Men, women date differently.

Quek Zhi Wei, Kathleen
Men don't mind dating up, women mind dating down
By Ang Yiying
MEN are more open to dating women who earn more than them, have a higher education level and who are taller than them. But women are far less willing to bridge such gaps.

Almost 8 in 10 men in Singapore would date a women who earns more (77 per cent) and who is more highly qualified than them (78 per cent), while almost 4 in 10 men here (38 per cent) would date a taller woman.

Yet fewer than 3 in 10 women here would date a men who earns less (26 per cent) or has lower educational qualifications than them (27 per cent) and fewer than 1 in 5 here (16 per cent) would date a shorter man.

This discrepancy came up in a recent survey of 1,191 singles aged 26 to 40, of which 632 are from Singapore; the rest includes respondents from Hong Kong and Malaysia and other nationalities. The survey of dating attitudes and preferences was conducted by dating agency Lunch Actually with the Matchmaking Institute (South East Asia) in April and May.

The results were presented Thursday at the launch of a new dating service, and come just days after the National Population Secretariat's release of statistics which showed a growing pool of singles.

Commenting on the survey results, the event's guest of honour Ms Claire Chiang, co-chairperson of The Partner Connection Fund Evaluation Panel - which provides seed funding to companies providing dating services - said there was a need to change people's mindsets about using education as the defining criteria in finding a partner.

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Since the past, men have always been the sole earner of the family. Always outside, working to sustain his family. Women, have always been at home, taking care of the family.

The world has changed so much that the roles of both the men and the women have been switched.

In the current society, women have become much more independent and strong-minded. These women also know what they want.

They do not rely much on men anymore. As women nowadays have the education as well as careers that allow them to have the earning power.

From the men's point of view, having a wife, who is way smarter than me, I would feel inferior. As I feel that I am lousier compared to her, in every way. In terms of taking care of the family, and career. I would feel that I have no rights to be with her, and that she deserves a better man.