It’s women’s history month, so I’ve decided to do a little highlight on female-friendly (and female-owned) dating app Bumble.
Here’s the thing. I’m not getting paid, and this isn’t an ad. I’ve been following and writing about the dating app industry for years. I know a lot of what’s out there. Many apps are improving offerings for their users and are becoming more inclusive (shout out to Tinder for getting interracial emoji couples approved!).
But there’s pervasive bad behavior when it comes to dating apps, because honestly, men are mostly still in charge.
And dudes just don’t have the same online dating experience that women do. Women are more likely to be harassed, bullied, and sent unsolicited dick pics. When a woman rejects a man, she’s more likely to be verbally attacked via these apps.
Which is why I’m heartened when I see dating apps like Bumble acknowledging this and trying to do something about it.
I’m not trying to leave others out of this conversation. Take Coffee Meets Bagel, also female-owned and doing the right thing by its customers. More people are gravitating to these apps, which says something. But I’m choosing Bumble because every decision this company makes helps level the playing field between men and women.
Bumble is putting its money where its branding mouth is.
They have gotten into the content business, and are helping young female filmmakers with funding for their projects. Bumble has set up designated meeting locations so women can feel safe meeting strangers for the first time. Plus, they have expanded their app to include resources for employers and job seekers where they can exclusively search for women recruits.
Bumble has also been outspoken when it comes to advocating for legislation that fights digital sexual harassment.
Take a look specifically at Texas House Bill 2789. Bumble advocated for this, and even hired a lobbyist to help the larger problem they saw and were not able to address alone as a company – people, mostly women, complaining of pervasive bad behavior when they used dating apps.
If the bill passes, it could become a template for the nation to help stop people from sending unsolicited photos and lewd text messages.
CEO Whitney Wolfe Heard told Inc. Magazine: “”As long as there is still anyone on our product who is being mistreated, we have to do this. And others across the industry certainly aren’t taking the action.”
I have to say Herd is doing a lot more than most CEOs to protect and empower women in the online space.
Now, the company has set up a temporary space at SXSW where people can come and hang out and have a coffee. They can meet new people and form new business connections that otherwise might not be available. And Bumble has scheduled special events to engage attendees like a talk with Director Olivia Wilde.
So in honor of women’s history month, take a moment and download this app. Or at least look into what they are doing and see for yourself.
XO,
Kelly
About Kelly Seal
Kelly is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, CA. She blogs about dating, relationships, personal growth and what "healthy living" means to her. You can follow her on Google+, Twitter @kellyseal or through her website www.kellyseal.com.
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