Tinder marked Pride Month by bringing back its Queer Made Weekend event, held in New Delhi on 8 June at DLF Promenade. The Mumbai edition is scheduled for 21 June at Famous Studio. Curated by Gaysi, the event focuses on queer creativity, connection, and community, featuring performances and a marketplace of queer-owned businesses.
The New Delhi lineup included:
- Rani Ko-HE-Nur (Sushant Divgikar), performer, recording artist, and human rights activist
- DJ Della, known for sets blending Bollywood, Afro, and Techno House
- Lola & Mohan, a duo combining classical and Arab-rooted vocals with instrumental soundscapes
- DUA, a Delhi-based collective performing Hindi and English pop, featuring Ishmeet, Surabhi, Tushar, Rudra, and Rohit
- LadyFingers, a singer, songwriter and rapper incorporating music, comedy, and theatre
- Pavani Mehra, a rapper-singer with a focus on personal themes
In addition to performances, the event included a marketplace showcasing products by queer-owned businesses. These included illustrators and designers such as FruitySideUp, candle makers House of Hestia and Ro’s Apothecary, fashion labels Palat and Planet, and jewellery brands Astitva and Sheer.
Anukool Kumar, Head of Marketing at Tinder in India, said, “We’re proud to bring back Queer Made Weekend as part of our ongoing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community. At Tinder, authenticity and inclusivity are values we actively invest in. This annual event is our way of taking the celebration beyond the screen and into vibrant, real-world spaces where creativity, joy, and pride come alive. Queer Made Weekend is dedicated to celebrating, supporting, and amplifying businesses and products that are made, owned, and run by India’s LGBTQIA+ community — and we're honoured to help create a platform where their stories and talents can shine.”
Sakshi Juneja, founder of Gaysi Family, said, “At Gaysi Family, we’ve always believed that Pride is more than just a celebration — it’s about building platforms for queer voices, talent, and dreams. With this year’s Tinder Queer Made Weekend, we’re turning up the volume not just on queer musicians, but also on queer-owned businesses. It’s a space for our community to take center stage — to be seen, heard, and supported, not just during Pride, but year-round.”
Tinder reported that 30% of matches on the platform are between LGBTQ+ users. In 2024, the platform recorded a 66% increase in queer matches compared to the previous year. The company attributed this to growing visibility and connection within the LGBTQ+ community.
Aditi Shorewal, Communications Lead, Tinder India & Korea, said, “At Tinder, Pride isn’t just a month — it’s a mindset. In India and across the region, we’re inspired by how queer people use Tinder to connect, find love, and show up as their true selves. Our latest insights reflect this cultural shift — 76% of young people say their generation is more open to gender and sexual fluidity, and 33% have experienced that fluidity in their own identity. Tinder mirrors this evolution in real time, offering a space where over 50 gender identities and nine sexual orientations empower members to express themselves freely. In fact, 54% of 18–25 year old LGBTQIA+ people say they’ve come out on a dating app before doing so in real life — a powerful reminder that platforms like Tinder don’t just enable connection, they help people become who they are.”
Tinder has also launched its annual in-app Pride profile stickers. The options available include Happy Pride, Proud, Ally, Protect Trans People, Pride Flag, and Shine On. For each sticker added to a profile during June, Tinder will donate $1 USD to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), up to $50,000 USD. The total donation may reach up to $100,000 USD. Stickers will be available through 1 July.
