Dating Apps For Black People
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Whether you’re happily single, in a healthy relationship, or looking for love, it’s been a challenging time on the dating scene. Between 2020 and the ongoing pandemic, it seems like traditional dating may be a thing of the past. Some elements remain: a romantic night at your favorite restaurant or bar (outside of course) can still pop off with the required face masks. And a “sneaky link” – casual, discreet hookups – may definitely raise eyebrows in the time of quarantining, but is still possible with proper quarantining, temperature checks and testing available.
But it’s clear that online dating is king right now. From the simple swiping of apps like Tinder and Bumble to the more detailed, needle-in-a-haystack sorting options on platforms like Match.com and OkCupid, people are finding love from the comfort of their homes and the reliability of their smartphones. Though anyone who has tried online dating while Black will tell you that there are even more challenges involved, including the eligible dating pools for people of color.
In the hopes of helping you better navigate all this in the new year, and to make 2021 one of your best dating years ever, we called on Jonathan Kirkland, Head of Marketing & Brand at BLK – one of the largest dating apps for Black people, to give us some dating insight. Check out his tips to lead you in the right direction in your love life, and learn why you need to join BLK to make the right connection.
Madame Noire: How has 2020 changed the dating scene?
Jonathan Kirkland: There’s no doubt that the coronavirus changed the way people interacted in 2020. However, what we learned is that although people have been socially distancing, they do not want to be socially isolated. During the first two weeks of lockdown/quarantine (March 2020) – we saw an 18% increase in the daily user activity on BLK with users swiping 39% more and exchanging messages 61% more than they were pre-pandemic. Now here we are, 10 months later and we continue to see these positive trends month over month.
How is dating during a pandemic different than any other time?
People are taking more time to get to know one another on a deeper level and making more authentic connections. People are also finding creative ways to have “date nights” while being in separate homes – such as cooking a dinner together and watching streaming movies together, all while not being physically together.
What advice do you have for people when it comes to navigating dating apps?
Be open-minded. Be real. Understand that the next potential match is only a swipe away; therefore, present yourself in a way that will command attention to your profile page and make people intrigued, engaged, and interested. This means: (1) clear SOLO pics of you (nobody likes a group pic as your main pic and then have to figure out who is who), (2) take time to complete your bio, (3) state your intentions upfront.
Source: BLK App / BLK APP
What are some of the challenges Black people face with dating apps and how does BLK solve some of them?
Simply put, racism and discrimination. With the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice against Black people were on full display for the world to see. Not only do these injustices live in real life, they also show up in the digital world, including dating apps. A study released by OkCupid (also a Match Group company) discovered that Black women were the least desirable group on general market dating apps. On general market dating apps, Black women receive the least amount of message replies, inbound messages, and right swipes amongst any other racial or ethnic group. At BLK, we have created a space where Blackness is celebrated and appreciated in all its forms. We go beyond just dating. We engage our community in conversations around topical cultural and social issues and reclaiming and giving new meaning specific to the Black American experience and Black relationships. BLK is in the business of Black love because Black love is our business – not just during Black History Month, but 24/7/365.
Dating apps have a reputation for hookups and short-term relationships. What is the key to finding long-term happiness or even a marriage partner in these online spaces?
First, we must not shame hookups and short-term relationships as a culture. The beauty of the African diaspora is that it is not monochromatic nor indistinguishable. We are a collection of communities and as such miraculously multifaceted – even in how we define our own personal relationships. Although the majority of BLK users are high intent users, meaning they are looking for serious relationships, we also have users looking for something more casual. And that is 100% okay. As we look at Gen Z young Millennial generations, 75% of BLK users are under 35, this is the age group leading the change in defining their own rules in terms of relationship status, education, employment, and gender “norms.” The key to finding what you are looking for on a dating app – whether that is short or long-term is being open, honest, transparent, and authentic in your intentions upfront. This way you will not waste your time, or anyone else’s.
What does the future of dating look like, from your perspective?
A recent Stanford University study revealed that meeting online has become the most popular way U.S. couples meet – followed by restaurants and bars. So what we are seeing with the popularity of dating apps is not a new trend, it is something we’ve already noticed, just accelerated by COVID-19. As we look to 2021 and beyond, we do not see this trend changing. We will see people turning to dating apps as another social media platform to connect with people who understand who they are and their experiences, which is found on niche apps like BLK. With this will come additional features extending beyond the core dating product, but into more lifestyle and everyday in-app engagements. Dating apps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon!
