Single but not straight? Tinder wants to find you a match

There is good news for those who are single, but not straight. In a major step towards inclusivity, dating app Tinder has now started allowing users in some countries, including India, to share more information about their sexual orientation on their profile - whether they are heterosexual, gay, queer, asexual or bisexual.

To add more information about sexual orientation on Tinder, users can simply visit "Edit Info" within the app.

After tapping "Orientation," they will be able to select up to three terms that they feel best describe their sexual orientation.

From there, users can also select whether to display their sexual orientation on their profile.

The update is in response to user feedback as well as a study conducted by the app, which found that the majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender plus other (LGBTQ+) respondents in India were interested in more options or easier ways to express their sexual orientation on dating platforms.

The study also found that 73 per cent of Indian LGBTQ+ adults believe online dating and social media have benefited their community positively over the last five years and more than half of the respondents said they have identified as LGBTQ+ online before formally coming out.

"At Tinder, we recognise the diversity of our user base and want them to feel empowered to express themselves authentically," said Taru Kapoor, General Manager-India, Tinder and Match Group.

To make sure the new feature is reflective of its user's preferences, Tinder worked with Humsafar Trust that works for LGBTQ+ rights

"It's heartening to see Tinder take a huge step forward towards inclusivity by including different orientations," Ashok Row Kavi, Chair, The Humsafar Trust, said in a statement.

"Bringing those in the LGBTQ+ spectrum to the mainstream means including a huge segment of our population that was previously denied this space. We aren't only amidst different genders but also sexual orientations and just because we don't talk about them or make them visible them doesn't mean they are wrong," Kavi said.

Orientation on Tinder will roll out to iOS and Android users in India, the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand throughout June 2019, Tinder said.

--IANS

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