The dating site eharmony makes clear that it’s dedicated to marriage, but is eharmony gay friendly? And does it support the LGBTQ+ community as a whole? Yes, the team is a full-fledged ally — now.
The dating site has a checkered history when it comes to the issue of marriage equality. But as things stand right now, eharmony accepts gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer singles.
Although the site has made strides in including the LGBTQ+ community, there’s still room for improvement. Eharmony is actively working to solidify its role in supporting serious relationships and broadening its reach.
The Dating Site Used to be Exclusively for Heterosexuals
In 2000, eharmony launched as an online dating website that appealed to traditionalists. The goal of the site was to bring heterosexual singles together for dating relationships that could lead to marriage. The company’s conservative Christian leadership supported heterosexual marriage by helping straight singles build strong connections online.
Since its launch in 2000, eharmony has endeavored to find the formula for love. Its 32-dimension personality test uses psychological truths to identify areas of compatibility between two individuals. The dating site’s mission is to foster relationships that last, and every potential match has a reason behind it.
- Over 2 million people have found love here
- Users can filter their match recommendations by age or city
- Compatibility Quiz identifies common interests, lifestyles, and goals
- Browse eharmony profiles 100% free »
The heteronormative features very quickly drew opposition. Several lawsuits, including a discrimination case brought by the New Jersey Civil Rights Division, led to conflict within the company and the creation of a separate gay dating site called Compatible Partners.
Christian theologian and eharmony Co-founder Neil Clark Warren, perhaps best remembered for his commercials, was vocal about his opposition to same-sex marriage, which eventually led to his departure from the company.
The new leadership team got to work right away to make eharmony a more welcoming dating service for people of all orientations and identities.
Today’s eharmony is more in step with the times and provides matchmaking tools for singles seeking gay or lesbian relationships.
Turning Over a New Leaf: eharmony Now Welcomes Gay Men
After the New Jersey Civil Rights Division settlement, eharmony began offering a same-sex dating platform alongside its heterosexual system. It was called Compatible Partners, but it has since been archived and its members have joined eharmony’s main platform.
Once the eharmony company changed hands, the new leadership worked toward making the online dating site and app more inclusive while keeping its focus on facilitating long-term relationships and marriages.
When it launched in 2000, eharmony was on a mission to find the formula for love. It started with straight couples, and now has expanded its algorithm to pair up same-sex couples. Gay men who can join the eharmony network to get serious about online dating and commit more time and effort into forming a new relationship.
- Detailed profiles focus on lifestyle and long-term goals
- Psychology-based personality test available for free
- Paid features include unlimited messaging and photo galleries
- Browse eharmony profiles 100% free »
Currently, eharmony provides a reputable matchmaking service for a gay, lesbian, and bisexual daters. LGBTQ+ singles will get the same level of service as a person looking to become part of a heterosexual couple.
You’re able to find compatible partners based on the dating site’s set dimensions and other factors. While the new leadership at eharmony has made strides in inclusivity for gay people, there are still areas where the site needs to develop further to better serve the LGBT community.
Where It Still Needs Improvement: Queerness and Fluidity
The LGBTQ+ community isn’t just gay and lesbian, of course. The umbrella covers a wide range of gender and sexual orientations and preferences, including bisexual, transgender, asexual and demisexual, nonbinary people, and those who identify as queer or questioning. How does eharmony serve these types of LGBTQ singles?
eharmony is still growing in this area. It isn’t as strong as some explicitly gay dating sites or inclusive apps when it comes to representing queer and nonbinary people. The eharmony profile recently expanded its gender and sexuality options to be more inclusive — meaning the app now offers nonbinary as an option. Meanwhile OkCupid offers over a dozen gender and orientation options upon signup.
OkCupid is a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community. The dating site and app made headlines in 2013 when it introduced 22 gender options and 13 orientation options to dating profiles. Few dating platforms have gone to such lengths to ensure that it represents everyone across the sexuality spectrum, and we give it props for connecting gay, bi, and queer men around the world.
- Gay men can express themselves in lengthy profiles
- Expanded orientation options includes pansexual and demisexual men
- Match lists only show guys who meet your criteria
- Browse OkCupid profiles 100% free »
LGBT singles who don’t fall under the more straightforward or binary categories will find it more difficult to look for a committed, long-term relationship on eharmony than they would on some of the other dating sites and dating app options out there.
Until recently, eharmony site only allowed for binary gender identification, so it doesn’t have a great reputation as an LGBTQ+ space.
These days, members can choose to view men, women, and nonbinary individuals on the eharmony platform. The company keeps expanding the dating service and is committed to embracing all types of love.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re curious about eharmony and other online dating options for gay singles, continue reading to discover our responses to some frequently asked questions from the LGBTQ+ community.
