POLL: Women can take control of dating with these new generation apps

Women get to make the first move with new generation of dating apps, writes Deirdre Reynolds.

TA-RA Tinder - now there’s a new dating app generating buzz among Ireland’s single gals and guys.

Designed by women for women, Bumble is just the first in a long line of female-friendly dating apps set to hit smartphones here.

And blocking blokes from making the first move, it promises less creeps and cheats in the pursuit of Mr Right, even if just for the night.

Just two months after becoming available on android, and a year after launching on iOS, users in Cork, Dublin, and Galway are already rapidly swiping left or right à la Tinder, according to the US company.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe, 26, explained why she left Tinder to set up her own “feminist dating app”.

“I always found it bizarre or strange that there was this unwritten set of rules around how a woman could interact with a man, in terms of starting a conversation.

"While a man traditionally is always expected to make the first move, he risks rejection in a real way.

“On Bumble, by having the lady make the first move, [the man] doesn’t feel rejection or aggression — he feels flattered. That one little shift, that one little change, makes all the difference.”

Tinder’s erstwhile head of marketing — who infamously sued her former employer for sexual harassment — continued: “Now, women are expected to be equal to men in so many capacities — financially, career-wise, in education — yet the one disconnect was, and is, with relationships.

“For the first time in the tech space, the woman has been encouraged to be on an even playing field.”

Siren, Antidate, Dapper, and Hinge are just some of the other female-oriented apps spreading like Wildfire — incidentally the name of another such app — throughout the States.

After rating (and slating) Tinder for Ireland’s Technology Blog, Hazel Tymlin, 35, isn’t surprised that Irish women are seemingly making a beeline for Bumble: “Having tried Tinder for research, sadly I found it to be mostly men looking for a quick hook-up, whether they have a significant other or not.

"Bumble is a nice take on Tinder and gives us ladies a bit more control. Having control of who can contact you is certainly a plus, as it means no unsolicited messages.

“I think women, for the most part, would much rather meet people in real life,” added ITB’s resident ‘Gadget Girl’, who blogs at www.irelandstechnologyblog.com

“On the other side of 40 though, women often find it hard to meet someone outside the workplace, so apps like Bumble can be a good place to start.”

Despite being famous for covering hits like I’m a Little Bit Lonely, country singer Lisa McHugh isn’t sold on online dating. Bombarded with messages that give fresh meaning to ‘country blues’, she thinks the new girl power apps are a great idea.

“I agree that women should have to give the go-ahead before men can send them messages,” says single McHugh, 27, who previously dated fellow country star, Nathan Carter.

“I’ve had come very crude and sleazy messages come through Facebook and Snapchat. I just tend to delete them and block the person so it doesn’t happen again.”

Boasting a male to female ratio of 47:53 in the US and Canada, Siren CEO Susie Lee reveals she’s hoping to take the app across the Atlantic in 2016: “We’ve had great interest from Ireland after an article [on Siren] appeared in The Guardian last year, and would love to expand there.

"Our intention is to grow our community with quality members, not the fastest downloads deletes, which is typical of other dating apps.

“At Siren, we’d describe ourselves as ‘human-friendly’, but positive experiences for women are good for everyone.

"We move away from photo-forward, swipe-to-reject platforms and towards real conversations and connections.

"We’re also partnering with local businesses to offer members exclusive invites to events, so that your first date is not just coffee, but something you’re excited to do together.”

Following a string of bad dates with “guys who looked nothing like their profile photos”, Cambridge graduate Hatty Kingsley-Miller joined forces with pal Mo Saha to set up Antidate, a geolocation-based app which allows women to remain ‘invisible’ until they initiate conversation with male users.

And dating could soon become Antidating this side of the Irish sea too, she says: “Antidate works like a one-way glass: The girls can see the guys on the map, but the guys can’t see the girls until the girls approach them via a tap [like] or message.

"So far, 80% of the women who initiate a conversation get a reply and conversation ensues. We’ve also had zero dodgy photos or abusive messages since launching in 2014 — almost unheard of for a dating app.

“We have had a lot of emails from potential Antidaters in Ireland, so we know that it’s going to be a good fit. We’re currently working on some new features for the second version of the app, but are hoping to roll it out city by city this summer.”

Cork-based social media consultant Damien Mulley predicts both will be a hit among modern-thinking Irish women and men.

“More and more women are looking for love online, yet most of the dating apps currently in existence are designed by men for men,” he says.

“Tinder is for white North American or European men, really. I definitely think there’s there a market for more female-friendly dating apps.

“The marketing of it as a woman driven-safe space with a subtle, or not so subtle, ‘no creeps’ — or ‘less creeps’ — promise will be important. The worry of course is that men will pretend to be women to make contact.”

Despite falling out of love with Tinder, Today FM’s Shauna O’Reilly — who’s been single for five years — confessed she’s still searching for her apply ever after.

“The worst thing about Tinder is the lack of chivalry,” claims the 29-year-old, who presents Friday Night 90s, as well as being a researcher on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show.

“Dating used to be a bit of a dance: the first text, the first date, the first kiss, all that stuff was fun. Now everything is on the table straight off.

“Some lads don’t even bother making to say ‘Hey’, they simply text, ‘Wanna hook up?’ It’s very off-putting.

“For the first couple of years after my last long-term relationship I was too busy enjoying myself to look for anything serious,” added Shauna.

“Now I’m definitely looking to meet someone nice. Although I’d prefer to meet someone face to face, I’ll keep an open mind about the new dating apps.

“Maybe the old cliché about meeting someone when you least expect it will come true!”

Elsewhere at Today FM colleague Fergal D’Arcy — who’s been single for the past year — insisted he’s happy to play the perfect gentleman on the latest lady-led dating apps.

If he gets the chance, that is.

“I’ve downloaded and deleted Tinder more than any other app,” jokes the 33 year-old, who can be heard from 7-9pm Monday to Thursday.

“But I’ve yet to go on a single date from it. To be honest, I don’t rate it — it’s a bit superficial.

“Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer to bump into someone, strike up a conversation and see where it goes,” says Fergal.

“That said, I’d have no problem with a woman making the first move online.

“After that, I’d be polite and mannerly and try to take the lead — if she lets me!”

New women-friendly dating apps

ANTIDATE: Likened to a one-way mirror, this geolocation-based app allows female users to see men on a map, but only allows male users to see women once given a ‘tap’.

BUMBLE: Like Tinder, both men and women swipe right on this “feminist” app, but only female users can start the conversation and have just 24 hours to make a move before the match disappears.

SIREN: Enabling women to remain “invisible”, users of this app suss each other out based on a “question of the day” instead — if a woman likes a guy’s answer, she can reveal her profile.