As I reported in the Scene last month, there are fewer than two dozen lesbian bars left in the entire United States; one of them is East Nashville’s The Lipstick Lounge. In the next installment of partnerships with The Lesbian Bar Project, dating app Hinge is committing at least $50,000 in payments to those watering holes by encouraging its users to visit each location, including Lipstick.
“I believe the collaboration of The Lesbian Bar Project and the Hinge dating app will most definitely help to raise awareness on how few lesbian bars still exist,” says Christa Suppan, co-owner of Lipstick Lounge.
Hinge app users will learn about why LGBTQ establishments matter and will be encouraged to send a Rose, which is a premium on the app. Roses cost between $1.49 and $3.33 each, depending on how many you buy. Hinge will contribute net proceeds from the sale of Roses in the U.S. on Sunday, Aug. 8, to The Lesbian Bar Project. The app is promising a minimum contribution of $50,000. Working with The Lesbian Bar Project, Hinge will identify which bars need support, such as Lipstick Lounge, and then payments will be split equally among the participating bars.
The campaign also encourages LGBTQ singles to head to one of the participating bars on their next date. Like Lipstick Lounge itself, the Hinge app says it welcomes all genders and orientations. It offers users the opportunity to choose their pronouns and sexual orientation descriptors. Hinge will create on-site interactive experiences, including prompts throughout the bars themselves, such as on coasters and signage, that are intended to help facilitate conversation.
Adds Suppan: “Times have changed with technology, so dating has changed as well. It would be nice for the folks who meet on Hinge to have a safe and welcoming place to go on dates.”
