What to know
- Bumble has ended its signature women-message-first rule, which helped distinguish the dating app after its 2014 launch.
- Under the new system, either person in a match can send one opening message, with the conversation beginning once the recipient replies.
- Bumble says users wanted more flexibility and less pressure when starting conversations.
- Toronto daters had mixed reactions, with some welcoming the flexibility and others questioning whether the change removes what made Bumble different.
- Some women also raised concerns about potentially receiving inappropriate opening messages.
For more than a decade, Bumble had one rule that separated it from many of its dating-app rivals: women made the first move. Now, that’s changing — and Toronto daters aren’t entirely convinced.
Bumble has ended its signature women-message-first requirement, allowing either person in a heterosexual match to send an opening message.
“Bumble was built on the belief that when you make dating better for women, it’s better for everyone. While that vision hasn’t changed, how women want to connect and date has,” a Bumble spokesperson told Now Toronto.
Over the years, and through early trials, Bumble says it has seen better outcomes since allowing anyone to send an opening line.
On Tuesday, the rollout became official, so here’s what to expect:
- Anyone in a match can send a single opening message.
- Conversations will only open when the recipient replies.
- Nudges will keep messages intentional.
- Recipients will now have 72 hours to respond, 48 hours more than previously.
“While women making the first move was a radical idea, being women-first was never about prescribing just one way to connect. It was about designing an experience with women’s needs in mind to create better outcomes for everyone,” Whitney Wolfe Herd, Founder and CEO of Bumble, said in a press release.
“Today, our community is asking for more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections, and that is what this new experience provides. This evolution isn’t a departure from our founding vision, but the realization of it,” she added.
So, for this edition of This Is Dating Now, we asked Torontonians about their thoughts on Bumble allowing anyone to message first.
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Does it matter who messages first?: How do Toronto daters feel about the change and new rollout?
Toronto resident Maggie H. says that she feels weird about the “premise of removing a feature.”
“I think it’s cool that Bumble had women reach out first. It kind of creates more comfort for women to do that first and foremost,” she said. “Now that it’s removed, anyone can mesh, so it’s a little bit weird to me.”
Toronto resident Jason L. thinks it doesn’t matter who texts first, but agrees with Maggie that removing a feature is odd.
“I don’t think it really matters. I think either one should be allowed to [text first], but getting rid of that feature doesn’t make any sense,” he said.
“Why would you implement it and then take it back?” Jason questioned.
Meanwhile, Toronto resident Warner C. thinks it’s a controversial decision.
“It was a little bit more empowering, but I think the norm is generally towards men messaging first,” he told Now Toronto.
Could opening up first messages lead to more unwanted DMs?
Maggie H. is concerned that she might open a message and find it inappropriate.
“There are a lot of creepy men out there,” she said.
So, she suggests adding topic suggestions and further message filtering.
Warner C. agrees, suggesting message filtering as well.
“Make sure that no nasty or harmful messages are being sent,” he said.
Though he supports the idea that this open-sided first-message opportunity might open more doors and allow people to meet more frequently.
