Dating expert explains why you should try the ‘Barbenheimer’ dating trend
I'm sure we've all heard of the term 'Barbenheimer' by now, but did you know it's actually inspiring a dating trend?
On the off chance you've somehow managed to avoid all the chatter surrounding summer movies, allow me to assure you that 'Barbenheimer' isn't some gruelling kind of test or new matchmaking system.
Instead, it's just a mash-up of two of the most highly-anticipated films we've had in a long time: Greta Gerwig's Barbie, and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.
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Both films are set to be released on the same day, sparking a lot of jokes online about just how different they are. Oppenheimer is set to be dark and intense, while Barbie is all bright pink, happy, fun; a movie to be enjoyed after a few cocktails and designed to have us fall in love with Ryan Gosling's Ken-ergy.
Don't pretend you're not excited.
Despite the fact the two films are so different, a lot of movie fans are planning on embracing both in one epic cinema day, and it's this attitude that Emma Hathorn, a dating expert from Seeking, thinks people should embrace as they look for love.
The 'Barbenheimer' dating trend is all about opting for partners who are your opposite; much like Oppenheimer is to Barbie.
Hathorn told Indy 100: “Whilst dating outside your usual type can be new or intimidating to some, it can connect you to someone who pushes you to become the best possible version of yourself."
Dating someone who's very different to yourself will allow to develop new concepts and views - but Hathorn stresses the benefits also extend to the bedroom.
"On a physical level, the spark is unlikely to fizzle - it’s a dynamic coupling that fosters a continuous honeymoon period due to the allure of exploring unknown territories," she said.
Of course, dating your opposite might mean that you butt heads sometimes, but Hathorn thinks it's worth it.
"Whilst the thrill of entering each other’s worlds can reap many benefits, contrary views and beliefs are likely to arise at some point leading to some potential confrontation," she said.
"These are not easy to parse in a relationship, but they are the greatest route to evolving your own maturity, and how you view others who are different from yourself.”
Explaining how the dating trend has been inspired by the upcoming releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer, Hathorn said: "The films offer hugely different experiences, contrasting a tense biopic thriller against a nostalgic pink dreamworld.
"People are thrilled to dig into an experience which evokes a range of different emotions and gives you a taste of multiple worlds - and this is the excitement people are pining for in their dating lives today."
Barbie and Oppenheimer are both set for release on 21 July.
Topics: TV and Film, Sex and Relationships
Emily Brown