Lefty and the rise of Political Dating Apps
Lefty is a dating app designed to match progressives, helping find compatibility on issues such as social welfare, respect for diversity and minorities, human rights, and sustainable development. It is the latest in a number of politics-focused dating platforms.
The platform explained that relationships between people with contrasting political beliefs “tend to wear out over time”. That’s why it is looking to match singles with similar views, in particular, progressive or left-wing beliefs.
Lefty was launched in 2022 in Brazil, as one of the dating products under parent company Similar Souls. Veggly, the dating app for vegans and vegetarians with over 1 million users, also operates under the same parent company.
The political dating app saw popularity in 2022 as it was among the various ways that Brazilians sought to find compatible partners during a divisive time in the country’s electoral cycle. During the same period, a Facebook group page called Bolsoteiros, a combination of “Bolsonaro” with “singles”, also grew in popularity among daters.
Across the industry, there have been a wave of new dating apps with a political focus.
Dating app The Right Stuff gained media attention in 2022 after it promised to connect conservatives in the U.S. The platform was backed by tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, and developed by the sister of Trump-era White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
An introductory video for The Right Stuff can be found below:
A similarly conservative-leaning dating platform was founded in France last year, called ‘Droite au Coeur’. The brand marketed itself as a hub for ‘patriotic singles’ and was co-founded by Yohan Pawer, a right-wing political commentator.
As some societies become increasingly divided along political lines, especially during election seasons, these political dating apps are catering to the ‘niches’ that emerge from these divisions.
