Chinese Gay Social Network Blued Is Launching In UK This Spring
Chinese gay social network Blued is coming to UK shores this spring.
Founded by former policeman Geng Le in 2012, the platform has over 27m users and is estimated to be worth around $600m.
The social app is currently in beta in the UK, and is gearing up for a spring launch in Europe.
And with its UK launch on the horizon, Blued has just signed an exclusive partnership deal to live-stream Sink the Pink, which it describes as “East London’s most ridiculous gay, drag, ‘gender-fuck’, queer, FUN party”.
This week, the creative team behind Sink the Pink has been live-streaming its behind-the-scenes preparations for the London party, showcasing “everything from wig shopping to dance rehearsals” ahead of the event tomorrow.
“Sink the Pink: Toys” will take place at the Troxy Theatre this Saturday, 18th March, with Blued live-streaming the show to its users.
The app has also signed partnership agreements with the Paris 2018 Gay Games and MisterB&B.
The social dating app offers verified profiles and face authentication technology, as well as letting users link both their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Blued said: “Whereas other gay apps are overly sexualized and often make users feel unsafe (think racism, femme-shaming, body-shaming), Blued is a social app with verified profiles and face authentication, linked Facebook and Instagram, 24/7 monitored live-streaming, and a strong social mission to shape the (online) queer community into a more fun, safe, supportive, creative and inclusive space.”
The mobile app recently announced it had received funding from Shan Shui Cong Rong Media Investment Co, the investment arm of state-backed newspaper group The Beijing News.
This came after a significant investment of $30m back in 2014 from venture capital firm DCM.
Last December Blued also revealed it was joining an extension of Hornet’s $8m funding round, which was led by Ventech China.
Blued, which is undergoing a “complete makeover”, will launch in the UK this spring.
