A recent survey by dating app Bumble states that 60% of women on the app are looking for a man over 6ft tall, with just 15% open to dating men shorter than 5ft8. Tinder, meanwhile, is trialling a new feature that will allow users to filter by height. These developments reflect a growing phenomenon seen on dating apps, with height representing one of the most prominent physical preferences mentioned on app profiles. But where does this obsession with the 6ft threshold come from? Where does that leave short kings? And what does this tell us about the nature of romantic engagement in the digital sphere, our hyper-fixation on physical characteristics, and the difference between our stated preferences and true desires? In this episode, Matt is joined by Novara Media's Ash Sarkar to discuss how dating apps can warp our romantic ideals, and prevent us from finding the meaningful emotional and physical connections we seek.

Follow Ash on Instagram @ayocaesar

You can order Ash's new book "Minority Rule", which interrogates the role played by minority elites in stoking culture wars, here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/minority-rule-9781526648334/

And keep up with the podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard

Was dating always this hard? Why has making connections never felt so simple, yet keeping them has never been so complicated? How does technology warp our communication, standards and self-esteem? Why are we becoming more sensitive to rejection? In this episode, Matt is joined by Rachel Thompson, author of a book called The Love Fix, which dissects the current dating landscape and offers pointers for a healthier approach to dating.

Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelvthompson_

You can order Rachel's book "The Love Fix" here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457662/the-love-fix-by-thompson-rachel/9781529927955

And keep up with the podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard

What are the origins of the word "slut", why do we say it and how can we tackle slut-shaming? In this episode, Matt and Dan are joined by the author Beth Ashley, who has recently published a book called "Sluts", which investigates the history of slut-shaming, and provides us with the tools to fight it so we can have better conversations about sex.

Follow Beth on Instagram @bethashleywriter

You can order Beth's book "Sluts" here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/301813/beth-ashley

And keep up with our podcast on Twitter and Instagram - @thelovecupboard