A “kindr” version of Grindr in the works

Dating app Grindr might finally be ready to deal with the issue of racism and bullying on its platform. Or is it?

In a strange release, Grindr tweeted a video with a voiceover saying: “When someone says something like I don’t date black people, that’s all black people, that’s what I refer to as sexual racism.” There is a link to a website called kindr.grindr.com with the same voiceover, the date of September 2018, and the quote “It’s time to play nice.”

There is no other information, and Grindr has not said anything else about it.

Still, the popular app has been under fire for years for not addressing how people behave on the site, and has been accused of turning a blind eye to racism, transphobia and bullying.

“Grindr has the resources and potential to become something positive and inclusive for the LGBTQ community in the future,” model and trans activist Munroe Bergdorf wrote on Instagram a few days ago. “I just hope they make the necessary changes to do so.”

View this post on Instagram

Thank you to everyone who trusted me with your experiences of abuse. Grindr has the resources and potential to become something positive and inclusive for the LGBTQ community in the future. I just hope they make the necessary changes to do so. I'm looking forward to discussing this at length with them next week. Well done to everyone who tagged them in the comments, community strength! ??

A post shared by ＭＵＮＲＯＥ ?? (@munroebergdorf) on Jul 26, 2018 at 7:10am PDT

Bergdorf then shared some screen shots. “No cotton pickers,” said one. “Blacks are unattractive and ugly to even look at,” said another.

She revealed a little later that Grindr had reached out and asked for a meeting to discuss what the app could do.

“We are looking forward to our meeting with Munroe Bergdorf next week to speak with her at length about the details of this planned campaign, including specific in-app changes we intend to implement, to help make Grindr a kinder, more inclusive platform for our users,” Grindr said in a press release about the meeting.

Everyone has their sexual preferences; there’s just no need to be nasty when expressing them.