New dating app seeks to spark romance among conservatives

Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A new dating app expected to be released in the United States next month will seek to spark romances among like-minded political conservatives "who aren't offended by everything."

Called The Right Stuff, the app is being created by former members of the Trump White House, and has received a $1.5 million investment from conservative billionaire capitalist Peter Theil.

A promotional video featuring Ryann McEnany, sister of the former White House press secretary, helped spread the word about the app on Twitter.

The app will be free to download but an invitation will be required to actually join. Once registered, users can level up to a premium membership by inviting more people to use the app, McEnany said.

She also noted the app would be restricted to "male" or "female" gender options, a move that was almost certain to draw criticism from LGBTQ advocates across the country.

"The Right Stuff is all about getting into the right dating pool with people who share the same values as you," McEnany said in the video. "We're sorry that you've had to endure years of bad dates and wasted time with people who don't see the world our way. The right way."

After the announcement, many liberal voices on Twitter castigated the plan, with comedian Richard Jeter calling the app "The White Stuff."

"Remember, if you're interested in someone on The White Stuff, just swipe Riech," he said in a reference to the German Nazi party of the 1930s.

People in conservative circles say mainstream dating apps are rubbing them the wrong way by catering to people with liberal attitudes. Some have even cited Tinder's recent pandemic response, which added vaccination statuses to user profiles, as a major turn-off for Republicans.

"It's an important, underserved market," said Daniel Huff, who worked in the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Trump, according to The Hill. "Liberals own the education, media corporations, and we can't let them control our personal relationships."

But similar conservative dating apps have not survived, including DonaldDaters, which launched in 2018 to connect young conservatives but never caught on.

The app, which has a website where people can sign up early, is being marketed with politically-charged phrases like "connect with people who aren't offended by everything," and "view profiles without pronouns."