5 dating apps LGBTQ+ community members can use in India
What's the story
India's LGBTQ+ community has been forced to remain underground for a long time, with law enforcement previously targeting "homosexual gangs" and pressing charges against them under the now-repealed IPC Section 377. Despite the decriminalization of homosexuality, the community still faces difficulties, especially in dating. While cruising in hideouts is not safe (or necessary anymore), here are five dating apps that queer members can use.
#1
Grindr: Mainly for cisgender queer men and trans-people
Undoubtedly the most popular app of its kind, Grindr is a dating app tailored for queer men. The app has also been in use among members of the trans community. Launched in 2009, Grindr is a geo-location-based app that allows users to scroll through a grid of profiles of other users around them. However, the app is mainly used for hook-ups. Be warned.
#2
Romeo: Primarily for GBTQ men
Romeo, better known by its former name PlanetRomeo or the local nickname "PR," continues to be a relevant dating platform for the community, despite its declining popularity. Launched in 2002, the app is intended for GBT men. With a grid profile interface similar to Grindr, Romeo offers a video-chat feature and ensures user's authenticity by displaying the number of people who personally know them.
#3
OkCupid: For people of all genders and sexual identities
Launched in 2004 as a dating site and reportedly in 2010 as a dating app, OkCupid also welcomes people of all genders and sexual identities. The app offers users interesting quizzes, compatibility questions, match-percentage features, etc. The app has even become inclusive of polyamorous couples, allowing people to look for multiple partners openly. It has a card-based swiping interface.
#4
Tinder: Originally intended for heterosexuals, gaining popularity among LGBTQIA+
Although it was originally intended for heterosexual couples, Tinder has become increasingly popular among the LGBTQIA+ community, too, especially queer women (since there are not many other options for them to rely on). Quite famously, Tinder had embraced its LGBTQIA+ users, allowing 23 gender identity options in 2018. Also famously, Tinder too has a card-swiping interface that it had invented.
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#5: Taimi, another inclusive app
Taimi is another dating app that the queer community in India can use. Besides offering socializing features like calls, posts, and stories to users to find love, the inclusive app also boasts good security features to avoid fraud.