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"We&amp;amp;#8217;ve come a long way since the sordid flings of MySpace and Live Journal. The Internet is no longer just a shady place to hook up--tens of millions of people are online each day looking for serious relationships, and some of those relationships even lead to marriage. Still, horror stories about casual encounters on Craigslist and individuals misrepresenting themselves on dating profiles make the stigma of online dating difficult to shake. Moreover, many people still view the predilection for online dating as a sign of social ineptitude. When Birthday Boy&amp;amp;#8217;s dad inquired as to how we met, and BB mentioned we met through a mutual a friend, a guy I had met online, his dad asked, &amp;amp;#8220;Why are you online dating? That&amp;amp;#8217;s for us old folks!&amp;amp;#8221; Still, sites like match.com have done a great job of revamping the image of online dating--while the stigma persists; the practice is more socially acceptable now than ever before. I know many people in long-term relationships who met online, and at least two that got married (though the bride hid the fact the she and the groom had met online until they were engaged)! I really enjoy Match.com commercials: &amp;amp;#8220;The world has changed. One in five relationships begin online.&amp;amp;#8221; I spend about nine hours a day, five days a week, in front of a computer screen researching photographs. The world has, indeed, changed, and it only makes sense that I would look for a man on the computer as well. I&amp;amp;#8217;ve never been ashamed of using the Internet to find dates. Women are very methodical and online dating gives you a sense of control over your romantic destiny. You can approach and screen men, and visa versa. My parents have always been supportive of online dating; they even bought me my first subscription when they were pushing me to date again! So what do you say to these online dating naysayers? My go to answers: I usually explain how meeting guys at a bar is really hard; they are just looking for a hookup or sex. Men on a dating site are more serious about pursuing a serious relationship. I&amp;amp;#8217;m not saying it&amp;amp;#8217;s impossible to find them on the street, coffee shop or bar if you&amp;amp;#8217;re lucky, but it&amp;amp;#8217;s tough! Just think of the Internet as another dating forum, and for those of us working 12-hour days, scouring the streets for available men is really a full time job. Sites like match.com expedite the process. What do you think about online dating? What do you say when people judge you or look down on finding love digitally? More on online dating: *Online Dating: Maybe This Isn&amp;#x27;t So Bad After All... *Are You Ashamed to Tell People You Met Your Boyfriend Online? *Is Chace Crawford on JDate?! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/blogs/single-ish/2010/10/the-online-dating-stigma-how-d>