**TL;DR: the sexual marketplace is more egalitarian for women** The sexual marketplace evolved to favour the maximum number of women reproducing, leaving many men on the sidelines. Only one in four or five of our earliest male ancestors were able to reproduce (and in some societies, far fewer). That trend seems to have reversed with the advent of more egalitarian societies, but [data from Tinder](https://medium.com/@worstonlinedater/tinder-experiments-ii-guys-unless-you-are-really-hot-you-are-probably-better-off-not-wasting-your-2ddf370a6e9a) showing that 80% of women compete for 20% of men, suggests it is still hard-coded.

**TL;DR: Looking at this issue from a market/stats based perspective leads to generalisation. Sexual attraction/desirability is too complex to be quantifiable.** - 'Sexual market value' is a term most commonly thrown around on platforms like Reddit. The context for the discussion is often straight men complaining about women who 'overvalue' themselves and think themselves superior to the men they 'should' be dating. - From a statistical point of view, you might be tempted to agree with this. An [article in The Atlantic] (https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/02/modern-dating-odds-economy-apps-tinder-math/606982/) states that "men outnumber women dramatically on dating apps ... Their experience of not getting as many matches or messages, the numbers say, is real." - However, it is not straightforward to apply such a market-based understanding to human relationships. Attraction and desirability can be highly subjective and difficult to measure. The rise of online dating and statistics gathered through app use has made it easier for groups of, say, heterosexual men who have all experienced rejection to band together against a single target for their sexual dissatisfaction, i.e., a 'marketplace' in which women have the upper hand. - Actual attraction and the forming of relationships is not formulaic. It is down to the individual or individuals, not a system that is unfairly rigged against them. "The (shaky) foundational idea of capitalism is that the market is unfailingly partial and correct ... It's a dangerous metaphor to apply to human relationships because introducing the idea that dating should be 'fair' subsequently introduces the idea that there is someone who must be responsible for it when it is unfair. When the market's logic breaks down, it must mean someone is overriding the laws. And in online spaces populated by heterosexual men, heterosexual women have been charged with the bulk of these crimes." (The Atlantic article)