During his swearing-in ceremony on Monday, President Donald Trump made a notable declaration to those gathered for his inauguration: “From this point forward, the policy of the United States government will recognize only two genders: male and female.” Following this statement, Trump signed an executive order criticizing what the White House termed “gender ideology,” asserting that a person’s sex is “not changeable and is rooted in fundamental and undeniable reality.”
This executive order, which many viewed as a misguided attempt to undermine the rights of transgender and gender-diverse individuals, further directed federal agencies “to mandate that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately represent the holder’s sex,” rather than their gender identity. This was one of 78 orders signed on Monday, with several aimed at reversing Biden-era policies that “socially engineer race and gender into every facet of public and private life.”
While the executive order primarily influences federal policy, the wider implications are significant. It has only been ten years since Facebook’s “real name” policy complicated the ability for individuals to have accounts under names different from those on their identification. Facebook has since revised these rules, but as companies like Meta pave the way for narratives that suggest trans individuals suffer from “mental illness,” secure online spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals appear to be diminishing. Yet, one area of refuge remains: dating applications.
In light of Trump’s executive order, Match Group and Feeld both informed WIRED that they have no plans to change the gender identity options available on their respective platforms.
“We are not altering our apps,” states a spokesperson for Match Group, which owns OkCupid, Tinder, Hinge, and various other dating services.
It is uncertain how other tech firms will react to the executive order. Some, like Meta, appeared to be making overtures toward the incoming Trump administration prior to this announcement. Earlier this month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the company would dismantle its third-party fact-checking process and shift to a Community Notes model, reminiscent of X.
Zuckerberg framed the sudden shift as an effort to enhance free speech across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads and to increase the presence of political discourse. “We’re going to simplify our content policies and eliminate numerous restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are simply out of step with mainstream conversations,” Zuckerberg asserted in a video accompanying the announcement.
Should the online environment become less welcoming for LGBTQ+ individuals throughout Trump’s tenure, platforms like OkCupid, Feeld, and Hinge could serve as essential hubs for connection. “In a period when many of our civil rights are jeopardized, dating apps have the potential to act as vital spaces for gender, racial, and sexual inclusivity,” remarks Apryl Williams, a communication and digital studies professor at the University of Michigan.
Over ten years ago, in 2014, OkCupid broadened its gender options for users to encompass identities such as transgender, pangender, intersex, agender, and genderqueer. It was among the pioneers in dating apps to accurately reflect the nuances of identity online and how it evolves. At present, Tinder offers a “beyond binary” option, while Hinge permits users to select “nonbinary” on their profiles.
