While the singles life is always full of challenges, it can be particularly challenging for homosexuals looking for love. First, there is the simple reality that people do not usually wear signs announcing their sexual orientation. If you are a woman seeking a woman, how would any other woman know that you are in the market for a girlfriend? Within the realm of social activities, unless someone point blank asks, unattached homosexuals usually do not stand out. (Of course, that is different if it's specifically a gay event.) You could have a huge crush on a cutie at work or at school, and half the battle of asking her out could be that you don't know if she even dates women, nor would she know about you.

Second, it can be very frustrating for homosexuals who want a meaningful, committed relationship when it seems that everyone else is just out for a one-night stand. Sure, the physical matters, too, but you want something more. Good luck encountering that soul mate in a bar or at the Exotic Erotic Ball! It can be like the proverbial needle in the haystack. Many lesbians who go to clubs, go there together. If they show up single, how would anyone know they are lesbians?

You can take some of the guesswork out of finding a mate by going online. There are many, many people out there who may want to meet you and may have a lot to offer. Instead of ordering overpriced drinks while pinched into a too-tight corset, they're sitting at their computers, wondering if someone is out there for them. Services are available that allow you to order up a date that meets your specifications.

There are services that cater to almost any desire. Lesbian dating services range from free to paid, from general to specific, from friendship to romance and beyond. The services that require payment will usually offer a free trial period, to make sure the format fits your needs. Most services do enable the general public to surf the ads, but require people to register as members in order to contact people through their ads. How do you decide which service is right for you?

One way to narrow it down, is by your budget. Free on line dating services tend to be like ads in the newspaper: you pick out the ones you want to answer, and answer them based on what you see and read in the ad. All the "work" is on you, but that might be just fine.

Paid services sometimes offer more "match-up" services that do some of the work of finding a date, for you. Some ask you to fill out questionnaires describing yourself, and match your characteristics with other participants who have also answered the questionnaire. That way, you already have a sort of compatibility index to begin with. You might also get notified of when a new member enrolls who has characteristics that you are looking for. These paid sites may also enable members to add their voice to their profile, enter live chat rooms, use instant messaging or video, and control who has permission to look at their profile.

With all these dating options available, cruising the bars to meet someone can seem downright medieval. Why not find someone through an online dating service, and hit the town together?

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Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments. More of her research and articles can be found at www.lasertargeted.com/datingservices and other sites around the internet.

Online Dating - Gay Dating and Lesbian Dating Will Never be the Same