Gay and Lesbian Online Dating

From LoveToKnow Dating

In many ways, gay and lesbian online dating is just like dating for heterosexuals. Online daters may be looking for sex, love, companionship, or someone to share a fetish or other alternative lifestyle.

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Mainstream Sites and Gay and Lesbian Online Dating

LoveToKnow Dating Tips
Fetish and Flirtation
If you are looking for a date who shares your fetish, coy and fliratious comments are not enough to establish the ground rules. Take the time to clarify what you are looking for before you enter the scene.

Several of the large, well-known dating sites welcome gay and lesbian members. Searching for same-sex partners on the popular Match.com is easy with drop-down search menus that let you enter your sex and that of your ideal match, it is the same basic format for all users. Date.com also has easy searches for both gay and straight members, as does the popular Yahoo Personals site. In addition, there are the free sites, PlentyOfFish and OKCupid, which allow for a variety of search options. The popular Jewish dating site, JDate, recently added a gay and lesbian search function. If straight friends recommend a site, you can always check to see if it has a search function for homosexual dating.

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Sites Just for Homosexual Dating

With how popular Internet dating has become, new sites are being created constantly. The success of some established sites have changed over the years, too. Therefore, it can be difficult to rate the various dating sites or truly say which one is your best bet. As a starting place, these are some established sites that specialize in gay and lesbian online dating:

Gay Match Maker advertises itself as the original gay and lesbian dating site. As part of a larger online dating company, so many of the "millions of members" advertised are not actually part of the Gay Match Maker site. However, the site has been around for a while and may be worth a visit.
Planet Out has news, shopping, travel information and more geared towards gays and lesbians. The personals section lets you search for men, women, or people who've chosen a transgendered lifestyle. The advertising suggests that it's a place to look for love ("You can't marry her unless you find her"), although casual dating is certainly still an option.
Gay FriendFinder is part of the FriendFinder adult dating collection of websites. As a rule, the FriendFinder sites attract members who are interested in casual sex, fetish play, group encounters, or other alternative choices. The Gay FriendFinder site, though, has quite a few profiles from men and women who are just looking for love relationships.

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Favorite Lesbian Websites

Two interesting options from the lists of lesbian-friendly web pages:

The Pink Sofa is billed as the largest lesbian dating community online. It's a cute, friendly-looking site that discourages "sleaze or curiosity." Ideal for lesbian and bisexual women who are serious about meeting other women, for friendship or more. The site also features forums on a number of topics, not simply for dating. It was founded in 2000 by a woman who wanted to find a better way than "just hoping to meet someone" for lesbian women to connect.
Womanline is owned by the larger, more mainstream dating site Lavalife. This place is just for women, though. The site is divided into three sections: women looking to date, women who want a lasting relationship, and for women who just want a brief encounter. This system of organization may help avoid confusion about what potential dates are expecting. Profiles include a brief essay and a place to list interests. As of 2006 this is a relatively new site.

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Cool Gay Sites

Sites like Yahoo and Match have been popular with gay men for many years; but, sites do change over time, and new ones come and go. Here are a few newer options to try:

At Gay.com, you'll find thousands of men looking for — as the site says — "Mr. Right, or Mr. Right Now." Profiles are concise; there's no "long walks on the beach" or "I love to laugh" here. Pictures are often provocative and the men appear to be in great physical shape.
Out Personals allows you to search for men, gay couples, bisexual couples, and groups. You can also specify what kind of encounter you want: 1-on-1 sex, group sex, a discreet relationship, or even a serious relationship. Alternative and fetish activities are included in the selection too. The advertising on the main page makes this site's purpose clear: "Hook up with our HOT MEMBERS NOW!"
Manline is the brother site to Womanline, also run by Lavalife. It has the same categories (casual dating, relationships, and sexual encounters) and the profile structure is also similar.

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The Advantage of Gay and Lesbian Online Dating

The great advantage to Internet dating is that you can be sure your date shares your sexual preference. You won't have to wonder whether the man or woman across the table considers you a potential romantic partner or just a same-sex friend.

The rules of gay and lesbian online dating are pretty much the same as in the real world. Make sure you have reason to trust the person before giving out personal information. Be careful who you give your heart to. Practice safe sex - and have fun.

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