Is eharmony Homophobic?
No, although the site’s history has understandably raised concerns within the LGBTQ+ community. The original founders were openly against homosexuality and same-sex marriage, leading to several lawsuits in various U.S. states. In the end, gay activists prevailed.
The newly updated eharmony site isn’t perfect. Over the years, the dating website has come under fire from all sides — both conservative Christians and progressive advocates — but the people running the site now are looking to redeem its checkered past.
The online dating site broke with former conservative allies earlier in 2021 when eharmony ran inclusive ads featuring a lesbian couple. What’s more, the site’s leadership has publicly begun offering benefits to married same-sex couples in the organization and covers gender affirmation surgery under the company insurance.
Can I Join eharmony and Identify as Bisexual?
You can write that you identify as bisexual in your bio, but eharmony does not actually include sexual orientation in your dating profile information. You can choose to view more than one gender at a time in your match lists.
I wouldn’t say eharmony is the most bi-friendly dating site in the world. The options definitely tend to slant more hetero. That’s true for a lot of mainstream sites. When I joined with a bi account, I saw five same-sex profiles total. Five.
Since eharmony is not an LGBTQ+ dating site, the choices are slim, so bisexual daters may have to look for some time to find what they want. Or they may want to try their luck on a bisexual dating site that allows them to date in a pool of bi people.
eharmony’s leadership is constantly working to make the site more inclusive. It may become easier for bisexual singles to have the same odds as everyone else on the dating site. Until then, bisexual singles will need to choose one gender when creating their dating profile.
Does eharmony Have Non-Binary Gender Options?
Another pitfall that LGBT singles may encounter on eharmony is the fact that the only gender options are man or woman. As a nonbinary person, you can clarify in your profile if you really want to try and find your match on eharmony, but it’s not the best solution to the problem. For any LGBTQ person who doesn’t identify as a man or a woman, using eharmony could feel somewhat awkward or invalidating.
Many other dating platforms are more inclusive in their gender options. Tinder has non-binary options in the dropdown menus when you build your profile. OkCupid also allows a range of gender identities, with options ranging from specific to general. There are also specifically gay dating app and gay dating site options that offer non-binary gender options.
How Many Gay Men Are Active on eharmony?
In the world of online dating apps and sites, eharmony is known for keeping user data private. Unlike other platforms, where statistics on user demographics and activity levels are easily accessible, eharmony only shares the most basic details, even concerning its straight singles.
It’s safe to say that active gay men on eharmony are in the minority, for several reasons. While eharmony welcomes the opportunity to help a gay couple come together, the significant majority of straight people on the site make it a less welcoming atmosphere and safe space for gay men.
Also, while eharmony allows gay men to seek out their match, it isn’t a dedicated gay dating website, like some competitors.
The reality is that not many gay men are active on eharmony. After all, why spend time where finding an ideal match is less likely?
Is eharmony a Good Gay Dating App?
While eharmony is a good dating platform overall, it’s not the best dating site for LGBTQ+ singles. It can be a good platform for mature singles who are finally ready to get into a serious relationship with a member of the opposite sex. But same-sex matchmaking isn’t its forte.
Some mainstream platforms are more broadly inclusive than eharmony, and then there are dating sites dedicated specifically to help gay people find romantic partners.
Grindr is one of the top dogs in the gay dating scene. It’s the name everyone recognizes, and many gay men choose it as their go-to dating app. The location-based matching system satisfies the desires of guys who want to hook up on the fly.
- Among the most popular gay social networks in the world
- Men connect via private and group chats
- View nearby profiles using real-time GPS data
- Browse Grindr profiles 100% free »
For gay men looking to connect only with other gay men, apps like Grindr are good platforms for meeting other gay men, trans men, and bisexual men, whether they’re single or in a relationship. Grindr is a swipe app that is similar to Tinder but for men only. Grindr launched in 2009 and supports a robust community with millions of users worldwide.
Mainstream platforms like Match, Tinder, and OkCupid still tend to have a user base that’s mostly straight people, but offer broader options for the LGBTQ+ community, including diverse gender and sexual orientation options, and filters that help you be as broad or as selective as you want.
eharmony is Striving to be Better for the Gay Community
There’s no doubt that eharmony has had a rocky history with the LGBTQ+ community, but the new leadership team has been dedicated to improving the company’s reputation over the recent years.
It’s true that eharmony may never get the nod from “Queer Eye,” but the leadership at the online dating site is definitely trying to make eharmony gay-friendly. Our experts anticipate that eharmony will continue to expand its traditional definition of love and become a more inclusive place to find a long-term partner.
If you’re a gay man or lesbian woman, you can join eharmony right now and search for compatible matches for free. Good luck out there!
