Women, historically, have been responsible for making the first move on dating app Bumble. Now, men have a chance to start the conversation.
The app plans to roll out a new feature called “opening moves,” which will allow male users to initiate conversations based on pre-selected questions from women. Previously, Bumble required women to initiate all contact, helping them bypass unwanted suitors and give them more control over who they interact with.
It works like this: Women who opt into the new model will automatically select a question that is sent to every prospective match, allowing them to learn a little more about that person than the information on the dating profile. (They can choose their own question or pick from an assortment suggested by the app.) Once men respond, women have 24 hours to decide if they want to move forward.
If a user is non-binary users or is seeking a same-gender match, either person can set and respond to the pre-selected question.
The “opening moves” feature is an optional one. Women will not be required to enable it and can keep the app as it has been since its 2014 launch if they choose.
Bumble was started with the idea of empowerment in mind when it came to online dating. But as the online dating world has evolved, Bumble has found that so have women’s definition of equality. Today, 88% tell the app it’s about personal choice and the autonomy to decide what’s right for them.
“Many [users] have shared their exhaustion with the current online dating experience, and for some, that includes making the first move,” said Lidiane Jones, CEO of Bumble in a statement. “We want to evolve with our community, shifting from a fixed approach to giving women more options in how they engage.”
The “opening moves” feature is part of a larger redesign for the app, which ranges from refreshed colors to a new logo.