Online dating sites have always tried to offer unique and interesting ways to match up potential mates. From personality traits and characteristics to hobbies and activities, there’s no shortage of supposedly “guaranteed” approaches to helping you find your life partner.

Now there’s something new in the world of online dating that might seem really strange – genetic profiling. Yes, genetic profiling. Sounds like something out of CSI, right?

The really interesting thing is that there is some scientific evidence to support the idea that your genes have some role to play in how compatible you are with another person. It seems there is a particular group of human genes called human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) that relate to your body’s immune functions, but they also seem to produce certain attraction-related responses in some cases.

This response was tested by – get ready for this – by conducting an experiment where women sniffed the sweaty t-shirts of men. Researchers found that women tended to prefer the scent of t-shirts from men whose HLAs were very different from their own. Additional research has been done over the last couple of years that seems to confirm there is at least some correlation between couples with different HLAs and their long term relationship satisfaction.

One company, called GenePartner, has started to offer testing to decipher your HLAs in the hope that someday the results from these kinds of tests will be incorporated into mainstream online dating websites. I wouldn’t recommend running out and spending your hard earned money on such a test right away, but it’s worth tucking away in the back of your mind as something to keep an eye on in the months and years to come!

News & Views Genetics, Hobbies, Personality, Profiling, Women

Don’t think it’s fair that most dating websites focus only on men when they’re talking about who to avoid online? Neither do we. So here are 3 types of women you want to avoid on dating sites – date them at your own risk.

The “I’m Looking for a Friend” Woman

First of all, no self-respecting woman wants to go onto a dating website for friendship. She wants to get married – that’s it. But there’s another possible explanation. If she’s specific about finding a ‘friend’ it can also mean she just wants to hook up with someone. Know what I mean?

The “I’m a Casual Type of Gal” Woman

The woman who posts pictures of herself hiking along the Grand Canyon? Take a closer look. She might profess to being an outdoorsy type of woman who’s ready for an adventure, but she’s still wearing makeup. Contradiction, anyone?

This woman is toting makeup in her hiking gear. And she’s not low maintenance. By any means.

The “I’m So Desperate You Can Smell It” Woman

This woman has listed in her profile all of the typical man things. She loves football, hanging out on the couch, and even gun shows. While there are women like this out there, if she doesn’t have anything girly on her profile, it means she just wants a man, like, NOW. RIGHT NOW.

Of course there are male types to avoid as well. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Personal Profiles Avoid, Desperate, Hook Up, Women

It’s a sad day when high schools begin to teach about dating violence in the classroom. But the reality is that many teens, especially girls, are going to have troubles with dating violence at one point in their lives.

To help combat this grim reality, those who are new to the dating scene need to keep these rules in mind for themselves as they head out with a new date:

• Always tell someone where you’re going – This way, people can find you if you’ve been gone for too long or they just want to check in on you. If your date changes your dating location at the last minute, refuse to go there until you let someone else know. Or, you can be subtle and just text message the change to a friend.
• Always have a time frame in mind and let others know – Let your friends and family know when you will be back, and then stick to the plan.
• Any sign of violence is a bad sign – Even if your date is just ‘playing rough,’ if it makes you uncomfortable, you need to leave your date, call home and get someone to pick you up.
• If you’ve already experienced violence, you need to tell someone – Even if you don’t think it’s a big deal, letting someone know will help you gain perspective on the situation. And they can help you get the help you need, even if you don’t want to.
• Never go anywhere that’s not public until you feel completely comfortable with someone – This is common sense. Get to know a person first before you head back to their house or to a dark alley.

Dating violence typically happens with someone you know well…or someone you thought you knew. No matter how long you’ve been going out or how much you love this person, any violence is too much violence. You need to get away from this person now, before it’s too late.

Diary Abuse, Love, Violence, Women