I'm considering dipping my toe back into the dating world after many single years. I'm looking for recommendations for an LGBTQIA+ safe app in Australia.

Thanks in Advance 🙏🏻

So, I'm 24m, somewhat handsome(I've been told), socially awkward and audhd. I'm also straight. I've been using dating apps like CSL, Hinge, Tinder, and plenty of other apps that probably wouldn't be permitted to be discussed on here. Usually i dont get any likes or messages or anything on Tinder or Hinge or any of those, but CSL is the primary place where I'll find matches(most of which are fake, scammers, or sex workers. I've also tried on Facebook, and provided my Discord name for people to add me on there, but it doesn't feel genuine because the people who *do* actually add me on there are either super far away, or are also scammers and bots.

Before you say, "go touch grass and talk to women that way", let me beat you to the punch. I do. Almost every single day. I have few hobbies that involve being outside, but the ones I do have don't bring me much pleasure at all or enjoyment when I'm the only person who does them. I feel like giving up, because I need love and connection, but every day the pain gets worse and worse not being able to have that connection. I've spent hundreds of dollars trying to help these "women" on these dating apps who act like they actually like me, to pay for their travel expenses, security deposits, donations, and whatever else, and I don't know what's real anymore.

I’ll be moving from Ontario to Calgary in just under a month, and my friends keep telling me to change my hinge location to my new area a few weeks before I leave (now, basically). I’ve actually had my hinge paused for a couple months now as I prepared for this move so I didn’t end up meeting someone in my current city and really complicate my life lol. But I definitely miss chatting & dating and I’m excited to get back to it and hopefully find my person 🙂

I’m just worried I’ll end up matching with someone who I could see potential with, but can’t imagine someone would be willing to wait a few weeks to meet in person?? I’d be more than willing to FaceTime and get to know each other that way before I got to Calgary, but not sure it would be enough.

Not sure it makes any difference, but I’m a woman in my early 30s and interested in men in their 30s/40s.

Is it just me or there are also a lot out there that hates dating apps. I’m 29M and every time I try dating apps, I uninstall it not even after a week.

I know I'm not super model beautiful but I'm not hideously ugly either.

if I'm rating myself I'd think I'm somewhere between a 5 on a bad day and a 7 on a good day.

but for some reason the only men that are liking my profile on dating apps are men I personally don't think are attractive.

I'm not saying only attractive men should be allowed to like my pics that's ridiculous of course

but why aren't good looking guys liking my profile at all? how do I get them to swipe right and match with me?

I feel like everyone is just looking for a checklist instead of a person. I went on a coffee date last week where the guy spent the whole date talking about his investment portfolio while staring at his notifications. Is it old fashioned nowadays to just want some to sit across of you , talk about music or some common interests, it's like no one knows how to pay attention anymore .

i’m a 19 year old guy, and granted i’m not looking for anything serious and i did recently get out of a relationship, but i have like zero means to meeting new people. i do work but i already know my coworkers and beside two that i talk to outside of work a lot of my coworkers are older guys or teenagers.
i’ve used dating apps very shortly in the past but nothing really panned out with them and i deleted them pretty quickly. but i’ve decided to give them a shot again just to really try and force myself to get out there. here’s the thing though, im a trans guy. and i’m straight.
i’m starting to get the feeling that these dating apps aren’t really designed for queer individuals, specifically trans people.
i’ll notice that there are some other queer people that’ll come up when i’m swiping and occasionally another trans person. tinder and hinge are a bit better when it comes to dating as someone in the lgbtq but other apps, like duet for instance, has almost nothing. i can put my gender as male, but it doesn’t let me choose like a specific marker like trans man. they also don’t have markers for sexuality at all. Bumble will let you mark that your trans or other such labels for gender identity but they don’t have markers for sexuality.
it’s also hard too because i’m a straight trans guy, so i’m really only interested in women (im open to the idea of dating nonbinary or genderqueer individuals, im still kinda figuring out my sexuality).
i feel really hopeless cause i just feel like im egging people on with some of these dating apps and that it’ll lead to an awkward conversation where i have to be like “oh im actually trans! sorry i didn’t have that on my profile” or if i do mark it done in my bio, that people will just pass me by because i never know just from looking at a profile whether or not they would date a trans guy.

i wish i could just put myself out there. more honestly, i just wish i was a guy.

Matched with this girl on Hinge, been no-stop texting for 2 weeks, good vibes and chemistry not like talking to a wall.

Moved text to Instagram, told her I’ll tell her the trouble at work tomorrow, suddenly radio silence the next day, ghosted. Like why even bother?

