Check out G&STC’s Director Jesse Kahn and clinician Lee Hatcher talking with Sophie Saint Thomas and Kayla Kibbe at Cosmopolitan about using emojis to flirt.
Be authentic
“‘Authenticity is hot, and it’s also crucial for starting to build a connection,’ Kahn says. While many of us may feel that our texting personality is a little different than we are irl, you still wanna sound like yourself. If a text feels inauthentic, don’t send it. And that goes for emojis too! If the idea of sending a winky emoji makes you cringe to your core, don’t use one! As noted, there are literally so many other flirty emojis out there that may be more your style.”
Understand your audience
“‘Generally, you do want to cater to your audience with what emojis you choose to use. This means being aware of emojis that represent body parts and how you/your partner may or may not identify with them,’ says Lee Hatcher, a therapist at the Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center in New York.”
Coming on too strong
“‘What you don’t want is to come on too strong with them,’ Lee says. ‘Less means more and leaves more room for the imagination.’”
Unexpected emoji
“My favorite unknown flirty emoji is the shower emoji,’ Lee says. ‘It’s the perfect way to indicate that things are getting spicy enough that you need to cool off or that things have reached dirtier territory.’ The shower emoji is the perfect, low-key way to respond to a super hot message.”
Read the full article here.
More from G&STC Director Jesse Kahn on this topic:
What advice do you have about flirting with someone brand new?
When flirting with someone new, focus on being confident and genuine. Focus and compliment them on something unique about themselves, which shows your interest in getting to know them. It’s important to also be mindful of respecting someone’s boundaries, mindful of their comfort level, and of any mutual interest, ensuring a positive and affirming experience for everyone!
Be yourself and let your personality shine. Authenticity is hot, and it’s also crucial for starting to build a connection. Remember, flirting is meant to be playful and light-hearted, so don’t be afraid to use humor!
What are your tips for text flirting, in particular, using emojis? What are some dos and don’ts?
When text flirting, you can use emojis to add playfulness and meaning to your messages, making your intent both clear and lighthearted. Emojis have generational meanings, so be mindful of who you’re flirting with, but emojis such as 😘, 😍, and 😏 can communicate a flirty tone.I recommend avoiding overusing emojis or sending suggestive ones too early in your flirting while you get to know someone, as it’s important to be aware of the other person’s comfort, interest, and responses.
More from G&STC Clinician Lee Hatcher on this topic
What about flirting with a long-term partner to get the passion back into the relationship?
Flirt in public and around other people. When you get comfortable with someone, it’s easy for things to change and take on a more serious tone. But that doesn’t have to be your every day with them; bringing back the passion can be as simple as doing some of the things you did to start with, like going on a date and flirting with each other. Specifically, sharing your flirtations with other people around can emulate earlier feelings of passion and disrupt the pattern.
What are your tips for text flirting, in particular, using emojis? What are some dos and don’ts?
Generally, you DO want to cater to yourself and your audience with what emojis you choose to use. This means being aware of emojis that represent body parts and how you/your partner may or may not identify with them. What you DON’T want is to come on too strong with them. Less means more and leaves more room for the imagination!
What are your favorite emojis to flirt with?
My favorite unknown flirty emoji is the shower emoji. It’s the perfect way to indicate that things are getting spicy enough that you need to cool off or that things have reached dirtier territory. It’s to be used with caution, though, because once you’ve made it into the shower emoji realm, you’ve become more than just proficient in using emojis to flirt.