It’s the biggest question LGBTQ daters ask, according to Hinge

It’s Pride Month, and although LGBTQ people are gay all year round, the spotlight is on them this June. As such, Hinge recently published its annual DATE (Data, Advice, Trends, and Expertise) Report to reveal what dating is like right now in today’s healthy lifestyles.

The theme of this year’s report is “Clarity Builds Chemistry,” and it addresses the uncertainties of LGBTQ youth growing up. (It’s not surprising, given the amount of uncertainty around the world right now, that it will seep into individual lives.)

In its survey of Jan. 2026 of more than 31,000 global respondents, Hinge found that many LGBTQ couples feel as much or more uncertain about the world than heterosexual couples (76 percent to 52 percent respectively), but they can also find uncertainty useful. Seventy-four percent of LGBTQ people say uncertainty helps them figure out what they want in a relationship. Uncertainty influences these daters to identify dealbreakers, clarify their preferences, and identify what feels right vs. which is wrong.

The community also supports LGBTQ people. Hinge has found that dating people ask, “Can I bring this person around my friends?” rather than, “What are we?” This may be due to the importance of the chosen family for young LGBTQ people.

Thus, queer daters are 33 percent more likely than straight daters to say that it matters if their friends like someone they are dating (this rises to 37 percent for trans daters). They are also 20 percent more likely to want to check if a potential partner fits into their friendship circle. In a world of uncertainty, having a strong support system is essential.

Hinge found that consistency also puts LGBTQ people at ease in their uncertain world: 86 percent said consistent communication from their first date made them feel less anxious. Seventy-eight percent say that making clear plans makes them feel less anxious (compared to 56 percent of heterosexuals).

PDA in an early relationship helps more than half (65 percent) of LGBTQ people feel safer, but they are 50 percent more likely than straight people to hesitate to show affection on a first date because they feel unsafe in their environment. Hinge’s romance and communication expert, Moe Ari Brown, wrote, “You don’t have to share the same level of comfort to have a good date: being present and responsive turns a potential point of disagreement into a moment of genuine connection.”

“Questioning what kind of love feels good in public — and what feels better in private — keeps PDA focused on validation,” Brown continued.

And forget timelines. Most LGBTQ daters, especially bisexuals (76 percent and 83 percent), focus on slowly building a connection with someone rather than moving on to a specific timeline rather than specific dates (64 percent). Overall, LGBTQ daters are also more likely to say that settling down is not an act, but an idea.

The findings contradict Hinge’s Nov. 2025 DATE, which was all about communication and AI. Less than a year later, lovers – especially those who are LGBTQ – are more focused on clarity, whether that’s in public displays of affection, or private affirmations.