Dating Up, Or “Throning”, Trend Puts Status Over Romance

Gen Z has coined a new term, “throning,” to describe a dating trend focused on gaining social status by dating high-profile or influential individuals. Unlike traditional relationships built on connection or mutual interests, Throning involves dating someone primarily for the social boost they bring – essentially placing the partner on a “throne” of social influence, like the classic “gold digging” approach but for social standing instead of money.

While dating for clout isn’t new, the focus on social status over emotional intimacy marks a shift toward social branding in relationships, where social currency can be just as desirable as financial wealth. According to the Swaddle, Throning raises concerns when relationships become purely transactional, driven by social ambition rather than genuine attraction or shared values.

Throning has been around since 2019, although it was much less prevalent at first. In a study by Plenty of Fish back in 2019, it was found that 9% of surveyed singles had done this themselves, with almost 30% believing that their previous partners had used them as a social stepping stone.

This trend might mean that there is an increasingly large population of users that want to know more about their matches’ social standings and finances, something that’s already become popular for more conventional reasons as wealth and social cloud become increasingly more important. While authenticity is a massive part of modern dating, not every user will agree, and platforms that enable Throning could see a user boost specifically because of these features – at the risk of driving off users who want an authentic loving relationship.