prevent us from finding the meaningful emotional and physical connections we seek.   Follow Ash on Instagram @ayocaesar You can order Ash's new book "Minority Rule", which interrogates the role played by minority elites in stoking culture wars, here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/minority-rule-9781526648334/  And keep up with the podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard

Was dating always this hard? Why has making connections never felt so simple, yet keeping them has never been so complicated? How does technology warp our communication, standards and self-esteem? Why are we becoming more sensitive to rejection? In this episode, Matt is joined by Rachel Thompson, author of a book called The Love Fix, which dissects the current dating landscape and offers pointers for a healthier approach to dating. Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelvthompson_ You can order Rachel's book "The Love Fix" here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457662/the-love-fix-by-thompson-rachel/9781529927955  And keep up with the podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard

What are the origins of the word "slut", why do we say it and how can we tackle slut-shaming? In this episode, Matt and Dan are joined by the author Beth Ashley, who has recently published a book called "Sluts", which investigates the history of slut-shaming, and provides us with the tools to fight it so we can have better conversations about sex. Follow Beth on Instagram @bethashleywriter You can order Beth's book "Sluts" here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/301813/beth-ashley And keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard

In a short amount of time, dating apps have quickly become one of, if not the, most common way to meet new people. But are dating apps really working? Might they be causing more harm than good? Or are we overthinking it?  In this episode Matt & Dan discuss their experiences with dating apps, as well as the economics of the dating app model. You can keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard

In what ways might our emotional triggers surface not only in relationships, but also in our professional life? How might we respond to those triggers in different settings? And how might work to self-reflect on our past and reckon with its impact help us to become better at navigating relationships - romantic or otherwise?  In this special episode recorded in Los Angeles, Matt talks to Remy Meraz, co-founder and CEO of Zellalife, an AI-powered coaching platform that strengthens soft skills and emotional intelligence in the workplace. Along the way, we discuss how these core psychosocial skills help us navigate not only professional relationships, but romantic ones too.  You can keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard

Is foreplay important? How do we keep long-term relationships sexually fulfilling? In this episode, Matt and Dan continue their conversation with sexologist Madalaine Munro, and award-winning educator and writer Topher Taylor, to build a better understanding of a positive, progressive sex life for men. Listen in as we talk kinks, connections and the simplicity of human touch. The explicit chat continues with a few saucy jokes along the way! You can keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard ----more---- Madalaine Munro is a Somatic Sexologist and Attachment Therapist, who specialises. Her work has been featured in Women’s Health, Grazia, Cosmopolitan and Vice. She specialises in creating trauma-informed spaces, working with clients internationally in person and online, as well as running her booked out supervision for sexuality facilitators. You can follow her on Instagram here. Topher Taylor is a sex educator, sex toy reviewer and developer and general 'tart with a heart' from South London. He has worked around the adult industry for almost 15 years; beginning in sex shops, moving into brand management and sex toy development, OnlyFans content creation and becoming an intimacy writer for various mainstream publications, television channels and social media networks. In 2017 he won the “Best Social Media” personality at the Grabbys Porn awards for his work, and he has a reputation for talking about sex ed with honesty, vulnerability, empathy and boatloads of knowledge. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram here.

It's time to get under the bedsheets as the Love Cupboard looks deeper into men's experience of sex. In this episode, Matt and Dan are joined by lauded sexologist Madalaine Munro, and award-winning educator and writer Topher Taylor, to talk all about our bedroom habits. Join us as we discuss the meaning of intimacy, whether men are obsessed with sex, and what is needed to improve our sex lives. Explicit topics discussed from the outset - including a big load of innuendo! Make sure to keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard   ----more---- Madalaine Munro is a Somatic Sexologist and Attachment Therapist, who specialises. Her work has been featured in Women’s Health, Grazia, Cosmopolitan and Vice. She specialises in creating trauma-informed spaces, working with clients internationally in person and online, as well as running her booked out supervision for sexuality facilitators. You can follow her on Instagram here. Topher Taylor is a sex educator, sex toy reviewer and developer and general 'tart with a heart' from South London. He has worked around the adult industry for almost 15 years; beginning in sex shops, moving into brand management and sex toy development, OnlyFans content creation and becoming an intimacy writer for various mainstream publications, television channels and social media networks. In 2017 he won the “Best Social Media” personality at the Grabbys Porn awards for his work, and he has a reputation for talking about sex ed with honesty, vulnerability, empathy and boatloads of knowledge. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram here.