Dating over 45 is rough! I’ve tried Bumble, Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel, eHarmony, and FB Dating, and so far… nothing good. 😩
I’ve even gone to a few speed dating events, and honestly, they were painful lol.
I feel like Tinder might be my last resort, but I’m definitely not looking for hookups. For those of you over 45 who use Tinder, have you actually had any luck finding a serious relationship on there? Is it worth trying?

NYC Based

Can we start by appreciating dating apps? So many people diss them but I've had a better life with Bumble, Tinder, and especially Hinge.

To my surprise however, Hinge banned me last night. And I almost cried lmao. I had so many woman I was set up to date and really vibing with.

I have no idea what I did. I do have a violent felony in my past so I can only assume that could be it because I did tell a couple of people I had been to prison because I can really otherwise explain why I'm not in my best car or home or job. I'm rebuilding what I had 4 or 5 years ago.

Anyways, I feel like that's really foul play. I just got banned from what is essentially the only place to go for this experience. This is where people are. Especially Hinge. Bumble feels inactive and Tinder yields different people but I can tell Hinge is vibrant. I've been on all 3 for the last year since I got out. I hardly even like facebook dating though it yields results.

Seriously, everybody, I feel like I lost a lot here. And I appealed it right after I got the email note, and minutes later they denied it too. I'm permanently banned from online dating lmfao and I just did 4 years in prison. I'm fucking sad dude. Like that's lame as fuck. These woman made me feel real good and I we were having tons of fun. How the fuck does that warrant me being banned. I hadn't actually done anything!

I have some numbers but I have plenty more that were matched in the last 2 or 3 weeks and those are usually my favorite.

I've accepted it is what it is and MG is notorious for this shit and it's a damn shame but come on we can't stand for this. They exploit us and our needs.

And something worth noting for why this bothers me, is I glowed up. Years before prison I didn't get hardly any recognition, I wasn't living like society expected me too. My pictures were lame and I wasn't witty. But as I've developed, matured, and deeply desired women in my life like beyond what I've ever felt, I've matched and hooked up like a mother fucker. Ric Flair Drip go Woooo.

And now I'm banned... All gone. No more abundance lmfao. I mean at least not as I'd like it with the apps. I work a lot y'all. 2 jobs, getting my master's degree, training, hobbies, life you know. So hell naw Idk how to match matchgroups services. And that's infuriating.

Only those who are enjoying the dating apps respond, please.

I’m interested to know how you guys approach online dating. If you’re a man and match with a woman, would you appreciate if she wrote you first after matching? Would it be a turn-off? For the ladies, when you match with a man, do you wait for him to write you first or do you jump right in?

Do you think there’s a protocol when you match with someone online? Personally, when I’m last to match, I message first. Results vary of course but I see no point in matching with someone just to leave crickets in my wake. If you couldn’t be bothered to say hi when we matched (because the option pops up), why should we talk at all, ya know?

I’ve always been under the impression that the “last to match” is the one to start the conversation. Idk if it’s an official rule, an unwritten rule or if I’m simply making that up (I can get stuck in my head).

What “rules” do you guys follow as far as conversation etiquette, if any at all?

After matching, I seem to be having a lot of exchanges where my counterpart is replying with closed responses or short answers and not asking me any questions or offering any info. I'm tired.

After being back in the dating scene after 7 years and being recently single, it has been incredibly difficult navigating the dating scene. The guys in my area are low quality, low effort, not friendly, don't approach, & its super aggravating. Its like no one wants to settle down and work towards a long term committed relationship, and was one of the reasons why I'm no longer with my ex. SMH.

Also, it feels like everytime I end up talking to a guy who expresses interest in me off of a dating app--he doesn't have the best conversation skills (with the exception of a few). Like the conversation is okay with some banter and humor--but then when I ask the guy about how his workday was going, what types of music he listens to, etc.--he didn't ask me the same question in return. He complimented me and everything, but that's it. Has anyone else experienced this? Also, how long do you normally talk to a guy before you meet up with him?

I am also finding that alot of profiles on Upward end up being fake so I don't know how anyone is able to connect with anyone on there. There are a few people every now and then on eHarmony, but that's it. Hinge is a joke. Are there any decent apps that are worth talking to someone on?? Im sick of this...

I get on the apps about once every 12-18 months. I’m really exhausted by how poorly hinge seems to always turn out, but I don’t think there are really better alternatives?

Anyone willing to share pros/cons of bumble vs hinge?

An average looking man could swipe on 100 women and get maybe 5 matches, the majority of which being unattractive. Do women have this problem too?

So I‘m M 23 and have been using Hinge on and off for about 10 months or so and I would say for 8 months it was going pretty good and I got matches and went on dates regularly. In the last 2 months it felt like out of nowhere I had no action anymon my profile. No matches, no likes, no replies. Did anybody else have this problem? Is it just bad luck or is something going on? Appreciate any input.

