The weird and disappointing DaddyBear saga just got weirder and more disappointing…
Quick recap: Last month, we told you about DaddyBear, a dating app that aims to connect “wealthy gay daddies” with so-called “healthy gay bears,” whatever that means.
Related: New dating app aims to connect ‘wealthy gay daddies’ with ‘healthy gay bears’
Shortly after the article was published, a spokesperson for Daddybear wrote into Queerty‘s comments section to further explain the “healthy” claim:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
With the fact that most gay men care more about health than sex when seeking gay relationship, we create this gay dating app to meet their needs. If you are worried about meeting gay men who are living with HIV, then you can feel relieved with our App because we are trying our best to make sure that all users you meet will be healthy and without HIV, starting from adding a feature to allow users to verify their health condition.
Understandably, a backlash ensued.
Things only got worse when Daddybear’s CEO, known only as “Justin”, tried to better explain his stance in an interview with INTO‘s Mathew Rodriquez:
No one would like to date people living with HIV unless he is living with it. Most gay sugar daddies are not living with HIV, so they don’t want to bring home any unwanted souvenirs. However, we support that gay men living with HIV have the right to date with other gays with HIV. But many rich and successful gay sugar daddies do not want to date with gay men living with HIV, which is the reason why we launched this app to meet their needs.
Now, it seems the company has finally realized the error of its ways and issued a formal apology to “all gay men” for stigmatizing HIV.
In the apology, released today, the company says Justin has learned from his mistakes, then tries to explain why he made the comments in the first place:
Justin is a gay sugar daddy who is loyal and prefers long term relationships. His last partner left him for no reason and he has had a really hard time to accept that breakup. Recently, Justin heard that his partner was infected with HIV during their relationship when he was having unprotected sex with another guy who was with the malicious intent to transmit the disease. After diagnosed, his partner felt ashamed and desperate, so he chose to put an end to the relationship. Although Justin couldn’t forgive his betrayal, he was so mad at the guy who infected his partner. That anger lead him to wrongly misjudge the present situation and make an immature decision to build a gay dating app that doesn’t allow gay men living with HIV.
In other words: Blame the ex-boyfriend’s ex-boyfriend! It’s all his fault!
Related: Looking for a sugar daddy? Join the new dating app Daddybear — unless you’re HIV-positive
Nevertheless, the team at DaddyBear says Justin has taken people’s feedback to heart and would like to “express his gratitude” to everyone who helped him see that just because someone is HIV-positive it doesn’t mean they’re a bad person. #themoreyouknow
In order to make it right, Justin and his team had a deeper look at recent study results towards people living with HIV. Then we realized that there are many hiv [sic] positive guys out there and most of them are receiving systematic treatment which can help them have an undetectable viral load and highly prevent HIV transmission. Besides, it is hard to know if someone is truly HIV+ or HIV- according to his profile on a dating app. So we do not advocate unprotected sex.
The letter concludes by saying:
In the end, we want you to know that DaddyBear is a great gay dating app for gay sugar daddies, gay sugar babies and all gay men.
Sorry, all guys.
Sincerely,
DaddyBear Team
And now the burning question… Will you be using the DaddyBear app? Take our poll below.
ChrisK
So Daddybear was created as a way of getting back at his rent-a-boyfriends Hiv positive lover. Justin’s so called concern was really just disguised hate for Hiv positive guys ie his ex and his new lover. Now Justin has seen the light and thinks Hiv positive people aren’t bad people after all. Got it.
Oh and Justin. Your little boy toy left you because he felt ashamed of being with you. Probably found a better paying daddy too.
I think we need a new site that helps us avoid insane shitheads like Justin.
DaddyBearApp
Hi All,
We decided to apologize for the idea we brought up in last month which is that our gay dating app DaddyBear is only for healthy and HIV negative gay men. In order to make it more sincere, we have published an official statement to apologize to all gay men.
Sorry for our mistake and we are hugely grateful to all people who helped us. Thanks!
Again, DaddyBear App is for gay sugar daddies, babies and all gay men.
http://www.gaydaddybear.com/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1244767450
Sincerely,
DaddyBear Team
Frank765
Before trying DaddyBear, I almost was giving up on gay dating apps, but this one succeed in leading me to meet a lot guys to have sex with.
