By Tumay Aslay
Whitney Wolfe Herd, Tech Founder and CEO of Bumble. Photo courtesy of Bumble.
Since its launch in 2014, the dating app Bumble has been overturning the dynamics of traditional dating. In a time when technology designs the way we meet others, the vision of 31-year-old Whitney Wolfe Herd is uplifting. Wolfe Herd, who recently became the youngest female CEO to take a company public in the United States, is not scared to take up space and break the glass ceiling. She represents the phenomenon of females rising to the top as she builds a company that puts women in a position of power. As she framed it in her letter on the Bumble website, “so many of the smart, wonderful women in my life were still waiting around for men to ask them out, to take their numbers, or to start up a conversation. For all the advances women had been making in workplaces and corridors of power, the gender dynamics of dating and romance still seemed so outdated. I thought, what if I could flip that on its head? What if women made the first move, and sent the first message?”
Whitney Wolfe Herd at Bumble HQ. Photo courtesy of Bumble.
Wolfe Herd didn't have an easy start to her career. She was one of countless women who shared their stories of sexual harassment in the workplace. Wolfe Herd was a co-founder of the dating app Tinder, focused on marketing and college campus promotions, in the early days. But the situation unravelled and she wound up filing a lawsuit against the company in 2014 with allegations of sexual harassment, which reportedly resulted in a settlement of $1 million plus stock for Wolfe Herd. After this rough road and with the determination to change systemic sexism, Wolfe Herd successfully engineered a new company primarily run by women, catering to women. “Since 2017, the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have put sexual harassment and gender discrimination at the center of the cultural conversation.” Wolfe Herd said in a recent letter she posted on Bumble. “I’m more dedicated than ever to helping advance gender equality and putting an end to the misogyny that still plagues society. We don’t tolerate hate speech or bad behavior of any sort; Bumble is a platform rooted in kindness and respect.”
Bumble has been creating opportunities to expand the conversation about traditional gender norms in online dating since the day it launched. In a time when dating digitally has become its own hell: between likes, swipes, hearts, DMs and skimming through bios, women are more frustrated than ever with hook-up culture. Bumble has a mission to change that by giving women the opportunity to dictate their own relationships by allowing them to make the first move. The platform was designed to establish and maintain healthier connections, not just in dating, but also in friendships and business, as it now offers Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz too. It has become more than just an app. It’s a movement.
Whitney Wolfe Herd is the leader of that movement with her courage to come forward and confidence to take on the responsibility of leading the way for the younger generation. She sounds proud and encouraging in her recent IG post after the news of Bumble going public, “Today has shown that barriers can be broken when we believe in a better way. Bumble is the outcome of a fiercely dedicated team who’s worked tremendously hard to show that women can, should, and will make the first move. When relationships are better for women, they’re better for everyone. To all the first movers, whether on our platforms, in business, or in life: you’re what today is about. Never take no for an answer, believe in yourselves, and turn your pain into purpose. Most importantly, treat people with kindness and dream big.”
*This article is for entertainment, education and reference purposes only. Seismic Sisters and the author do not guarantee or endorse the Bumble Apps or Platforms mentioned in this article. Seismic Sisters is in no way affiliated or “materially connected” with the Apps or Platforms. Seismic Sisters has no responsibility for any of the Apps’ or Platforms’ operations and services or influence over any of the Apps’ or Platforms’ independent content and public commentary. Use the Apps or Platforms at your own risk.