Bumble

the dating industry at large is perpetually badgering single people to redownload, buy premium subscriptions, and remain in the romantic marketplace. This begs the question: Has a celibate woman become more threatening than a sexual one?

"Decentering men is working," Regina said. "And all these companies that rely on using you as the product are scrambling, trying to get you back in. Dating sites used to be free because you're the product. They are selling you to men without your consent.".

The celibacy ads might have angered people no matter which brand posted them, but they seemed to really hit a nerve coming from Bumble. Women have associated Bumble with empowerment in what can be a bleak market for daters.

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.

At its core, her “boysober” year is about learning how to say no.

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

Researchers have posited that the rise in sexlessness could be linked to decreasing alcohol consumption among young people and an increase in time spent on social media. But for the young celibate women interviewed by Insider, it's a direct reaction to feeling oversexualized and undervalued by their male counterparts.

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

When it comes to the business of dating apps, the most relevant principle isn’t necessarily patriarchal, but inherently capitalist: celibate, app-less women are not lucrative, an issue that the entire industry is grappling with.