Too often, we live in personal echo chambers, surrounded by people—online and off—who reflect our own opinions. Like many, Vera Papisova writes, she “only ever dated men who aligned with my points of view and seemed to genuinely champion my work.” Could she ever be attracted to someone with different political beliefs? Could she learn from people who saw the world differently? In a brave act of curiosity, Papisova decided to find out, going on 26 dates with men she met on a conservative dating app. No, her core beliefs don’t change, but through the experience, she earns the right to hold them.
On the app I’d ultimately go with, I presented myself truthfully, as a Republican-curious woman tired of the Democrats’ hopelessness and constant pivoting during a highly charged election year. I come from a liberal background, I explained in my initial chats with matches, but was open to new perspectives. I used ‘Veronica’ as my app name, listed my actual age (34), uploaded a few real photos, then worked through the provided prompts. I answered ones asking what I love about America but skipped fill-in-the-blanks about my thoughts on January 6.
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