OkCupid Introduces Pro-Choice Badge in Response to Texas Law

Image: OkCupid

OkCupid has introduced a new “pro-choice” badge for users to add to their profiles, a signal to let others know they oppose the new Texas law restricting abortions in the lone star state. The company also said they would donate a dollar per badge to Planned Parenthood, up to $50,000 total on behalf of users who add the badge.

The badge is similar to other politically inspired badges OkCupid has rolled out over the years, including ones for Black Lives Matter, Voting and Vaccination status. It will appear directly below the bio (name, age, location) making it visible to anyone who’s swiping.

According to The New York Times, the new badge was created in response to the passage of Senate Bill 8 in Texas, which has essentially outlawed all abortions past six weeks, before most women even know they are pregnant. The new legislation won’t be enforced by public officials, however. Rather, it empowers anyone, in or outside the state, to sue a person who is getting an abortion or who is involved or considering helping someone get an abortion, including doctors, nurses, family members, or even the person who drives the patient to the clinic. Critics have likened it to a vigilante state, aimed at targeting vulnerable women.

“At OkCupid, we support our users' right to choose,” the company said in a blog post. “We’re excited to announce our brand-new I’m Pro-Choice badge that users who want to show their support of abortion access can add to their profile.”

The company expects that men who add the badge will get a little boost in engagement, based on a previous study that men who write “pro-choice” in their profile bios are already twice as likely to get responses and interest as those who don’t. OkCupid also noted that they have seen an 18 percent increase in “pro-choice” profiles in the U.S. this summer compared to 2020, and twice as many mentions of support for Planned Parenthood, according to their website. When the company asked Texas users: “Are you pro-choice?” – 87 percent of men and 95 percent of women surveyed responded “yes.”

OKCupid added in its post: 'Given the new, radical Texas law that essentially bans abortion access, it’s more important than ever to take a stand and we’ve found that our users want to be able to choose to filter for dates who are pro-choice more than they ever have before.'

OkCupid’s parent company Match Group is based in Texas, and its CEO Shar Dubey has also responded to the restrictive new law, offering to pay for any out of state healthcare for its employees.

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