Singles event
Encyclopedia
A singles event is an activity or program made available specifically to the romantically unattached, often with the underlying or explicit purpose of fostering dating or relationships among attendees.
Some local businesses, sports teams, and cultural establishment also hold singles events.
The themes of singles events can cover a broad spectrum. These can include, for example, ski trips, Academy Award viewing parties
, dinners, holiday parties, art gallery visits, and Valentine's Day
mixers.
Some of the most strongly attended such events are the Christmas Eve
parties targeted at young Jewish singles in major cities in North America, particularly the Matzo Ball
and its large city competitors.
Singles events have been an area of particular growth in singles-related commerce.
s of singles events have been criticized, with many either having too many women or too many men depending on location or targeted race, age, and income groups. As a result many events often have a policy to even out sex ratios before the event starts.
By the 1970s, singles events had developed a reputation as a "ritual of lies and mistrust", replete with men in search of casual sex, cold and unfriendly women, and frequent misunderstandings.
The nature of meet markets has changed dramatically since the 1980s, becoming more inviting, and the term itself has largely become value neutral or positive.
s events".. (However other organizations specifically for young professionals insist that they are not "singles groups".)
Logistics
Singles events are frequently run by organizations focused on building stability in their areas, such as religious organizations and community groups.Some local businesses, sports teams, and cultural establishment also hold singles events.
The themes of singles events can cover a broad spectrum. These can include, for example, ski trips, Academy Award viewing parties
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
, dinners, holiday parties, art gallery visits, and Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
mixers.
Some of the most strongly attended such events are the Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
parties targeted at young Jewish singles in major cities in North America, particularly the Matzo Ball
Matzo Ball
The Matzo Ball is an annual Christmas Eve nightlife event and party held in a number of major cities in the United States and Canada targeted primarily at young Jewish singles and organized by the Society of Young Jewish Professionals....
and its large city competitors.
Singles events have been an area of particular growth in singles-related commerce.
Praise
Singles events have been praised as "ideal settings for meeting people" because attendees are ostensibly present to meet someone and are open to the idea of becoming romantically attached.General
The attendees of singles events have been criticized as "needy folks without a lot to offer". Dating via religious-sponsored singles events has been criticized for fostering invasion of daters' privacy and undue expectations. Sex ratioHuman sex ratio
In anthropology and demography, the human sex ratio is the sex ratio for Homo sapiens . Like most sexual species, the sex ratio is approximately 1:1. In humans the secondary sex ratio is commonly assumed to be 105 boys to 100 girls, an assumption that is a subject of debate in the scientific...
s of singles events have been criticized, with many either having too many women or too many men depending on location or targeted race, age, and income groups. As a result many events often have a policy to even out sex ratios before the event starts.
Meet/meat market
Singles events, including those organized by religious organizations, have been criticized for frequently being meet/meat markets—places where attendees are rapidly sizing up members of the opposite sex with objectifying criteria, such as attractiveness, wealth, and fashion sense, before taking the time to get to know attendees on a deeper level.By the 1970s, singles events had developed a reputation as a "ritual of lies and mistrust", replete with men in search of casual sex, cold and unfriendly women, and frequent misunderstandings.
The nature of meet markets has changed dramatically since the 1980s, becoming more inviting, and the term itself has largely become value neutral or positive.
Naming & 'Young Professionals' Events
The stigma that developed in the 1970s around singles events led some organizations to switch to the euphemism "young professionalYoung professional
The term young professional generally refers to a young person not in school who is employed in a profession or white-collar occupation. The meaning may be ambiguous and has evolved from its original narrow meaning of a young person in a professional field...
s events".. (However other organizations specifically for young professionals insist that they are not "singles groups".)