Liv’ED It is an ED original style where we write about our personal experiences on experiencing and reviewing any app/place/website which gives us a feeling of coming back for more.
Even though it’s been 2 years since the Supreme Court decriminalised homosexuality, Indian lesbian, bi, gay, trans, and queer people still have to face unique dating challenges. Some hurdles faced by them are lack of opportunity, lack of privacy, lack of acceptance, harassment and social judgment.
All other apps fail to meet the wishes of the LGBTQ+ community and there was a need for an app that recognised all kinds of sexuality. So, I sneaked into the Google Play Store and downloaded an interesting app called AYA, ‘As You Are’.
The app takes pride in being a safe and no-pressure space, away from all the challenges, for finding just the perfect match for Indian LGBTQ+ people.
AYA, ‘As You Are’ was founded by Sunali Aggarwal along with Aditi Gupta, who has since exited the company, in June 2020. The app aims to create a safe and secure space for the LGBTQ+ community of India to interact and come out of their social cages to be themselves.
Here’s how it works:
So, after downloading the application, when you open it for the first time, you will be asked to sign in either with a cell phone number or your Gmail account.
No matter which option you choose, you will be required to enter your cell phone number and get yourself verified with an OTP sent to your mobile phone.
Next, you are asked to set a unique username for your profile. On proceeding further, you are then asked to fill in some basic details for completing your profile including a selfie of yours. This includes your hobbies, your interests and even your streaming habits. You can share whatever you want as you can change it later.
After you have successfully completed your profile, the app algorithm helps you to find a profile matching your own for better compatibility.
One thing that sets this app apart from the others is its secure browsing. In other words, if 100 people sign in, only 25 get through, and I feel it makes the app much more secure.
The app also features users’ ‘coming out’ stories which further helps you to connect with others. I personally liked this feature a lot as it provides a safe sanctuary and a commitment of ‘no judgement’ as well.
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In case your profile gets reported, you will be asked to provide KYC or some other proof, failing which your profile will get blocked and removed from the app.
Before you get started, the app asks you to set your preferences and people you want to meet. You can change your preferences in the filter. However, you cannot change your preferences in the profile once you have selected them.
From here, you can meet various people from different walks of life. You can also strike a conversation with any profile that attracts you and take things to the next level. All you have to do is scroll up or down to find that right profile.
AYA is available only for Android phones and is free until November 30. Post that, it will come with in-app purchases.
Going beyond dating, AYA also provides a safe haven to make friends with the LGBTQ+ spectrum. This app is truly a great space to get started and you can thoroughly experience a peaceful dating life via it. So, this was my first-hand experience. Do share your experience in the comments below if you have used this app.
Image Credits: Google Images, Unsplash
Sources: Blogger’s Own Experience
Find the blogger: @sejalsejals38
This post is tagged under: AYA, AYA Indian LQBTQ+ Dating app, LGBTQ+ Community, Dating apps, online dating, relationships, dating, finding friends online, finding love online, how to find a partner online, lockdown, digital world, how good is AYA, online dating in India, apps like Grindr, Grindr, what are other apps like Grindr, how do the online dating apps work, how does AYA work, is AYA good, which is the best LGBTQ+ dating app, which dating app to download, how to date, how to make friends.
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