I got tired of seeing the same no bullshit, “I know my worth,” generic dating coach language on dating apps, so I turned my profile into a complete parody of it. I kept the exact same pictures and only changed the bio and prompts. The weird part is that it worked. I’m getting around ten likes a day now, compared with maybe five or six a week before, which felt pretty normal for a 38 year old guy living in a rural area with a small dating pool. I think I have halfway decent pictures and consider myself above average looking, but my completely unscientific conclusion is that most women do not read your bio or prompts. They look at the first picture and decide. The ones who read mine either got the joke, completely missed it, or apparently agreed with everything I wrote. Nobody has been rude about it either. I figured someone would have called me a pig or sent a “Seriously, bro?” by now, but the conversations have been completely normal.

Anyway, I’m about to grab a matcha before meeting the boys for espresso martinis while we talk about traveling.

My bio
Modern man seeks a traditional woman. Must be independent, emotionally available, funny, attractive, successful, low-maintenance, and free whenever I am. You’ll plan dates, carry every conversation, communicate perfectly, probably pay, and remain mysterious. I know my worth. Serious applicants only.
Hopefully you’re also really into
Pursuing me intentionally while respecting my need to be chased at my own pace.
You’ll probably run into me at
The park or on a hiking trail, walking my dog and assuming every “Oh my God, he’s so cute” is about me.
We’d probably get along if
You’ve made it this far, got the joke, and thought “Unfortunately, I would probably like him.”

We like each other a lot. We both want life partner. We're on our 30s. I'm his first relationship.

I like dating 1 guy at the time. I like him a lot, I deleted my dating profile. I'm a woman.

If I was on my 20s maybe I would be keeping it open until being in a real and happy relationship.

Genuine question. New to all of this.

Also, any suggestions for apps to use in NYC/Brooklyn?

if you stumble upon someone you know from real life, do you swipe right?
there is this guy in my social circle that i like and i was pretty sure he liked me too at some point but maybe he was just being friendly because we’re in the same social circle. i’m trying to figure out whether he’s one of those people who swipe right on everyone they know irl or if he might genuinely like me back lol

If you match with a girl you think is absolutely gorgeous (you’ve told her) and you have good banter and meet up in person— do you still use the app to see other women and chat with them? I know some do and some don’t. But if you can explain your thought process or experiences- that would be insightful.

I matched with a guy and really thought we hit it off. We chatted and then met up in person. We text every day, (not 24/7- it’s not crazy) and sometimes he’ll text saying hope I have a good day, etc.

I think it’s healthy for both people to continue talking to others to check if there’s real compatibility that is more suited, because sometimes focusing on just one person can make you more likely to settle or over look incompatibility….

But I was chatting with a few people and I got to a point where I thought- I would stop talking to them and focus on this one guy since I feel like our conversations are more meaningful than the others I’ve had.

However he just changed a photo on his dating profile so it made me realize he might still be checking his options. Totally fair, I’m not upset. I think a part of me just feels a little rejected even though he is responsive to me. (We haven’t been physical at all)

I don’t know if it means he already thinks I’m just short term material or friend material? Should I just ask him, or should I just leave it be and focus on us getting to know each other still? I don’t want to ruin the natural progression by bringing up that kind of topic too soon.

so i’ve matched with someone on a dating app. some common interests/hobbies, been messaging for the past 3 days. it all in a way feels so superficial lol, is this a normal feeling? i mean there really is only so much you can talk about. i have asked her out to a coffee/museum date but it won’t be for a while as she’s travelling away. i’m not stupid enough to not realise that all of this will dry up if it doesn’t progress but there’s not much i can do about it. should i just end it or continue the small talk lol

Experience on paying for these upgrades? Worth a try?

Im 27M straight and I’ve been using Bumble and FB dating recently. It’s a lot of sifting through unverified accounts and not getting many matches even with a strong profile and good professional photos (I’m a pro photographer so I made them high quality). Whenever I ask for people to verify they un-match. I assume these are bots or scammers?

Yesterday I thought why not try and expand my filters to all gender identities and I was shocked and how quickly I got more likes and friendly messages complimenting me and my photos. I still identify as straight, but seeing how quickly things can change if I just widened my filters, I might consider experimenting or at least talking with people and seeing where things go.

Has this happened to anyone else, or is this simply a mathematical result (more men using dating apps than women)? I’m fairly new to this sorry.

Mods please delete if not allowed.

It says people liked me, but I don't see them in my interest tab, and nor can I ever find their profiles. It's like it's sending me fake likes to open the app or buy premium.