OKCupid set to become more queer inclusive by introducing new LGBTQ+ preference tags
Hook-up apps like Grindr are great in terms of their transparency and help save a lot of time if you’re looking for something in particular or if your sexual preferences are less flexible. However, Grindr is – for the most – a sex app, so what if you’re looking for something more?
Dating apps like Tinder are widely used in the LGBTQ+ community but you can’t filter down much further than gender, age or location with the preferences. Of course you can always add fractions of your identity manually to your profile, but you can’t set them to formulate part of your ID on the app or filter for others specifically.
The result of this is that – to the benefit of only the developer (clicks are money) – it makes it harder to find what/ who you’re looking for if your preferences are more rigid leading.
In short drawing from personal experience, you can spend an awful lot of time looking for a match, only to be talking for a few days and find out you’re both bottom. Or whatever.
In a bid to become more queer-inclusive, dating app OKCupid are set to unveil profile features that “let potential partners know which way your gender and sexuality flex”.
Loud and proud, baby! 🏳️🌈
— OkCupid (@okcupid) June 21, 2021
Coming soon, OkCupid is introducing 19 NEW LGBTQ+ tags in your preferences to let potential partners know which way your gender and sexuality flex. https://t.co/q53G2j7wQl
In a statement on their website, OKCupid said:
“This Pride Month, we’re excited to announce that we’ve created a dedicated space where our LGBTQ+ users can choose from an expanded list of over 60 identities to signal to other users who they really are and how they identify,”
“Daters will not only be able to select these identities so they can share more about themselves with others, but they can also use them to filter for the types of people and relationships they’re looking for by setting them as preferences when searching for a match. All identities will be available by the end of this month.”
In addition to the gender and orientation options they currently have, they’re now also giving people over 60 extra identities for users to choose from, including:
- Bear
- Boi
- Bottom
- Butch
- Drag king
- Drag queen
- Femme
- Hard femme
- High femme
- Leather
- Otter
- Soft butch
- Stone butch
- Stone femme
- Stud
- Switch
- Top
- Twink
- Versatile
“Safety and inclusivity on dating apps is important not only during Pride, but all year round,” Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign’s senior vice president of programs, research & training, said in a statement. “Allowing users to select from such a wide array of identity options will make many LGBTQ+ users feel more welcome on OkCupid, and will allow them to use the platform in a more authentic way.”
What do you reckon? Will you be trying out OKCupid to find your next bae??