Bumble blocks user after ‘disgusting’ fat-shaming response to match goes viral on Twitter

‘We’ve got your back,’ dating app said, along with gif of Keanu Reeves blowing kisses

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Dating app Bumble has banned a user whose fat-shaming response to a match went viral on Twitter.

On Saturday, Florence Simpson shared a screenshot of a conversation she’d had on Bumble to Twitter.

In the screenshot, Simpson can be seen beginning the conversation by asking her match, whose name is Ben: “OK, picture this. You’re off to big Tesco and ask if I want anything. I say ‘surprise me’. What are you bringing home?”

In response to the opener, Simpson’s match replied: “Slimfast,” to which she responded: “Lovely.”

In the caption of the tweet, Simpson wrote: “Don’t you just love men,” along with the vomiting emoji, before adding: “No judging my opening question OK. It normally gets hilarious responses!”

The tweet, which has since been liked more than 29,000 times, was met with outrage on Simpson’s behalf, with many expressing their disgust over Ben’s reply.

“Absolutely fantastic opening line. Grotesque and pathetic response,” one person commented.

Another said: “Makes me mad that he matched you just to insult you. I do not miss online dating at all, it was so damaging for me! Hope you find someone that treats you like the queen you are.”

In addition to receiving support from her followers and those who saw her viral tweet, the incident also prompted a response from Bumble, which said that it had since removed Ben from its platform. 

Writing a reply from the official Bumble support Twitter account, the dating app wrote: “Hi Flo! We’re so sorry this happened. Rude and abusive behaviour is never accepted in the hive, and we want you to know we’ve got your back.“Our team has located this user’s profile and blocked him from our platform.”

The dating app’s response was met with appreciation from Simpson, who expressed her gratitude, writing: “This is AMAZING. Thank you so much,” to which Bumble replied: “You’re welcome! We’ve got your back!” along with a gif of Keanu Reeves blowing kisses. 

In the guidelines section of Bumble’s website, the dating app notes that it “takes a strong stance against hate speech, rude or abusive behaviour, bullying, and misogyny” and that it expects users to “behave the same way on Bumble as you would in real life”.

Simpson’s negative dating app experience comes after a woman recently shared a screenshot of an accidental  group message that she and 13 other women received from a man they’d matched with on Bumble last year inquiring about reconnecting.