Dating and social app Lex has its origins in lesbian personal ads, but has recently gone in a new direction to shift away from its raunchy past. Some users of the platform were disappointed to see it change.
A report from TechCrunch explained that with many social media platforms restricting overtly-sexual content, the original idea for Lex appealed to a certain community who had nowhere else to go. This is especially the case as many users identify as LGBTQIA+.
But recently Lex moved away from its hookup past to embrace and encourage platonic relationships. &Walsh, an advertising firm, was hired to help with this rebrand saying “Lex came to us for a rebrand to help them move from being perceived as a queer space for romantic relationships towards a queer space for platonic relationships.”
Recent changes to the platform’s Terms of Use mean that sexually explicit material, including text, can be removed. However, it is up to the app to enforce these rules based on their own judgement.
TechCrunch reports one user’s reaction to the change, where the individual said “I appreciate the effort to make Lex better for platonic queer relationships, but I loathe the new culture of sanitizing the internet and washing our sexuality away from every platform.”
Another disappointed user told the reporter “Queer spaces trying to move themselves away from centering sex = giving in to a homophobic society”.
Kel Rakowski, the founder of Lex, shared that surveys of Lex users found that the majority wanted a platform to find LGBTQIA+ friends and community, influencing the decision to change direction.
She said “We encourage Lexers looking for dates and hookups to continue horny posting on Lex! It’s their space to connect, for love, friendship and more.”
Rakowski shared that Lex was growing in popularity across cities in the USA, with the platform raising around $1.5 million to date.