In very unfortunate news that shouldn’t be a shock to anyone, many countries still have discriminatory laws that effectively criminalise LGBTQ status. Sadly, there are still stigmas against LGBTQ communities in many places across the globe, and whilst there certainly is a wave of increased equality occurring, the battle is by no means over.
And, whilst travelling poses safety risks to all of us, it is particularly treacherous for LGBTQ individuals. ‘Rainbow tourism’ is tragically not safe everywhere…Thankfully though, Tinder have jumped on board with global voice for LGBTQ, ILGA World to offer some small reprieve.
Tinder’s ‘Traveler Alert’ Feature
In their new ‘Traveler Alert’ feature, LGBTQ users in certain locations will receive an alert advising them to take precautions. If users open the app in any of these regions, their Tinder profiles will remain hidden unless they opt to make their profile public to connect with new people.
But that’s not all. LGBTQ users who have added either their sexual orientation or gender identity to their profile will not have these displayed until they leave the area. And look, it’s kind of making a shitty situation at least a little bit safer for LGBTQ communities traveling to dangerous locations.
The new feature is complementary to the ‘Sexual Orientation’ feature Tinder introduced earlier this year, a feature which offers LGBTQ users with a whole collection of ways to express their sexuality to other users. The feature also allows LGBTQ users to have more control over potential matches (yay!).
We’re all for improving the safety of everyone – go Tinder!
Sources: Tinder.
