Nobody asked Bumble, the dating app used by 23 million people, to enter the gun control debate. And yet, it did — by announcing a new policy to ban all photos that show guns. This isn’t gun control; it’s picture-of-a-gun control.
Bumble’s CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd explained the decision to Time, saying, “This is a matter of safety and a matter of what is taking place in our country right now. … We should not normalize a hobby and allow that to be exposed to millions of people.”
First of all, seeing a photo with a gun in it does not make the viewer any less safe. Second, the hobby is already normalized whether Bumble likes it or not: one out of every four American adults owns a gun.
Wolfe Herd continued. “We want women — and men — to feel comfortable, to feel safe, and feel secure. Weapons don’t send that message.” It’s as if she has never heard of a weapon being used for self-defense!
Like so many gun control proposals, this one has good intentions and bad ramifications. (Bumble also put its money where its mouth is by planning to donate $100,000 to the March for Our Lives event.)
Since Bumble assumes that all gun owners are predisposed to commit violent crimes, why is it asking these people to hide their guns? It’d be like Tinder saying “Hey, you submitted a photo of yourself with a ski mask and a chainsaw, but that image violates our rules. We deleted it so that you can continue using our platform to meet people who will have no clue you’re into that stuff.”
The answer here is that Bumble doesn’t really think all gun owners are threats. In fact, their policy makes two specific exceptions: Police officers and members of the military can include photos of themselves in uniform with their weapon.
The app isn’t getting rid of gun enthusiasts, only the photos that show them as such. This puts Bumblers in the uncomfortable position of having to guess whether or not someone likes guns. Sure, you could always ask in the chat … but it could be uncomfortable to ask a virtual stranger. Plus, a photo of someone holding a gun provides valuable information about how they view the weapon: Is it merely an accessory to look edgy and strike a pose, or is it a tool for a hunter wearing safety gear?
It would be better for Bumble users to see the full picture — literally! — of their potential matches. Considering that gun ownership might be a dealbreaker for many daters, it’s far better to realize that early, swipe left, and spare the time and the emotional energy of both parties. Some gun enthusiasts may choose to self-censor those photos anyway. But if shooting is a big part of one’s life, the controversial hobby is worth mentioning up front. To quote the immortal rom-com “Easy A”: “Let your freak flag fly.”
This new policy could also skew Bumble’s user base. It is the app where men cannot make the first move, but can only respond to what a woman sends. Now, it’s also the dating app for people who think guns are scary. Both of these things are deterrents for a lot of men who act like men. And when those men stop using the app, lots of women will follow suit.
Angela Morabito (@AngelaLMorabito) writes about politics, media, ethics, and culture. She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Georgetown University and has appeared on “On the Record with Greta van Susteren” as well as “Cavuto: Coast to Coast.”
