Women Gok Wan-t a Gay Friend

Survey reveals the new must-have for Young, Attractive, Liberal, Educated, High-earning socialites

A new survey carried out by Smooch.com reveals that nearly 2 out of 5 people think it is important to have a Gay friend.

With the end of the 'Noughties' rapidly approaching, the rise of the gay figures on our screens in the past decade has undoubtedly had an effect on society. It would appear that the success of programmes such as How to Look Good Naked and Will and Grace has prompted a rise in 'Gayjacents'.

The results show that it was most important to the younger age categories to have a gay friend. 18-24 year olds are twice as likely to rate gay friendships 'Very Important' than those aged 41-50. Similarly those aged 25-30 are almost twice as likely to want a gay friend than those aged 36-40. This is arguably a consequence of the increasing diversity in society compared to 15 or 20 years ago. With demand for a gay friend at an all time high it is little wonder the phrase “I'm free” is rarely uttered on the streets of any gay metropolis.

With the media saturated with famous 'Gayjacents' such as Madonna, Kylie and Katie Price it is no surprise that having a gay friend was 5 time more important to women than it was to men. For anyone who finds this a somewhat alien concept I'd suggest you lend an ear to the lyrical treat that is Lily Allen's Fag Hag.

How can you spot a true Gayjacent? Well, in the morning you are most likely to spot one exploring Kensington, Brompton Road, Chelsea or Notting Hill; in fact almost anywhere in West London. By mid-day they populate the increasing number of coffee chains across London. After refreshment and an in depth discussion of the latest celebrity gossip, they move towards London's south bank towards the Gayjacent Mecca that is the Tate Modern. As night falls, what better way to end the day than with a glass of wine and the occasional cigarette somewhere in Soho.

The survey revealed that people with a high-range salary were most likely to describe gay friendships as 'Very Important' or 'Important', as were occasional smokers and those who enjoy the occasional tipple. This may be a consequence of the tireless gay social scene, or even the assimilation between gay culture and creative trend-setters.

Members of the gay dating website ManCentral.com were asked the same question in reverse 'How important is it to have straight friends?' The majority of users (39%) said that is was 'Very Important', this was closely followed by 31% of users who believed it was 'Important'. It appears that straight friends are highly important to gay and bisexual men, arguably as a means of acceptance and integration within today’s society

The survey from Smooch.com also found that:

• People who described themselves as 'Very Attractive' were most likely to place great importance on gay friendships. Arguably they are more image and fashion conscious and require their own personal Gok Wan on hand.

• 27% of bisexual users compared to 5% of heterosexual users said having gay friends was very important.

• Gay friends are mostly desired in Central London, and least desired in Glasgow and Nottingham.

• Students and Graduates were most likely to rate having gay friends as 'Very Important'

So it seems that behind every great woman is a gay.

Research:

Smooch.com polled 1,510 members and ManCentral.com polled 1,213 members over a 24 hour period. Detailed statistics & breakdowns available on request.

Who Will Be Filling Your Partner's Stockings This Christmas?

As the work Christmas party looms should you worry about your partner's fidelity

A series of studies carried out by the free dating website Smooch.com and gay chat website Mancentral.com highlights that when it comes to trusting cheats, some gender divisions will never change.

With the festive season rapidly approaching, our minds are flooded with endless questions and dilemmas, “What shall I buy Mum this year?”, “Will I get socks again?”, “Ball-balls or Tinsel” and so on. But whilst you browse the department stores in search of the perfect gift, humming along to the Mariah Carey classic All I Want For Christmas Is You, consider whether your partner is singing from the same hymn sheet.

Members of the free dating website Smooch.com were asked: Once a cheat, always a cheat? A staggering 64% of women surveyed 'definitely' agreed with the statement compared with only 45% of men.

Interestingly, the results showed that men were more likely to forgive and forget with 36% of men believing that people make mistakes, whilst less than a quarter of women were inclined to accept the notion of human error.

However ladies, before you return your partner to the manufacturer for repair, it appears that this attitude is fitted as standard on the male species regardless of age or sexuality. Results from the gay dating and chat website ManCentral.com paralleled that of Smooch as 40% of gay men 'definitely' believed once a cheat, always a cheat.

But what can you really take away from this research? Well, for the ladies, if you do fall foul of the Babycham this Christmas over a third of men will forgive you. As for the men...nearly two thirds of women won't just be roasting chestnuts by an open fire this holiday season.

Additional breakdowns revealed:

• People with a PhD (67%) are almost twice as likely to respond 'Definitely' than those with a Masters Degree (34%).

• Unsurprisingly, divorcees (59%) are less forgiving than those who are married (29%).

• People in a relationship (19%) are nearly 4 times as likely to choose 'It's only cheating if you get caught' than Single respondents (5%).

• The starsign Cancer is least forgiving with 64% choosing 'Definitely' whilst the most forgiving starsign is Gemini with 34% choosing 'People make mistakes'.

Research:

Smooch.com polled 2,040 members and ManCentral.com polled 1,998 members over a 24 hour period. Detailed statistics & breakdowns available on request.