LGBT having easier time coming out: Tinder survey
It looks like that the age-old tradition of the LGBTQ community of “coming out” is changing with the generations, if a recent Tinder survey is to be believed.
Used to be the “coming out” process was a major step in the LGBTQ community. This meant disclosing who you are to your family, work colleagues, classmates, or even to the public.
However, times are a-changing in the realm of LGBTQ dating, PDA, and formally coming out.
Tinder survey: Normalizing LGBTQ life
According to a survey by dating app Tinder, nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ adults admitted they didn’t formally come out because society has become accepting of the LGBTQ community.
Moreover, 38 percent said that coming out in a formal sense has become less important due to normalization of the LGBTQ people in society.
This might stem from the fact that 79 percent of LGBTQ adults believe they face less stigma today than they did five years ago.
Furthermore, LGBTQ adults are reportedly more comfortable with public displays of affection (PDA) on a date. These include 72 percent when it comes to hugging, 64 percent when holding hands, and 54 percent for kissing.
Gabrielle Noel said in a Swipe Life article: “I remember the female couples I used to stare at when I was in the closet. I stared because I was envious, yes, but also because those couples were rare.”
“They weren’t hyper-visible when I was a teenager so when I found them, I noticed. They were an example of who I could be if I ever found the courage. They showed me what it was to be proud,” Noel said.
Tinder survey: Generational perspective
Tinder conducted a survey of 1,000 of its LGBTQ users in the US from the ages 18 to 45 last March 19 to April 18. The survey questioned users about their attitudes toward modern dating.
One finding of the survey was that 80 percent of LGBTQ adults believed that online dating and dating apps had positive benefits to their lives.
Justin Crowe wrote in Swipe Life that Tinder helped him come out of the closet: “I lived at home in a suburb of 8,000 people north of New York City. I was still in the closet.”
Crowe explained that he took to Tinder to meet other gay men “to try to discover what I was looking for– either in a romantic partner or new friends.”
Another finding by the survey was that only 39 percent of “Generation Z” felt that a person’s sexual orientation was important in finding a potential mate. This is compared to 58 percent of Generation X.
Social activism matters in dating
Likewise, the survey showed that nearly half or 48 percent of LGBTQ adults want their dates who is involved in community issues.
Outside of looks and personality, 26 percent say active involvement in LGBTQ organizations or causes is important to them.
Among the issues that the LGBTQ community found important were: bullying by 62 percent), suicide rates among youth by 58 percent), and transgender rights by 50 percent.
Interesting enough, with the enactment of same-sex marriage equality by the Supreme Court, 27 percent of LGBTQ adults feel there’s less pressure to be in a relationship now than five years ago.