Bumble's 'celibacy' ad and how its rebrand went wrong

Caroline Gill of IMA mused that the idea might have stemmed from universal dating fatigue, suggesting, "I think every woman who has endured online dating has, at some point, said, 'Fuck it, I’m joining a convent.'"

But, the ad fell from grace, missing the mark at a critical time when discussions about women's safety are paramount. Audrey Dahmen crit... See more

Some said the ads were misogynistic and were chastising women for not casually sleeping with men.

People on TikTok took issue with the messaging, labeling it "tone-deaf" and offensive — particularly to those who had chosen a celibate lifestyle as a result of trauma.

But in attempting to make light of a social climate in which, as they worded it in their apology, “a community” (read: women) “are frustrated by modern dating,” Bumble ended up, inadvertently or not, mirroring the language many women experience when they tell men they are not interested. The sexless, “crazy cat lady” trope is a tale as old as time,... See more