Finally catching up to its predecessors at OkCupid, Bumble now lets you list your zodiac sign on your profile. More importantly, it lets users filter by zodiac sign, limiting your chances of matching with yet another Virgo, only to be bored to tears on your first date. (Or whatever fate you prefer to project onto this nightmare scenario.)
Last month, the app rolled out a new set of advanced filters, allowing users across Bumble's romantic, business, and friendship platforms to sort profiles based on a series of personal interests and preferences. Among the advanced filters which have been added on Bumble Date along with star sign are height, exercise preferences, education level, and drinking and smoking habits. With the star sign filter, users can tool their matches to only show certain signs, or to block out known offenders.
"We’ve found from talking to our users that astrology is something they are really interested in, so we wanted to factor that into their experience on Bumble," Bumble chief brand officer, Alex Williamson tells Bustle. "We want users to match with people who they find the most compatible, but also, to help them find new types of people to connect with, too. If you only date Leos, maybe you should make an effort to connect with people who have a different star sign!"
But, of course, the filter will only work with people who have chosen to list their astrological signs. So you may still find yourself in the crosshairs of a stubborn Capricorn who left the star sign section blank because they "don't believe in astrology."
The star sign filters are also available on Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz, which spares users from needing to pry that information out of future friends and collaborators the old-fashioned way. Bumble BFF also invites users to filter by what they're looking for, be it workout companions, travel buddies, coworking friends, roommates, or fellow moms to have kid playdates with. Bumble Bizz filters relationship types by things like freelance work, networking, mentors, and investors. All Bumble users are able to utilize two filters available on the platform of their choice for free. Adding more filters requires a paid membership with Bumble Boost.
"Astrology filters are also such a fun conversation starter and ice breaker when you’re first meeting someone. It’s much more interesting to kick off a conversation based on your star sign, rather than just saying 'hey,'" Williamson says. "Talking about your star sign is a great first move to make on Bumble — not just in dating, but also in friendship finding and networking."
But, Williamson cautions, there's no need to make zodiac signs a dealbreaker. Adding the star sign filter as an option was intended to be a conversation starter, not an ender. "We always encourage our users to Bumble with an open mind — don’t judge a book by the Virgo!" she says, in direct and frankly shocking opposition to my personal views on Virgos. "We don’t think your zodiac sign should be a make or break in dating, but it creates a more personalized experience for our users and hopefully makes starting a conversation with someone just a little bit easier, too."
