Does Taimi offer members a safe place to explore and change their sexuality? Our researchers wanted to find this out, so they conducted a survey of 1362 users. Here’s what they discovered.
Survey Instrument And Methodology
Our researchers began with a simple hypothesis: Taimi is perceived as a platform that facilitates self-discovery and exploration of sexuality, influencing how users understand and express their identities.
To test this, they created a survey and offered it to Taimi users. The criteria to participate was:
- Aged 18 to 45
- Using Taimi for at least one month
- Identifies as LGBTQIA+ or heteroflexible
- Based in the United States
Respondents were from the following demographic categories:
- Transgender women – 245
- Transgender men – 234
- Lesbians – 166
- Gays – 109
- Queer men – 200
- Queer women – 86
- Bi men – 145
- Bi women – 177
Questions And Responses
Here are the questions asked along with the responses we received.
Have You Used Taimi as a Space to Explore Your Sexual Identity?
The results show that most aren’t using Taimi to explore their sexuality. 56% were sure of their sexual identity before they joined 20. Another 20% were curious, but still had a strong sense of identity.
What about the folks who do use Taimi as a platform for identity exploration? The groups that had the most affirmative responses to this question were queer and gay men. Queer women were also more likely than other groups to explore their sexual identities through Taimi. Although they generally had a clearer sense of who they were.
So, which groups of users were the most sure of who they were and who they were interested in pursuing? Trans women and men had the lowest number of users who explored their sexuality through Taimi. Lesbians were the group who felt most confident about their sexuality before they joined the app.
What Does This Tell Us?
While most users were either very confident or mostly confident in their gender or sexual identities, the percentage that was not is significant. Nearly a quarter of respondents joined Taimi feeling unsure or curious about their sexuality or gender. It is also notable that two demographic groups that face frequent accusations of confusion and emotional instability, transgender individuals and lesbians, were most steadfast in their understanding of who they are.
Takeaways
Online dating apps for the queer community should offer up a safe platform for sexual and identity exploration. No matter what percentage of users are interested in this journey, affirmation and flexibility are key. At the same time, while self-discovery is a positive thing, nobody should assume that all LGBTQIA+ folks are unsure of their identity.
Has Your Experience on Taimi Changed How You Define Your Sexual Identity?
Regardless of how they intended to use Taimi, our researchers wanted to know if users changed how they identified after using the app for a period of time. The answer to this was no in every category. Trans and bisexual women maintained their identities at the highest rates, 64 and 66% respectively. Queer men and women were most likely to have reconsidered how they identified as a result of using Taimi.
What Does This Tell Us?
Once again this shows that being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community doesn’t guarantee feelings of ambivalence about one’s gender or sexuality. At the same time, compulsory heterosexuality and social norms around the concept of gender mean that not everyone is sure of who they are right away. Online dating can create new opportunities for exploration that lead to evolution of identity and attraction.
Takeaways
Taimi needs to continue to offer flexibility and ensure members feel safe changing their identity markers and preferences.
Has Using Taimi Helped You Explore Relationships Beyond The Sexual Identity You Previously Held?
28% of survey respondents said they felt more open to exploring dating options that did not align with their previous sexuality. 54% did not change their preferences at all. The final 17% gave answers that couldn’t be easily categorized.
What Does This Tell Us?
Well over half did not explore new preferences, but nearly 30% did. Others were a bit vague or undecided. This further supports that while most queer folks are fixed in their identity and sexuality, more than a quarter have made changes. When the 17% of undecided or unsure responses are added to that, around 45% experience at least some shift in dating behaviors.
Takeaways
Sexuality and gender identity often influence, but don’t always determine dating behaviors. It is important to validate dating app users’ identities and preferences, regardless of the relationships they pursue.
Have You Ever Adjusted Your Sexual Identity Preferences on Taimi?
For the most part, what folks preferred when they signed up for Taimi did not change. Gays and lesbians remained the most fixed in this. Trans and queer men were most likely to have made this profile change.
Although most did not make any changes, a statistically significant number of our users did. Lesbians were the group least likely to have adjusted their identity or preference markers, but still nearly 12% of them did. In the case of gay men, it was just over 19%.
What Does This Tell Us?
It’s clear a pattern is emerging. Most users are not making significant changes to who they are or who they love.
Takeaways
Identity and sexuality changes shouldn’t be expected, but they do occur. It’s important for users to be flexible and open-minded, and for Taimi to create an ecosystem that encourages this.
What Encouraged You to Explore Different Sexualities or Gender Identities on Taimi?
Let’s focus on the survey respondents who used Taimi to explore new relationship possibilities or who changed their sexuality/identity on the app. These users indicated many reasons when asked why. 41% felt safer exploring new possibilities online than off. 38% made changes as a result of engaging with queer content and having discussions. Nearly 35% were inspired by representation and inclusivity on the app.
Many were motivated to change and explore after seeing other profiles on Taimi. Folks were also inspired by engaging with people who shared about themselves. Personal experience as well as community support were also key factors. Notably, around 30% made the change, at least in part, because Taimi made it easy for them to do that.
What Does This Tell Us?
When it comes to the willingness to change and explore, feeling safe is key. Most feel safer doing this online, at least at first. Education and connection are also important. Some users may change simply as a result of learning about new possibilities, or realizing that there are others who have the same feelings and desires as they do.
Takeaways
Taimi should continue to provide options, but that’s not all. Users feel safest and are most likely to engage in personal exploration when it’s easy for them to do so, they take part in an accepting community, and can access educational or affirming content. It’s important that the team at Taimi facilitates this through:
- Educational and inspirational content
- User onboarding and a focus on UX
- Community building and empowerment
- Maintenance of policies that ensure a safe environment
Final Thoughts
Most users do not make significant changes to identity or preferences on Taimi, but many do use the app to better understand themselves. So, in this case the hypothesis did not prove out. Despite this result, our researchers discovered that there is still a meaningful number of members who are in a process of exploration. They are deserving of affirmation, support, and a dating app that gives them the means to express themselves authentically.
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