Charles Langston:New Bumble feature gives women a different way to 'make the first move'

Bumble is Charles Langstongiving women more ways to "make the first move" as it introduced a new feature on the dating app Tuesday.

Since 2014, Bumble is a dating app that has been women-centric, allowing women have control of their dating lives. With a nod to the company's slogan, "make the first move," women have a new way to get the conversation going.

“Opening Moves” is a new Bumble feature that gives women the opportunity to make their move without the hassle of an uncomfortable conversation. The feature allows women to choose a prompt question or create their own question that they want all of their potential suitors to answer, at which point a conversation can begin.

The feature's goal is to empower women to have more control and options in dating, Bumble wrote on its website.

“We have always believed that when you make dating better for women, you make it better for everyone. In listening to our community, many have shared their exhaustion with the current online dating experience, and for some, that includes making the first move," Bumble CEO, Lidiane Jones, said in the news release.

"We’re also hearing from women that empowerment today is not only about control but it’s also about agency," Jones continues. "And we’re excited to offer more choice in how women make the first move with our new Opening Moves feature.”

Bumble also said the feature is not solely for heterosexual couples; same-sex and non-binary couples can join in too. Either person can respond to their match's question on the feature.

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Why did Bumble decide to launch its new 'Opening Moves' feature?

Staying true to its "women-first" mindset, Bumble's decision to launch the new feature was prompted after women using the app spoke about their experiences, with some complaining about having to carry too much of the conversation, a company spokesperson told USA TODAY.

What prompts can users set to be answered by their matches?

Some prompt examples include:

• What does your perfect weekend look like?
• What’s your favorite karaoke song? 
• What’s something about you I wouldn’t know from your profile? 

Are there any more features that Bumble is launching?

The Bumble spokesperson said along with "Opening Moves" the app is releasing the following features:

• Dating intentions: Users will be able to specify what type of relationship they are looking for. The options include:
  • long-term relationship
  • life partner
  • fun, casual dates
  • intimacy without commitment
  • ethical non-monogamy
  • marriage
• For You (previously called Best Bees): Will give users four curated profiles based on the users' preferences and previous matches.
• Profile commonalities: Do you like talking your dog for a walk or visiting a local bookstore for a new good read? Bumble will now show what you have in common with another user at the top of their profile. This feature will also include Spotify artists for all the music lovers out there.
• Photo requirement: Users will now have to put four photos on their profiles in order to boost their chances of getting a match.

What if a Bumble user does not like the response their match gave to the 'Opening Moves' question? 

The Bumble spokesperson explained that women have the option to reply or leave the person on read.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.