The celibacy ads might have angered people no matter which brand posted them, but they seemed to really hit a nerve coming from Bumble. Women have associated Bumble with empowerment in what can be a bleak market for daters.

Caroline Gill of IMA mused that the idea might have stemmed from universal dating fatigue, suggesting, "I think every woman who has endured online dating has, at some point, said, 'Fuck it, I’m joining a convent.'"

But, the ad fell from grace, missing the mark at a critical time when discussions about women's safety are paramount. Audrey Dahmen... See more

But in attempting to make light of a social climate in which, as they worded it in their apology, “a community” (read: women) “are frustrated by modern dating,” Bumble ended up, inadvertently or not, mirroring the language many women experience when they tell men they are not interested. The sexless, “crazy cat lady” trope is a tale as old as time,... See more