Written by Leah Sinclair
Reverse catfishing is when somebody chooses to present themselves as ‘worse’ online and ditches ‘perfection’ in favour for a more authentic approach to dating apps.
If you’re on a dating app, catfishing is one thing we’ve all been wary about at one point or another.
Whether it’s paying attention to catfishing red flags on dating apps or gently letting someone down after discovering they’re not who they appear to be, catfishing is one of those things that hangs like a dark cloud hovering above our dating app experiences as we hope to never experience it (or experience it again).
But now we’re seeing the emergence of a different type of catfishing, with people not using fake or heavily edited photos to look “better”, but instead choosing images that showcase their personality or what they think is less “desirable” – and it’s called reverse catfishing.
What is reverse catfishing?
“As a society, we’ve become accustomed to ‘perfect’ pictures – when scrolling down our Instagram feeds it’s likely that we’ll come across women dressed in figure-hugging clothing with beautiful faces of makeup or males flexing their bodies,” says Dr Caroline West, Bumble’s sex and relationship expert.
“As of late there’s been a lot of rejection towards this perfection; we now see photo dumps capturing normal moments of life instead. This new mentality has permeated its way through to dating apps causing the trend of ‘reverse catfishing’; the act of using ‘imperfect’ imagery to attract potential matches to your personality as opposed to how you look.”
Choosing photos that reflect your authentic self as opposed to carefully posed photos is a way to encourage authentic connection on platforms which primarily prioritise appearance.
“Unfortunately, the majority of online dating apps are based purely on appearance – and it can be difficult to display your personality while trying to get the best lighting and angles,” says Vanessa Cochrane, a relationship therapist from Brandrated.
“Dating apps have been around for a long time now, and a lot of serial online-daters might be bored with going through the same thing over and over again, so reverse catfishing with ‘uglier’ photos shows some authenticity and personality, rather than just perfectly lit and filtered photos.”
What are the signs that someone is reverse catfishing?
“Someone who is reverse catfishing is likely to have a profile which is filled with candid photos from their everyday life – whether it be them baking, partaking in sport, being on uncle or aunt duties, walking their dog,” says West.
“They’re also likely to focus more on showcasing natural moments of themselves rather than staged selfies.”
Is reverse catfishing a good thing?
According to Bumble, more than half (51%) of single people say that photos that reveal a skill for an interesting sport or activity would prompt them to strike up a conversation – whereas some of the least popular things to feature in profile photos are gym selfies (60%) and pouty expressions (57%).
“This showed us that people are beginning to overlook the idea of perfection on dating profiles, instead wanting to form bonds based on less superficial factors,” says West. “Authentic connections are born from similar morals, ideals, and interests, and showcasing these on your profile will help you find someone who aligns with your lifestyle.”
With there being so much politics around how to present yourself on dating apps, there may be something refreshing about reverse catfishing and the desire to post the pictures that show you in your most authentic, relaxed, comical moments.
“If you’re using photos that are actually of you, and you’re not manipulating your appearance with filters,” says Cochrane. “It’s not dishonest – you’re simply showing the real you.”
What’s the best way to portray the authentic you on dating apps?
“I would recommend that daters focus on building a profile which reflects their whole personality,” advises West. “Uploading recent photos and vocal prompts all help in forming a full picture of someone’s character.”
Image: Getty
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