‘Twinks,’ ‘Hard Femmes,’ and ‘Drag Queens’ Are Welcome on OkCupid
The dating site unveiled 19 new identities for Pride Month, while its competitors continue to offer limited options.
Last month, OkCupid announced that users can now choose from 19 new identities, with the intention of fostering inclusivity for the site’s LGBTQ+ users.
The list was developed in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign, and includes identities such as “hard femme,” “twink,” and “drag queen.” The titles can be displayed on users’ profiles and used as search filters.
With this addition, OkCupid users can now select from over 60 different gender and orientation identities.
Bumble has also attempted to foster inclusivity
Other dating platforms are also upping the ante to provide ways for users to define their gender and orientation.
While not as expansive as OkCupid, the female-empowering platform Bumble allows users to identify as Cisgender, Asexual, Bigender, Androgyne, and similar options.
And if a user can’t find an identity that suits them, there’s a built-in way to contact Bumble to suggest one that does.
Most dating sites are behind the times
Unfortunately, Bumble and OkCupid are proving to be the exception among dating apps. Their competitors continue to limit their users to limited identity options.
In 2019, Tinder, in partnership with the queer-visibility organization GLAAD, unveiled a feature that allows users to choose up to three sexual orientations out of nine total options.
However, this limited roll out has not been expanded upon, and the only choices for gender expression on the app are male, female, or other.
The right to express yourself
Inclusivity remains elusive on dating sites, and it is imperative that the trend towards greater acceptance continues.
Image sources: GPA Photo Archive, Ted Eytan
