{"id":15402,"date":"2025-02-21T16:46:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T15:46:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=15402"},"modified":"2025-02-21T16:46:57","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T15:46:57","slug":"old-macdonald-had-a-dating-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/15402\/old-macdonald-had-a-dating-app\/","title":{"rendered":"Old MacDonald Had a Dating App"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meeting people in the countryside has its challenges. A new platform is helping farmers and rural residents find a special connection. But is it welcoming to everyone, or just to a familiar crowd?
\n<\/em><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Agrimatching is a dating app created to help people in agricultural communities find love and friendship. Gijs Staats, the 24-year-old co-founder of Agrimatching, sheds light on the app\u2019s vision and its efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity.<\/p>\n

When you think of the countryside, you might picture a quiet \u201ctraditional\u201d life, but for Gijs, rural life isn\u2019t as set in stone as it might seem. \u201cThe countryside isn\u2019t as conservative as people think,\u201d he says, \u201cit\u2019s progressing with trends and developments, just like any other place, maybe just at a slightly slower pace.\u201d Agrimatching aims to offer a space for people who share a passion for agriculture, regardless of their background or identity.<\/p>\n

Dating in the countryside differs from city life. \u201cIn urban areas, the population is much higher, so it\u2019s easier to meet new people,\u201d Gijs explains. In rural areas, where distances are greater and social circles smaller, apps like Agrimatching can help bridge the gap for both rural and urban residents to expand. Another key difference is diversity. While cities offer a more multicultural dating pool, Agrimatching attracts mostly Dutch farmers (for now). Gijs believes this isn\u2019t a barrier for people from other backgrounds but acknowledges the app\u2019s user base has room to grow.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Currently, only 1% of Agrimatching\u2019s users identify as queer. Gijs believes this low number is influenced by the stigma surrounding the countryside. \u201cThe countryside might not seem attractive to queer people because of the perception that it\u2019s less welcoming.\u201d In cities, there is more diversity and visibility for the LGBTQI+ community. As a result, many queer people may feel more at home in urban areas. To encourage inclusivity, Agrimatching allows users to specify their gender identity and sexual orientation when creating a profile. The team has also shared a video of a queer farmer encouraging more LGBTQI+ people to sign up, hoping to make the app and rural life feel more inviting.<\/p>\n

Dating apps typically have more male users t<\/a>han female<\/a>, and Agrimatching is no exception. However, with 28% female users compared to the usual 25%<\/a>, the app attracts more women than mainstream platforms. Gijs thinks this is due to Agrimatching\u2019s focus on shared interests over superficial swiping. \u201cMost people here tend to look for something meaningful, not just casual hookups,\u201d Gijs explains, creating a niche environment where those with a similar lifestyle can more easily find compatible partners. Nonetheless, users are still free to decide how they want to use the app.<\/p>\n

Additionally, there\u2019s a shift in gender expectations. According to Gijs, men and women are equally searching for a special connection on the app. He believes men are no longer intimidated by successful women (in agriculture), adding, \u201cNowadays, it\u2019s normal for women to run their own business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While Agrimatching has taken steps towards inclusivity, challenges remain. LGBTQI+ representation is still low, and ethnic diversity is limited. However, the app is open to feedback and change. Future plans include expanding to Germany and introducing a customizable search radius to connect people on the app more effectively. \u201cWe want Agrimatching to be a place where everyone feels at home.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How a dating app for farmers navigates rural stereotypes and inclusivity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3749,"featured_media":15728,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-acls","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOld MacDonald Had a Dating App - International Journalism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Old MacDonald Had a Dating App - International Journalism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How a dating app for farmers navigates rural stereotypes and inclusivity.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/15402\/old-macdonald-had-a-dating-app\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"International Journalism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-21T15:46:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2025\/02\/6de3d1da-d2f3-4bc7-b888-d68818289f76-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2506\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Merel de Vries\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Merel de Vries\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/15402\/old-macdonald-had-a-dating-app\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/15402\/old-macdonald-had-a-dating-app\/\",\"name\":\"Old MacDonald Had a Dating App - 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