Bumble Has Banned Body Shaming From Its App
Dating can be hard at the best of times, especially when you don’t necessarily fit in with the beauty standards of today. People who are plus size, disabled, those with visible difference, and many more, all will have a horror story (or ten) from dipping their toe in the dating app pond.
Body shaming comes in all shapes and forms, and when brought into a space like dating, it has massive repercussions for the its victims, including their decision to avoid dating altogether. As someone who has experienced abuse regarding my size on dating apps from matches, I’ve always erred on the side of caution when it comes to using them. With these apps supposedly there to help build confidence within the dating game, for many it’s an easy way to tear it to shreds.
Luckily, Bumble has taken a public stand against body shaming, updating their user terms and conditions to “explicitly ban unsolicited and derogatory comments made about someone’s appearance, body shape, size, or health.” Inclusive of this ban, is “language that can be deemed fat-phobic, ableist, racist, colourist, homophobic or transphobic.”
With the new ban in place, Bumble urges victims of body shaming to report profiles, offering in-app tools such as Block & Report, Hide & Report, and Unmatch & Report. They recommend users to avoid commenting on a user’s health or physical appearance at all, and focus on the thousands of other conversation topics to chat about.
Top points to Bumble for prioritising the safety of all users, and making dating apps a kinder and more respectful place for everyone. You can check out the campaign video here:
Image credit: Bumble
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