Sarah Rice, an associate marriage and family therapist, encounters “a ton of available, ready, willing, open people, who are looking for relationships” — although they may be seeking them in the wrong places. She recommends ditching the dating apps in favor of in-person and virtual gatherings; the social media platform Meetup is one avenue to find these events, she said.

“Dating can be difficult if you’re not going to the places or participating in activities with people that are people you want to date,” said Rice, 37, who hosts the mental health podcast, This Changes Everything.

She also advises being up front from the very beginning about expectations. “There’s this expectation that everybody just wants to hook up,” she said. “But if you are looking for more than that, you can say you’re looking for more than that.”

Above all else, she encourages singles to “believe that you are deserving of love. That energy of loving yourself so much and then wanting to share that with somebody else will attract people who are like that.”

Is it easier for LGBT+ men?

For the record, it’s not an easy feat to lock down a boyfriend as a gay man either.

Before moving to Denver from Houston in June, Jon Bumann, 29, learned about its Menver stereotype. After going on a few dates, he doesn’t think it holds true anymore. Bumann has instead met Denverites who don’t want to settle down quite yet.

What feeds into this laissez-faire mindset? The city’s “transitory spirit” and the paradox of choice, he said. “You’ve kind of got too many options,” Bumann added. That’s the opposite of his experience in Texas where he found others quick to commit to serious relationships.

Looking forward, he’s certain he’ll find his ideal man: an active, fun explorer who wants “to build a life together.”

Eugene D. Howard, 55, is also facing trouble navigating the dating scene as a gay man in search of his “equal.”

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