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In time for National Coming Out Day on October 11th and Spirit Day on October 17, a new report was released by GLAAD in partnership with eHarmony that explores the way dating apps intersect with how the LGBTQ+ community shares their identities and sexual preferences.

The report details how non-binary, trans and LGB+ daters express (or don’t express) themselves and their preferences over dating apps, and their differences in experiences on these platforms.

Overall, Gen Z daters have been much more likely than previous generations to come out on a dating app. Sixty-six percent of Gen Z daters came out before they were 18 years old, and 93 percent came out by age 22, compared to only 40 percent and 76 percent of Millennials, respectively.

Image: eHarmony

eharmony unveiled a new ad for its dating app in time for dating’s busiest season, but the LGBTQ+-led campaign did not go over well with Christian groups.

The ad features a lesbian couple snuggled up on the couch waiting for their laundry to finish. When the buzzer goes off, one partner gets up to retrieve the laundry while the other lies on the bed, waiting and smiling. Then her partner unloads all the clean laundry on her, and she is elated and taking in the warmth of the clothes fresh out of the dryer. The tagline for the ad is: “Get who gets you.”

According to The Pink News, despite the cute and feel-good premise, right wing Christian activist group One Million Moms has launched a petition to remove the ad from the air, and so far have received over 12,000 signatures. The organization claimed that the ad was airing during “prime time” when children were likely to be watching television and was “crossing a line that eharmony should have never crossed,” according to the petition.

Image: eharmony

eHarmony has released the dating trends it expects to see in 2024, based on its extensive annual survey of users, including new perspectives on what it means to date someone who’s “out of your league.”

The study also reveals changing attitudes about asking dates how many people they’ve slept with, and shares the biggest love life regrets of users and how they can impact dating habits going into the new year.

According to eHarmony’s press release (local copy), different generations have different perspectives on what “out of your league” means. Among Gen Z daters, 68 percent define it in terms of physical attractiveness, 43 percent professional success, and 42 percent financial stability. However, when it comes to what they look for and value in a partner, the top quality is emotional intelligence (28%) followed by humor (23%) and intelligence (16%).

eHarmony has revealed the next chapter in their journey with the introduction of an updated visual identity. The update features a contemporary wordmark, a modern color palette, and a minimalist icon – all designed to elevate the user experience and attract more singles on the dating service.

eHarmony states that "these changes not only underscore our dedication to innovation but also strengthen our commitment to fostering meaningful and enduring connections."

Many of the larger dating apps recently like Tinder, have also revamped the design of their dating apps. These companies feel with the worst of the pandemic behind us now, dating singles are looking for a change. A redesign helps with this transition and keeps many daters on the service they started on, instead of moving to another.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has brought a lawsuit against dating app eHarmony, alleging the company misled consumers through false advertising. It also alleges that the company deceived its customers about pricing and renewing their subscriptions.

According to The Guardian, the lawsuit filed in Australian federal court alleges the company of “entrapping singles” by showing them only blurred photos of their matches and not allowing them to send messages without paying for a subscription. The lawsuit also accuses the company of luring customers to sign up by falsely advertising “free dating” on the platform, as well as short-term membership offers and early cancellation opportunities.

In reality, users opting for the “free service” completed an 80-question profile survey before they had access to look at potential matches. However, when users completed the questions, they were served blurry profile photos of other members, and were only able to send one message as a reply to a premium member. If they wanted to continue messaging, they were required to pay for the service.

Image: eHarmony

eHarmony announced that it is adding an expanded list of genders for its members to choose from, aiming to give them a more inclusive experience. The company worked in partnership with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Awareness ) to develop the new updates.

Users will now be able to choose from an expanded list of genders, and during the registration process, they will be asked what gender best describes them to best match them with potential dates. Members will also be given more opportunity to talk about and add more detail about their gender when they complete the “personal information” form in the process. Users can also choose to display their gender on their profile, according to GLAAD's website.

Members will be able to list their gender preferences when it comes to matches as well, including whether they are seeking men, women nonbinary, or any combination of these.