INTERNET DATING AND RESPECTABLE WOMEN: GENDER EXPECTATIONS IN AN UNTRADITIONAL PARTNERSHIP AND MARRIAGE MARKET - THE CASE OF SLOVENIA/Online upoznavanje i ugled zene: Rodna ocekivanja na netradicionalnom trzistu partnerstva i braka - slucaj Slovenije

Some theoreticians support notions of the Internet as a media that makes the social differences of those who use it irrelevant or at least less important. The Internet is also often regarded as a medium that improves the free expression of thoughts and wishes of marginalised groups that cannot express themselves in face-to-face relationships due to several normative obstacles. The article deals with the question of gendered normativity related to expressions of femininity in the case of building of intimate romantic partnership within Internet dating. It is based on data gathered by qualitative research. 66 in-depth semi-structured interviews with 34 men and 32 women with Internet dating experiences were conducted in Slovenia in order to get insight into several sociological aspects of internet dating, among which question of gendered expectations related to partnership and family building will be discussed in article. Results show traditional expectations of gender roles are more pervasive as could be expected. Traditional normative understandings of gender were identified especially in the field of expectations related to women and womanhood and were revealed in men's hierarchical positioning of women regarding their status, in women's endeavours to present themselves as respectable and in men's disapproval of women's sexualities.