The Washington area is responsible for a surge in the number of messages and hookups exchanged by users of Zoosk, a dating website that claims 40 million members, said in a press release as Congress appeared to be reaching a settlement to the shutdown.
During the shutdown’s second week, the site’s DC users showed a 45.6 percent increase in the number of profiles viewed, and a 48 percent rise in the number of instant messages sent.
And the trolling for dates only accelerated as the shutdown dragged on. During the first week, the number of Washington-area users who expressed a desire to meet others rose by 91.6 percent. That figure rose to 110 percent in the second week.
Of course, one doesn’t need to go through a professional dating site to find some shutdown loving. As we noted a couple weeks ago, Craigslist is teeming with offers to make a good time out of unpaid leave.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Dating Website Credits Shutdown for Major Hookup Surge
Hey, a lot of federal employees have had two and a half weeks of free time on their hands.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
Meet the 2023 Washingtonians of the Year
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Introducing 8 of DC’s Most Stylish
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2024: Great Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
13 Major Concerts and Music Festivals in the DC Area This Spring
Mary Timony on Her Emotional New Album, “Untame the Tiger”
The Beatles in DC: A New Exhibit in Maryland Looks Back on Early Beatlemania
Northern Virginia High School Wins Metallica’s Marching Band Competition
More from News & Politics
Former Fiola GM Convicted of Murder Is Now in a Netflix Docuseries
These 5 DC Traffic Cams Are Issuing the Most Tickets Right Now
Farewell to Crystal City Underground, the DC Area’s Strangest Mall
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024
Inside the Urgent Effort to Preserve Black Newspapers
Maryland Has Renamed an Invasive Fish. Will It Matter?
Meet the 2024 Washington Women in Journalism Award Winners
In the Doghouse: Kristi Noem and 5 Other Canine Political Scandals