What happens at matchmaking events for ultra-right-wing Americans?

There are love stories that seem straight out of a rom-com, and love stories that belong to the dystopian sci-fi genre. In the case of the matchmaking events held a couple of weeks ago in Austin, Texas, we can bet it's the second option. From March 28 to 29, inside a hotel belonging to the University of Texas, a new edition of the Natal Conference took place, a project which, according to its organizers, has «no political or ideological goal other than a world where our children can have grandchildren.» Previously endorsed by public (and political) figures such as Elon Musk, the event, however, shows ties to the American far-right, perhaps precisely because the entire show is based on the teachings of natalism (also known as pro-birth), i.e., a movement that, in order to ensure the continuity of the human species, wants to give the highest priority to natural procreation even going so far as to want to revise or rewrite the dynamics of society in order to get the women of this world to go back to churning out as many children as possible without stopping even in the face of eugenics and generally approaching the subject of procreation with a disturbingly scientific bent. Musk, who is said to have thirteen children by four different women, shared a tweet in 2023 supporting the Natal Conference in which he stated «If birth rates continue to plummet, human civilization will end.»

Alongside Musk, the natalist movement has long counted on the support of some of the biggest tech entrepreneurs in the United States, who have increased its popularity by promoting it on their social media channels. Among the speakers at the conference were some unusual figures, including individuals who, according to Wired, define themselves as «eugenicists and promoters of racial science», and the founder of a startup that offers IQ screening for embryos from in vitro fertilization. The most shocking aspect of the event is probably not its connection to far-right American ideology, but rather the price participants have to pay: for two days of talks and matchmaking events where one can find their “soulmate” to start a family with (for the brave, it’s even possible to get married on-site), this year the cost was $10,000 per person. The price has skyrocketed in just twelve months, according to Wired, with tickets from the previous edition costing 90% less.

The University of Texas clarified that it is not affiliated with the Natal Conference and offers its venues for all kinds of events without discrimination, even though the March 28 event was widely criticized for its racist, ableist, and classist positions. In an interview with Jolly Heretic, the event’s organizer Kevin Dolan stated that eugenics (a theory that studies practices to improve the genetic quality of a given population, praised by Hitler in Mein Kampf) and the natalist movement are «very much aligned». According to The Guardian, Dolan is also the content creator behind an account that promotes DezNat (Deseret Nationalism), a far-right American Mormon movement. Just like TV shows such as Adolescence illustrate, more and more pseudo-philosophies born on the internet (from minds that can hardly be called scientific) are forcefully entering everyday life. Considering that various studies show that young men and women are increasingly polarized politically, one has to wonder whether these conferences truly have enough couples for the matchmaking sessions – even though, as stated on the event’s website, it was sold out.