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Tinder identifies as trans friendly

The popular dating app Tinder revealed an upgrade last week to their gender options.

Until recently, the app only allowed users to choose between male and female. The app now hosts a “more” option where a user can choose between nearly 40 gender identities.

The Tinder team released the update due to accusations that the app was discriminating against other gender identities.

They now boast all-inclusive dating with the hashtag #AlltypesAllswipes.

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Tinder
EN Screenshot / Olivia Hyde

The new gender options include agender, androgyne, androgynous, bigender, female to male, gender fluid, gender nonconforming, gender questioning, gender variant, genderqueer, male to female, neither, neutrois, non-binary, other, pangender, transsexual, transsexual man, transsexual person, transsexual woman, transfeminine, transgender, transgender female, transgender male, transgender person, two-spirit and more

All the new options included in Tinder provide anyone a way to promote themselves as they are truly. The new options give users of non-general gender identities a way to reveal to others who they are upfront without having to hide behind one specific gender.

Many people of the LGBT community have struggled with revealing their selves to others because of a fear of rejection. Tinder has solved a problem within the community with this new update.

Users no longer have to reveal themselves, and that is a break-through in social norms. The focus here is the word “reveal.” Without these options, a user would eventually have to explain their gender identity to whoever is on the other end of the conversation.

Trans people have been reported, blocked and harassed on the app after revealing their identity as trans. This harassment had to come to an end, explained Tinder CEO Sean Rad in an interview with techcrunch.com.

Not only are users no longer limited to two options, but a certain freedom has been unveiled as well. A door has been opened to more gender identities than many even knew existed. It has allowed people a way to show themselves for more than just the genitals they were born with.

Some believe the new options are putting people of the LGBT community in danger by showing a picture of the person and gender identity of the person to strangers lurking on the app who may be out to discriminate against them.

The app does not show people’s location and those who do not want to swipe right on a person of a certain gender identity can just not swipe right. The new options should actually help protect against discrimination because those who don’t want to be involved with a person of a certain gender identity can just swipe left instead of beginning communication that leads to harassment.

Tinder has opened up a door to social freedom within the LGBT community by adding more gender options.

While this is just a simple dating app, Tinder’s update is revolutionary in changing social norms.

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