Mental health affects everyone differently, but often men don't like to talk about it. In this episode, Matt and Dan are joined by acclaimed journalist and mental health expert Sarah Fielding to take a deeper look at how men cope with mental health problems in relationships. Join us as we discuss everything from therapy, boundaries and celebrities, to the difficulties of breakups, oversharing, and how patriarchy affects our mental health. You can keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard   If you are struggling with mental health and urgently need someone to talk with, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. You can also contact the mental health charity Mind by calling 0300 123 3393 or visiting mind.org.uk. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy has an extensive register of therapists to search through, which you can find at bacp.co.uk.  ----more---- Sarah Fielding, MS, is an acclaimed journalist focusing on mental health, gender rights, and social issues. Last year she completed her MSc in Global Mental Health & Society at the University of Edinburgh, which focused on the social, cultural, and political aspects of mental health worldwide. She also extensively researched the link between mental health education, especially for young people, and intimate partner violence rates. She's also the co-founder of Empire Coven, a space for highlighting trailblazing women across New York. She has written for The Washington Post, The New York Times, Insider, Verywell, The Guardian, and more. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram here.

Is chivalry dead? Are we too picky? In this episode, Matt and Dan continue their discussion with guest contributors Justin Myers and Emilie Lavinia to further delve into men's dating and relationships experience. We look into the functional problems of finding a date and more cultural barriers in making dating more enjoyable for everyone. Join us as we explore what comes next for the world of dating - are we sticking with apps? Or are we missing something more intimate and worthwhile? You can keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard ----more---- Justin Myers is an author and journalist perhaps best known for writing under the pseudonym The Guyliner. He's written three novels: The Last Romeo, The Magnificent Sons, and The Fake-Up. Justin has had long-running columns in Gay Times and GQ magazines, and his writing has appeared in major publications including the Guardian, The Times, the i, Irish Times, and Grazia. He also acted as a script consultant on Adam Kay's BAFTA-winning BBC drama This Is Going To Hurt. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram here. Emilie Lavinia is the sex and relationships editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, an LGBTQ+ Sexologist and Sex Educator and writes a weekly Substack column on sex, love and dating called The Cuff. She advocates for education, equity and transparency across mental, physical and sexual health. Her writing, broadcasting and commercial work interrogates standards, stories and innovations within the tech, health, sexuality and wellness spaces. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram here.

It's more than just swiping left and right, surely? In this episode, Matt and Dan are joined by guest contributors Justin Myers and Emilie Lavinia to discuss the perils, joys and future of dating as a man. We look deeper into the root causes of those tricky dating experiences and why they might be struggling past that first drink - or indeed, not happening at all. Join us for Part 1 where we kick off the discussion with some hard truths and sympathetic solutions. Part 2 coming soon! You can keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard ----more---- Justin Myers is an author and journalist perhaps best known for writing under the pseudonym The Guyliner. He's written three novels: The Last Romeo, The Magnificent Sons, and The Fake-Up. Justin has had long-running columns in Gay Times and GQ magazines, and his writing has appeared in major publications including the Guardian, The Times, the i, Irish Times, and Grazia. He also acted as a script consultant on Adam Kay's BAFTA-winning BBC drama This Is Going To Hurt. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram here. Emilie Lavinia is the sex and relationships editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, an LGBTQ+ Sexologist and Sex Educator and writes a weekly Substack column on sex, love and dating called The Cuff. She advocates for education, equity and transparency across mental, physical and sexual health. Her writing, broadcasting and commercial work interrogates standards, stories and innovations within the tech, health, sexuality and wellness spaces. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram here.