When it comes to LGBTQ rights, Eastern Europe has been regressing steadily over the past few years. Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria have all passed decidedly anti-gay laws. It isn’t just politicians either. When polled citizens are against gay marriage and other rights. All of this appears to be part of a move towards far-right politics and nationalism.
Despite all of this, there are bright spots. Younger Europeans are still moving towards more progressive stances on these issues, despite there being vocally regressive groups. People are willing to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights in Eastern Europe globally. Some of them got together to create the dating app TAIMI.
What is Taimi?
Taimi is a dating app that decidedly centers on the queer experience. This Ukrainian-based dating app stands out from its competitors. Rather than creating a dating app based on hetero norms, Taimi is designed from the ground up as a decidedly queer app. This is in contrast to so many apps that are designed for straights first with gay dating as a mere afterthought.
The Taimi app is great for trans people, gays, lesbians, ace/aro, non-binary, pansexuals, and others. It celebrates gay culture and doesn’t demand that users date the straight way.
How Does Taimi Stand for Gay Rights?
It would be easy for an Eastern European dating app to make a few meaningless and performative gestures toward promoting equality and freedom while never actually taking a meaningful stand. However, this isn’t what Taimi has done. Instead, it has built advocacy and activism into every area of its business. Here are just a few examples.
Staffing and Operations
The commitments of the Taimi organization start in-house. Representation matters, and it matters in all levels of the organization. There are members of the LGBTQ+ community in key decision-making positions at Taimi. Policy reflects that commitment to diversity in hiring, promotions, and internal communications.
Next comes marketing and advertising. Sexual and gender diversity is reflected in the ads, visuals, influencers, and more.
Finally, take a look at how the dating app works for users. It isn’t just designed for one on one, traditionally monogamous. Taimi is specifically designed to work with people interested in a variety of approaches to dating and relationships. This includes polyamorous folx.
Community Accountability
Taimi also stands out for its willingness to fight against bigotry and hatred that exists within the gay community. While other apps and dating sites not-so-subtly enable a dating culture that uses a sick form of respectability politics to marginalize groups of people, Taimi stands up for those groups. Standing for queer rights means standing for:
- Trans queers
- Fat queers
- Nonbinary queers
- Disabled queers
- Femmes
- BIPOC queers
- Twinks
- Butch lesbians
- More
It doesn’t mean propping up CIS, white straight-acting men as the ideal in an effort to pander for acceptance in the straight community.
Taimi’s own community rules reflect this. They have strong policies against hateful language and bullying. They don’t hesitate to enforce these standards. All of this is done with the goal of ensuring that LGBTQ people feel welcomed. The company has even implemented steps to ensure its own content passes ethical standards.
Activism and Social Responsibility
A popular dating app like Taimi becomes an important communication platform. People in the gay community don’t just look to Taimi for dating experiences. They want to know where the company stands on gay rights, sexual freedoms, gender identity, and other issues. Taimi isn’t hesitant to make its position clear, and show unwavering support for the oppressed.
Final Thoughts: Standing for Ukraine
Earlier this year, Putin falsely accused Ukraine of being home to Nazis and other extremists. This was done as he ignored his own history of authoritarianism, human rights abuses, mistreatment of the gay community, and state-sanctioned murder.
In reality, the activism and advocacy of Taimi are much more representative of Ukraine, especially its younger population.