So you’re open to the idea of online dating and willing to give it (another) shot, but not sure which dating sites should you use? Black dating apps like Soul Swipe, MELD, and BAE were created specifically for black people and offer more for the community than other dating apps. Here, I talk about these apps, and what each offers, to help you decide which app can finally help you take a shot at love.
Soul Swipe, MELD, BAE 3 Dating Apps For Black Singles
In this article:
The Online Search For Your Soul Mate
You’ve heard a lot about a free dating app called Tinder, and you decide to download it, create your Tinder profile, and start to swipe left or right. It’s as easy as swiping left if you don’t like what you see, or swiping right if you think you’re a match.
If you’re like millions of black singles who have tried to swipe to find your soul mate, you’ve probably deleted Tinder after your first conversation. You may have been overlooked by people you really liked and messaged by the kinds of people you’d never meet in real life. And, if you’re open to dating outside your race, you’re not sure if the person who contacted you is really into you or if he sees you as a sexual fetish.
Thus, it’s no wonder you’ve been tempted to delete all your dating apps once and for all. But, did you know there are apps designed specifically for black singles? These hot new apps bring together the black community and help men and women swipe for love in a safe space. Here are my top three you should try today:
1. Soul Swipe
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9WVWFhHX7/?taken-by=soulswipe
Soul Swipe dating app was one of the first dating apps to be called “The Black Tinder.” The app connects to your Facebook account and begins sending you profiles to view based on your location settings. From there, you “let your soul do the swiping!” If you and a potential match both swipe right, then, you are allowed to chat with each other.
What you should know:
Word on the street is that Soul Swipe reviews emphasize the app has a similar reputation as Tinder. It’s a site for casual daters, but that just means you have to do your work and screen through a lot of profiles to sort through the game players.
2. MELD
Elite Black Dating App “MELD” Hosts Event in Manhattan, New York City @MELD_app@BlackNewshttps://t.co/q8WptDGVvkpic.twitter.com/0Qj5HaS4UO
— blicqer™ (@blicqer) July 5, 2015
If casual dating isn’t your thing, then, you’ll want to try out MELD dating app, which was created for black professionals. The MELD app follows the same swiping concept as Tinder and Soul Swipe, but the dating pool is more selective. The creators of the app understood that for many black singles, it was important they connect with someone whose lifestyle, education level, and financial stability were compatible with their own. So, the MELD dating app was designed to connect to your LinkedIn account instead of Facebook.
Free Dating Apps For Black People
What you should know:
- The app has a greater base of users in areas where there’s a higher concentration of high achievers and high-income earners. If you’re in or around Atlanta, DC, LA, or Chicago, you’re more likely to have more profiles to look at than a person who lives in a tiny town in Mississippi. This just means you should be open to a long-distance relationship if you want to be successful with the app.
- There’s a paywall feature, meaning you can only look at 10 profiles per day for free. If you want more, you’ll need to subscribe and pay a monthly fee. The creators say this was done purposefully because they wanted only serious daters to use their apps. This means there are fewer people online who are playing games.
3. BAE
Student founder turns down Microsoft & Google to build his black dating app 'Bae': https://t.co/QNC1ntEClxpic.twitter.com/oBoePmIdkZ
— The Root (@TheRoot) March 31, 2016
The newest—and largest—black dating app on the scene is BAE, which stands for Before Anyone Else. Whereas the creators of MELD wanted to meet the needs of professional singles, the creators of BAE have an ambitious goal of having every single black person in the world download the app to their smartphone.
BAE was born when co-creators and biological brothers Brian and Justin Gerrard noticed their white male friend had 50 matches on Tinder in one week, while their African American male friend had only five. As a way to address the racial discrimination many black daters experience in cyberspace, the brothers, along with a friend, created the app and launched it at Howard University.
Online Dating Apps For Black People
What you should know:
Online Dating Apps For Black People
- As a newer app, BAE appeals to millennials and has many college-aged users as well as more established alumni.
- You can potentially have more matches on this app, as users can view up to 30 profiles every eight hours.
Watch this interview from A League of Her Own with Justin Gerrard, one of the creators of BAE app:
Online dating is challenging, especially when you’ve got more melanin than the average Tinder user, but apps like Soul Swipe, MELD, and BAE are hoping to change the online dating scene for black singles. The type of dating site you choose can mean the difference between frustration and finding true love. Give these new black dating apps a try, and begin your journey to finding long-term relationships. Who knows, your new bae may be a swipe away!
Which dating app will you try? We want to know your answer in the comments section below!
Up Next: Singles: Are You Equally Yoked In Dating and What Does It Really Mean?
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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on April 20, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.