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A Different Way To Date

What happens when dating apps surface real-life chemistry instead of profiles.

A hand holds a smartphone displaying the "WOULD" app with a notification congratulating the user on winning, set against a blue starry background—perfect for fans of online dating and exploring new dating apps.
Image courtesy of Would App

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of Seattle magazine.

The perils of contemporary dating—especially trying to find love, or lust, online—are widely known. Exhausting, disappointing, and in some cases dangerous, swiping on strangers has become the ubiquitous norm.

Amelia Bonow, founder of the Shout Your Abortion campaign, hopped on the apps during the pandemic and soon found herself underwhelmed by the selection. “I realized that, in part, I was just using the apps in the hopes I’d see someone I knew or knew peripherally, maybe someone who I hadn’t seen or thought about forever, or who was recently single,” she says.

Bonow started thinking of fresh ways to use the swiping system, developing Would, which she describes as “an extremely simple new app for shooting shots with people you know.” With Would, you import your contacts, and next to each one is a “Would” button that you can toggle to show interest. Nothing happens if the interest isn’t mutual, so there’s no risk of embarrassment or awkwardness if they don’t reciprocate. If there’s a match, it’s up to one of you to make the first move and see where things go. “I think of Would as more of an anti-dating app,” Bonow says. “As opposed to swiping your way through strangers, Would is all about surfacing real-life chemistry that already exists.”

Currently, Would is only available on the iPhone.

K9s For Warriors Helps a Whidbey Island Veteran Get Back Out Into the World

K9s For Warriors Helps a Whidbey Island Veteran Get Back Out Into the World

With his service dog Atlas beside him, Navy veteran Justin Hughes is finding his workdays—and everyday outings—easier to navigate.

When Justin Hughes gets frustrated while on his computer at work, a nose sometimes appears between the armrest and the back of his chair. It belongs to Atlas, his service dog, who has been resting on a bed behind him. Hughes runs simulators for the military, and irritation can build before he recognizes what’s happening….

Seattle Sauna Festival Returns to Ballard for Another Round

Seattle Sauna Festival Returns to Ballard for Another Round

Mobile saunas from around the Northwest will gather at the National Nordic Museum November 7-8.

In Seattle, November is usually something to face in a raincoat. At the National Nordic Museum, you can meet it in a bathing suit. The Seattle Sauna Festival returns to Ballard November 7-8 for its second year, bringing mobile saunas from around the Northwest onto the museum grounds. Visitors can try several, cool off in…

Seattle Is Changing the Conversation Around Death
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Seattle Is Changing the Conversation Around Death

Death is one of life’s few certainties, yet it remains remarkably difficult to talk about. Across Seattle, a growing network of practitioners, advocates, and entrepreneurs is trying to change that. From grief walks to death doulas, Seattle is building a new language around loss, and one woman wants to bring more of that conversation into…

AI is in the Building

AI is in the Building

How emerging technologies are reshaping the future of healthcare design.

AI is in the building. See how emerging technologies, smart building systems, and adaptive architecture are transforming healthcare design in Seattle.