00:00Are you hobosexual, also known as someone who dates for shelter?
00:04Move over homosexuality, as it turns out, the reality of many urban households is hobosexuality.
00:10Hobosexuality is the Gen Z term for a person entering into a romantic relationship,
00:15mostly just for housing or financial support.
00:18Basically, not to pay rent.
00:20In 2025, younger people are finding it increasingly difficult to buy real estate
00:24and skyrocketing rents follow suit.
00:26But what if there was a third option?
00:28Apparently, there is a cheeky label that has more to do with shelter and less with love.
00:33Yes, in 2025, there are people leaning in on relationships for finances and emotions
00:38and not to provide anything in return.
00:41We are increasingly seeing individuals, particularly women, getting involved with partners
00:46who bring little to the table emotionally, financially or logistically
00:51but take up a disproportionate space in their lives.
00:55The relationship appears romantic on the surface, but there is often a hidden power imbalance
01:02where one partner is clearly benefiting more than the other.
01:07While disguising an emotional connection might feel like a plot from a rom-com,
01:11it is a psychological reality for many youngsters in urban Indian cities.
01:15While the term surfaced in Western culture, it is gaining ground in metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore,
01:20where housing is expensive and dating, well, transactional.
01:24A Deloitte report states that more than 50% of Millennial and Gen Z employees are living paycheck to paycheck in 2025.
01:30Housing costs in metro cities often swallow over 40% of a single person's income.
01:35And more in most cases.
01:37In such a case, are you footing the rent or paying for the illusion of companionship?
01:41And is a relationship based on convenience really a concept of the 21st century at all?
01:46Or has it always existed?
01:48Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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