I’m always dubious of articles about “new trends” in dating because most of the time it turns out to be complete bullsh*t. Someone hears about 1 or 2 cases of something happening and next thing you know, it’s a “hot new trend.” That goes double for this “trend” because people tell white lies in relationships ALL THE TIME. That’s just people. You like someone, you want them to like you and so, you fudge a little bit.
As described, this goes a little beyond that, but is it real? Is it more than a handful of people? Who knows?
“Wokefishing”, put simply, is when people masquerade as holding progressive political views to ensnare potential partners. A wokefish may at first present themselves as a protest-attending, sex-positive, anti-racist, intersectional feminist who drinks ethically sourced oat milk and has read the back catalogue of Audre Lorde, twice. But in reality, they don’t give a shit. Or, as is often the case, they are actively the opposite in their personal lives. It’s sort of like catfishing, but specifically with political beliefs.
…Tom*, 23, is from Bristol, and has a lot to say about being wokefished. “I remember on my first date with this guy, we spoke about racism in the UK. Over the coming weeks we spoke a lot about diversifying the curriculum and issues surrounding the monarchy. It was all great! But then we passed the honeymoon phase and, oh boy, did this guy turn out to be something else,” he says.