Hinge and Poet Jasmine Mans Capture What Dating Feels Like in Uncertain Times

In Hinge's fourth annual LGBTQIA+ D.A.T.E. (Data, Advice, Trends, and Expertise) Report, Clarity Builds Chemistry, LGBTQIA+ daters shared how uncertainty is changing what they want from relationships. Instead of rushing to meet traditional dating deadlines, many are looking for maybe something more meaningful: reassurance, consistency, and someone who makes them feel safe enough to be themselves.

To explore those feelings, Hinge partnered with poet Jasmine Mans (she/her) to create an original poem inspired by this year's report.

The Poem

…in a world of uncertainty.

I was wondering 

if you’d like to put up a curtain with me. 

I know I could've asked you out to dinner 

or could've come up with a better offering. 

But if the world is unraveling

Would you like to close the windows with me? 

I don’t know if I’m being too forward 

but I'd like to invite you over for peace.

Maybe to hold hands in the doorway

however sweaty they may be. 

I’m just wondering 

if you have enough bravery 

to be mundane with me?

Maybe bake bread with me?

And if the news refuses

to be precise with our memory

We can use our chosen names, 

and just pretend to be free. 

If they decide to gamble with our humanity,

would you like to stand in the kitchen with me? 

In a world of uncertainty 

would you mind being certain of me? 

We can climb inside of our grief and find ourselves a seat 

you don’t have to be strong for me.

When they poke at our bodies, 

and calls us enemy, 

would you like to be scared with me?

…and then tomorrow we can wake up

and decide how brave we'll be. 

Before we are trapped 

and polluted by their big machinery

we could construction paper our wings 

and fly until the night feels more disarming.

If they mock our smiles 

and criticize our bodies,

tell them you built a home inside me.

…and there's a tee shirt folded on the bed, 

you could lay naked in. 

…and that we’ve been slow dancing 

on floors that were expected to break

at the foundation.

and all we ever wanted

…were bodies we weren’t imposters in, 

in front of lovers that knew us without consequence. 

So Love,

I'm not exactly sure of your capacity,

and I'm not exactly asking to sit 

in your most magical of memories,

…but if on Monday, around two pm., 

when the world is all too busy, 

and you just happen to be free,

would you mind being human with me?

Jasmine Mans / Writer 

Unpacking the Poem
"...in a world of uncertainty" explores what it feels like to look for connection when the world feels unstable and illustrates the desire of wanting someone to sit with you in the uncertainty. 

According to Hinge’s new insights, LGBTQIA+ Hinge daters are 31% more likely than heterosexual daters to say uncertainty increases their need for reassurance in dating. As the world feels more unpredictable, many daters are paying closer attention to the people who make them feel grounded, secure, and emotionally safe.

Throughout the poem, Jasmine finds romance in ordinary acts of care, such as putting up curtains, baking bread, and standing in the kitchen together. It's a feeling many LGBTQIA+ daters described in this year's report, where slowing down and allowing connection to unfold over time felt more meaningful than grand gestures. 

This echoes one of the report's central themes: what Hinge calls Private Displays of Consistency (PDC), or the small, repeated actions that turn interest into trust. 

Another line reflects one of the report's findings around affection and reassurance: "Maybe to hold hands in the doorway, however sweaty they may be." 71% of LGBTQIA+ Hinge daters say holding hands is one of their preferred forms of affection when getting to know someone.

As dater Jamie Windust (they/them) shared in the report: "A really gentle shoulder touch — just sitting closer together — felt like a really sensitive yet exciting moment. Like we were communicating our boundaries without having to speak. We were getting comfortable with each other at a pace that worked for both of us, rather than us just going 100 miles an hour."

Together, the report and Jasmine's poem reveal a shared truth: in a world that often feels unpredictable, chemistry is built through the clarity that says "I'm here for you."

The small acts of consistency that build trust are more meaningful than ever. 

Film Credits 
Producer, Narrator, Writer: Jasmine Mans 
Cinematographer: Sekiya Dorsett
Cast: Siaira Shawn & Joy Brunson 
Creative Consultants: Reese Scott & Anne Marcelle

About Hinge’s 2026 LGBTQIA+ D.A.T.E. Report
Hinge’s D.A.T.E. Reports are produced by Hinge Labs, an internal team of PhD researchers and behavioral scientists dedicated to generating evidence-based insights on modern dating. In January 2026, the team surveyed more than 31,000 global respondents, including LGBTQIA+ and heterosexual daters. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, Hinge Labs studies what leads to successful relationships — and applies those insights to build a more effective dating app.