Tinder announced a new update it’s making for transgender and gender non-conforming users — they can now identify as their true selves on the site with 37 different options available.
The company’s Tinder CEO Sean Rad said in a blog post on Wednesday November 15 that:
“Starting today, no matter how you identify, you can express your authentic self on Tinder … We haven’t had the right tools to serve our diverse community in the past, but that changes today.”
In the past, users could only identify as “male” or “female” on their profiles. Now, not only can users choose their gender descriptions from a wider selection, but they can also make their profiles searchable in categories that best match their identities.
“Our goal is to provide a product that gives our transgender and gender non-conforming users a better experience on Tinder … We’re really excited about the update and believe it is the right step to take as a company to create more meaningful connections between all of our users. Everyone is welcome on Tinder.”
To promote this new update, Tinder featured a video in which transgender users say they’ve been wrongfully reported by other users in the past.
This issue has been around for a while. In attempts to reconcile, Tinder is asking users who were wrongfully reported and banned from the app to contact the company to have their profiles reviewed and reinstated.
Harassment and rejection have been all too common for transgender individuals on other dating apps such as OKCupid, reported TakePart Magazine.
In 2013, a petition for OKCupid to accommodate its community of trans and gender non-conforming individuals garnered over 1,000 signatures. Ryley Pogensky, the creator of the petition who also identifies as gender non-conforming, said when he asked OKCupid to add more gender identity options a representative told him it would be difficult to change the site because it’s built in a “pretty binary way.”
There is definitely a void in the online dating market for gender-inclusive platforms that are also safe and supportive.
As they were designing the update, GLADD guided Tinder on its update. Nick Adams, Director of the groups Transgender Media program, said:
“It was important to us that Tinder get it right … All people, including trans people, can find the person that they love.”
Tinder says this update is available in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada.
Featured Image: Screenshot Via Vimeo Video.
