Photo by Good Faces Agency on Unsplash
Dating apps can be a minefield for the LGBTQIA+ community. People in the closet may have to be extra careful when matching and talking to people, and the trans community may face harassment online.
Bumble, the app that started a movement by putting women in charge when dating, has been taking steps to improve the experience of its nonbinary users within the app, showing its commitment to creating an inclusive and kind environment where people of all genders can connect authentically.
An inclusive and welcoming space
To help the Filipino LGBTQ+ community embrace their authentic selves, Bumble enhanced the member experience for matches with nonbinary people where either person can make the first move on Bumble Date. Women will continue to make the first move in matches with men and, in matches between people of the same gender, either person can make the first move.
Photo / Bumble
In 2022, Bumble also introduced an expanded selection of gender options to better provide a space that allows everyone across the gender spectrum to feel safe and seen. Now, you can choose between man, woman, or nonbinary. Once you’ve picked an option, you are invited to “Add more about your gender.” These include options like:
- Intersex man/woman
- Trans man/woman
- Transmasculine/Transfeminine
- Man/Woman & Nonbinary
- Cis man/woman
- Tell us if we’re missing something
Even the nonbinary section has an extensive list of options, including:
- Agender
- Bigender
- Genderfluid
- Genderqueer
- Gender nonconforming
- Gender questioning
- Gender variant
- Intersex
- Intersex man
- Intersex woman
- Neutrois
- Nonbinary man
- Nonbinary woman
- Pangender
- Polygender
- Transgender
- Trans man
- Transmasculine
- Trans woman
- Transfeminine
- Two-spirit
- Tell us if we’re missing something
Allies, regardless of gender, may also declare their support for the community through Bumble’s LGBTQ+ Rights badge. Other similar badges show your support for the community like trans rights, Pride celebrations, drag performances, and LGBTQ+ nightlife.
You can also add your pronouns to normalize the idea that gender isn’t always visible. This also signals that you care and respect other people’s preferred pronouns.
These features allow other users to get to know you better so you can have a fun and safe experience when using the app.
Strong stance against hate speech
Bumble is committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride month and beyond.
It takes a strong stance against hate speech, transphobic language, and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. Last year, the app introduced an identity-based hate policy, which prohibits content or behavior that promotes hatred and contempt against marginalized or underrepresented groups with protected attributes. Engaging in identity-based hate, including making a false report, may result in content being removed, an account receiving a warning or being banned from the app.
#SEATED
Photo / Bumble
Bumble partnered with Metro Manila Pride for their first joint Pride virtual event, #SEATED: Conversations Around Creating Kinder, Safer, and Stronger Online Spaces for the LGBTQ+ Community.
The panel included Ging Cristobal, an LGBTQ+ rights activist; Rica Salomon, a trans woman content creator; Lucille McCart, the APAC communications director of Bumble; and Fats Santos Roxas, the Metro Manila Pride Organization representative. Bumble’s event was hosted and moderated by Baus Rufo.
The event sparked discussions around what it means to date with kindness in mind, safety in online dating, and ways for allies to continue to foster connections built on mutual respect.
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