A home-grown dating app for LGBTQ+ community

A home-grown dating app for LGBTQ+ community
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New Delhi: A home-grown app designed explicitly for the Indian LGBTQ+ community aims to bridge that gap when it comes to dating and connecting with others who have, over the years, become comfortable with and vocal about their identities.

'As You Are' or AYA, the dating and social networking platform, is the brainchild of Chandigarh-based entrepreneur Sunali Aggarwal and understands that many within the community have not identified themselves publicly for various reasons.

The app's key features are customized keeping in mind the suitability and sensitivity of the users: accessibility and anonymity, easy-to-use and jargon-free sign-up, three levels of verification and blanket security, and complete user control, says Aggarwal, who co-founded Mobikwik.com in 2009.

Reflecting on the journey and AYA's future, she says for many from the LGBTQ+ community, the physical world may not be the most conducive space to find a partner.

"Therefore, the community often turns to the digital world to seek guidance and support. Owing to this, AYA aims to create a safe space to counter the challenges of queer dating," she says.

"In the future, we also aim to bring services designed especially for the community and if possible, by the community," she adds.