Welcome back to the place where I, Maria Serra — sex student extraordinaire — talk about all the dating and sex topics you want to hear about and all the subjects that would make my cute, conservative parents blush.

Now, I am sure you are wondering what the hell dating and sex have to do with Election Day. Believe it or not, your political alignment has a huge impact on how and when you have sex. 

Personally, Donald Trump kills my lady boner and I am certainly not alone. According to some recent statistics from the Pew Research Center, it seems that “among Democrats and those who lean toward the Democratic Party who are single but looking for a relationship, about seven-in-ten [71%] say they probably or definitely would not consider being in a committed relationship with someone who voted for Donald Trump. In fact, 45% say they definitely would not consider seriously dating a Trump voter.”

So, when we boil it down, Trump isn’t only a racist and dishonest president, he’s kind of a huge c*ck block for his own young supporters. In fact, many millennial republicans frequently complain that no one will date them. 

These millennial polls have become more disparate since the 2016 election. It does not take a political scientist to analyze that the overt polarization and partisanship has made dating across party lines even more challenging. Democrats often associate these conservative Trump supporters with anti-abortion beliefs and xenophobia, while Republicans associate liberals with socialism and ANTIFA. (One of these sides definitely sounds significantly cooler to go on a date with!)

These snap judgments inhibit dating, but overall, the values associated with red and blue ideals are in stark contrast. Pro-choice individuals and anti-abortion individuals disagree on an issue where there is little understanding for the other side. Additionally, many of the young women who are impacted by Republican agendas to limit or defund women’s health clinics, who may or may not provide abortions, is not up for compromise.

Both Republicans and Democrats are very enthusiastic about social issues when it comes to this election, obviously. Liberals more frequently support Black Lives Matter, mask mandates, Planned Parenthood, LGBTQ+ and gender equality in the workplace, etc. Hardline Trump supporters, well, often argue against all of these points in one way or another.

Research from Daniel Cox specifically measures how American’s view dating when it comes to specific political issues. He discovered:

• 15% of Americans say it would be impossible for them to date someone who did not share their views on climate change.

• 43% of Americans say it would be difficult to date someone who held an opposing view on gun rights.

• Nearly one in four [24%] Americans say they could never date someone who does not share their views on abortion.

• Twelve percent of the public — including 11% of white Americans and 17% of Black Americans — say it would be impossible to date someone with views on affirmative action at odds with their own.

One thing Cox noted is that this administration is unlike any we have experienced before, which explains all the left swipes on people with “MAGA” in their Tinder bio. Also, he explains how religion is often weighed more heavily in a potential relationship than politics.

The interesting thing is, however, Trump and his administration have intermingled religion closely with their agenda. Therefore, this makes political issues hard to ignore in your love lives.

Trump is not a standard Republican. His rhetoric has shown hatred and vitriol in his people. While America has always been full of racism and bigotry, he has empowered a huge base to fear and loathe “the other.” This “opposite” can take any form that Trump does not see as adequate at the time he immediately notices it. If someone you date supports and believes wild conspiracy theories and disavows scientific research, swiping away on Tinder might be the right move. Who knows, we may see a greater rate of dates across party lines when our government is not defined by a red ballcap. 

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Hi, I’m Maria McGinnis, a senior journalism student from Stow, Ohio. I’m also the editor in chief of A Magazine. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty, and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.