reconnecting

OKCupid adds ‘bear’, ‘bottom’ and ‘switch’ to its list of LGBTQ identities

A man checks his cellphone
Posed by model (Photo: Shutterstock)

Dating app OkCupid says it’s marking Pride month by increasing the number of ways in which LGBTQ users can identify.

“Users can choose from an expanded list of over 60 identities to signal to other users who they really are and how they identify,” it said in a blog post.

New identities you can include in your profile include: Bear; Boi; Bottom; Butch; Drag king; Femme; Hard femme; High femme; Leather; Stone femme; Switch [someone who switches between dom and sub roles]; Top; and Twink.

Although the additional list of identities may be a little bewildering to some, the one helpful aspect is that the tags can also be used to filter what you’re looking for.

It says the additional list of identities, which should all be on offer by the end of the month, was created in consultation with the Human Rights Campaign.

“Safety and inclusivity on dating apps is important not only during Pride, but all year round,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President, Programs, Research & Training 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.”

OKCupid is also encouraging people to donate to the Human Rights Campaign for Pride Month (a media spokesperson for the app told Queerty, “OkCupid has donated to the Human Rights Campaign multiple times” itself).

Related: Grindr marks the return of queer clubbing with a series of fabulous Pride parties and events

In an unrelated dating app development, Reuters reports that some apps are responding to a desire from some users to make friends and non-sexual social connections.

“People are seeking friendship in ways they would have only done offline before the pandemic,” Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd told Reuters. The app is investing more money into its Bumble BFF feature, which is for those seeking friendship (BFF stands for “Best Friends Forever”). It says those using BFF now constitute 9% of its total monthly users.

Reuters also notes that Match Group (owner of Tinder and Hinge), recently bought the South Korean app Hyperconnect, which automatically translates messages for those who want to converse with others around the world.

It also says the most searched word this year on Meetup was “friend.” Clearly, as the world emerges from lockdown, it seems many of us are keen to make new social connections in many shapes and forms.

Related: Gay men already have begun their ‘Hot Vax Summer’ of hookups – are you prepared?

 

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated