Tinder matches 250K trans people with gender identity feature

Tinder app logo. File photo

Besides helping people across the world to “hook up,” popular dating application Tinder has somehow eclipsed gender boundaries.

Last year, the location-based app introduced 37 options for gender identification, as opposed to simply male and female classifications.

The update has been widely embraced by users, and has even helped transgender people to meet up.

Tinder co-founder Sean Rad revealed over the weekend that the application has matched a quarter of a million transgender users since November, Mashable reported.

“Tinder is about everyone, everyone’s welcome and everyone deserves to meet someone special,” Rad said during a panel called “Swiping Right on Inclusivity with Tinder & GLAAD” (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).

Since last year, the app has worked closely with GLAAD and the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer) media advocacy organization to update its gender identity features.

Before the update, users could only identify themselves as male and female, subjecting trans people to a great deal of harassment and ridicule.

Meanwhile, Tinder has made a strong push toward making its app more appealing to the LGBTQ community, as it faces stiff competition from other LGBTQ-specific applications.  Khristian Ibarrola /ra

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