Dating apps aren’t new to the LGBTQ community and dating scene in India. Some of them include Grindr, Tinder, Romeo, OkCupid, and most recently, As You Are (AYA). Most of these apps are designed to fill the needs of a specific group or are open to all.
Very few or no dating apps take into consideration the issues of LGBTQ dating in India.
However, with most dating sites in India designed to fit the needs of a broader audience, there has been needing for one specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. One such app that’s doing exactly this and filling this gap is AYA. Unlike many other Indian LGBTQ+ dating apps, AYA is on a mission to do something different.
APP REVIEW
“Really good app very very useful app”
Issues With Existing Dating Apps That Affect The LGBTQ Community
Even though there’s a myriad of dating apps trying to support the LGBTQ dating scene in India, it’s important to note that most of them aren’t home-grown and were designed for straight dating. For the LGBTQ community in India, it’s essential to have an app built with the Indian context in perspective.
For instance, profile verification is an essential tool. For a dating app to offer users the chance for a successful connection, there must be trust. However, the only one that follows this assumption is AYA. The LGBTQ community has faced a lot of discrimination in the past.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that not all users of a dating app will want to show their photos. Not everyone is ready to come out. The LGBTQ+ community in India required trust to be built beforehand for them to disclose their identities.
APP REVIEW
“Awesome app for dating. GREAT, EXPERIENCE..”
It is important to note that 1 in 3 LGBTQ individuals in India find love through the use of dating apps. This isn’t surprising at all. The gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, and queer community in India has faced a lot of roadblocks and obstacles when it comes to issues such as the attainment of equal rights or social acceptance.
A third of them will, therefore, find solace and safety in the numbers dating apps and community-specific dating apps provide when it comes to digital friendships or meeting new people in their community.
Dating apps are an essential avenue for the LGBTQ+ community in India that are looking for love. These platforms are necessary for the provision of anonymity and acceptance. This is especially critical for those that haven’t yet come out of the closet.
APP REVIEW
“I loved their onboarding process. It is smooth and quick. The interface is simple and friendly. 2. This app looks very promising. They have a fair understanding of how LGBT dating should happen. Definitely better in terms of privacy when compared with other apps I had tried before this one. 3. I found the necessary support for myself after signing up for this app. They helped me connect with several like-minded people. All I would say is a big Thankyou.”
Traditionally, being LGBTQ+ came with a stigma that ensured limited opportunities for people in the community to find companionship and love as straight people do. It is therefore critical that the community finds a safe space that offers a certain level of acceptance and anonymity. It is also essential that these dating apps provide platforms that offer guidance on contingency plans in case of abuse. In India, dating apps offer a haven for the LGBTQ+ community. But, they are also a target.
As activists and members of the community keep advocating for equal rights for members of the community, there’s no doubt that one day, the world may be absent of homophobia, and people in the LGBTQ+ community in India will be able to find love, companionship, and acceptance.
This, after all, is the first step towards an inclusive society.
APP REVIEW
“Excellent … now Made in India in all aspects. I believe this app secure and dependable.”