Jack Field
DaddyBear app really opened a new wide world for me, never imagined that I can met so many hot boys in this app, just pay for it
whitebearguy
I think the daddybear is ok, you just did what you should do, Not
everyone gay will like you or hate you, the change is good, I accept your apology. Actually the app is very easy to use. I didn’t find there are some many drama about the hiv issue on this app. people here are very nice and atctive. this is a new dating app for gay. every gay can join, with or without HIV. it’s not a big problem for us.
heythere
many people don’t tell their date that they have the hiv, that’s very dangerous. I can understand justin.
I think justin didn’t hate the people with hiv. just want to protect each other. the daddybear didn’t refuse positive hiv users. just tell your date your health status. that’s cool.
superdaddy55
I think I will continue using daddybear, I met some nice guys there and I don’t think the HIV issue is a big problem for me. Why are you people so mean?
Keep going , daddybear, you did the right !
Mickeyguy
I always wanna to try to meet with hot boys, but the website and local club do not have many options, luckily I found this app, I had so much fun with some cute guys
ChrisK
If you want to change your perception stop insulting people. Now your taking us for idiots with these fake happy accounts. Total assholes.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
I would use one that ensured users were free from ALL sexual diseases included cold sores and mono, as well as bad breath ..by having access to all your relevant medical details and probably some probe or needle thingy protruding from the phone.
Kangol
Don’t forget bad credit. If Equifax won’t provide it, I guess you can always search online to see where their hackers posted the info. /snark/
Crystix
Can we have a dating app that protects us from closed minded ass hats like “Justin”. We’ll call it “NOSHAME” and if you are caught shaming someone for their weight, race, status, sexuality or gender you will be removed.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Can we just let people have a choice to use the dating app that best coincide with their interests
JaredMacBride
Maybe Justin’s last trick got tired of living in the “sugar daddy’s” trailer.
PinkoOfTheGange
Sorry that is worse bull puckie then the original rationalization.
I hope whoever sold “Justin” the App got paid up front, because this guy couldn’t launch a blow up floatie.
truckproductions
how exactly did he think he could police people’s status? random hiv tests? If he couldn’t keep his ex partner from being truthful about his status how could he expect an app filled with random entitled men to be honest?
Chris
But of course, reviewers of this APP continue to ignore its assumption that “Daddy Bears” have lots of money to shower on their boiys. What a load of ageist, HIV-shaming, classist, and narcissistic crap.
Daddy K
What a complete and total bullshit move. Done ONLY to save face (and the bottom line).
As a daddy who dates younger men (regardless of race, religion, or HIV status). There are a multitude of ways to meet those boys who want a daddy who accepts them no matter who they are. No matter how much money I have, I would never use an app that thinks that a user is always 100% honest when filling out a profile. People lie for a variety of reasons, I do my own research and will continue to date the boys who meet my personal standards. Not some app created by some whack job who is butt hurt because he was “mislead”. Wake up!! Stop using apps and get out in the real world, you might be surprised what you find.
Mykey
So the sugar daddies using this app think the boy toys will be faithful to them? An 18 to 20 something raging with hormones! Be ready for frequent STI checks as long as you’re writing your boy his cheques!
Kangol
I know a few wealthy, HIV-positive sugar daddy wannabes. I mean, if you’re talking about successful gay men in their 50s and 60s, they would have lived through the early HIV/AIDS years, and more than a few are HIV+. So Justin’s assumption strikes me as faulty, unless he was barring HIV+ potential sugar daddies from joining. I mean, who knows. It just sounds pretty discriminatory, which doesn’t speak well for an app supposedly for gay men.
bearsuperman
Although I am not a big fan of online gay dating, but I would like to recommend this app for all you guys who want to meet more new people for a relationship. This app has thousands of active members online and we can search them with its advanced searching tool to find those guys who meet our needs. And the message system can help you a lot when you trying to reach others.
maelowe7854
Like Nancy answered I’m amazed that any body able to earn $8894 in 4 weeks on the computer .follow this link…
sdsd
??????O OPEN~JOB~START
Brian
Note to self, if I ever need to issue a public apology for some reason, make sure I don’t do it through Engrish dot com.