The Body-Positive Dating App That Puts Curvy Singles in the Spotlight

The Short Version: When the world revolves around thinness, having a different type of body can feel isolating. This is why Bustr, a BBW (Big Beautiful Women) dating and hookup app, was created. We talked to Cecilia G., a representative from the app, about how Bustr caters to curvy women and prioritizes safety and body positivity. 

I’ll never forget what a friend of mine experienced when she first joined Tinder. 

Three months out from a bad breakup, my friend wanted to get back onto the dating scene. Frankly, her profile photos kicked butt. She was able to show off so many sides of her personality: There was a photo of her with bright-pink hair playing video games, and another of her demurely sipping wine at a wedding. 

My personal favorite photo showed our entire friend group doing a cheesy freeze-frame jump for joy in our cap and gowns post-college graduation. A bonafide gamer with a great sense of humor who wears the hell out of a sundress. Who wouldn’t want to get to know this girl?! 

Well, plenty of people messaged her — but half of them hurled insults instead of pick-up lines. “No one wants to see you jumping up and down,” one guy wrote. I was shocked when she showed me the messages, but she only shrugged as if to say, This happens all the time. 

Why did people think it was OK to write such horrible messages to people, and why did these dating apps not care more about how a huge percentage of its user base was treated? 

Cecilia G., a representative from the plus-size exclusive dating app Bustr, told us how this dire need for representation is what inspired the app’s creation. “I realized that traditional dating programs were not meeting the specific needs and desires of plus-size women,” she said.  

Bustr aims to address these needs and desires head-on so plus-size women can feel as beautiful and loved as they truly are. 

“When plus-size singles date, they often experience body-shaming,” Cecilia told us. “(Plus-size women) are often told their body type is not desirable, which can cause low self-esteem.” 

“Bustr provides a comfortable, safe, and inclusive dating environment for plus-size women and their suitors,” Cecilia told us. Comfortable, safe, and included: Three words that certainly didn’t describe how my friend felt when she read those awful messages. Thankfully, they describe Bustr’s overall vibe perfectly. 

Bustr spotlights the women who have long been pushed to the side. It wasn’t difficult for Bustr’s creators to see an opportunity for inclusion, and market research confirmed that curvy women deserved a positive online dating experience.

“After gathering the opinions of large-sized users who had been discriminated against in mainstream dating apps, our team saw the need for a specialized platform to provide opportunities and support for large-sized people,” Cecilia said. 

Notice how Bustr doesn’t only provide dating opportunities for plus-size women, but emotional support, as well? There’s a good chance the women who sign up for Bustr have experienced some level of body-shaming or discrimination in the past. Giving them helpful resources and emotional support makes Bustr a safe, welcoming place. 

It helps that Bustr’s management team keeps a close eye on the user experience. “Bustr implements strict community guidelines and management practices,” Cecilia explained. In other words, Bustr is a positive and respectful space for plus-size daters. 

You shouldn’t have to worry about receiving insulting messages from small-minded people. If you do find an inappropriate message in your in-box, Bustr encourages you to report it. “A dedicated team is set up to review these reports and take appropriate action,” Cecilia assured us. Expect a swift response from Bustr. 

The best way to overcome bias is to educate yourself, which Bustr helps users do with its educational resources. Cecilia told us how these resources can help. “Bustr provides educational content to increase awareness and understanding of diversity within the community,” she said. 

When you’re aware of these biases, you can finally work on your response to them. “Bustr explicitly tells users to respect its code of conduct, aiming to create an environment where all users feel comfortable and accepted.” 

Rejection is a universal experience, especially in the dating world. Usually, the pain of rejection is balanced out or overcome by the joy of acceptance. But what if you’re never accepted, and for something you can’t even control? 

Exclusion is an entirely different kind of pain only some of us understand. The only thing worse than feeling uncomfortable on a dating app is feeling unsafe, but it’s a reality for countless plus-size women. 

After all, you and your potential date are only separated by a screen for so long. Meeting for an in-person date is usually an exciting, positive experience, but if you face bias and discrimination because of your weight, in-person dates can come with some trepidation. What if you’ve been catfished? What if the person you’re meeting up with doesn’t have good intentions? 

According to Cecilia, Bustr’s in-app features combat these negative possibilities. “Bustr’s core values of inclusivity and safety are exemplified in many of the app’s designs and features,” she said. “For example, the newly launched video verification feature helps to verify identity as well as reduce the risk of catfishing.”

On Bustr, you can see and talk to your date without leaving the safety of your comfort zone. You can meet with your online date in real life when and if you’re ready. 

Other dating apps are designed for straight-sized women, but Bustr was specifically designed with the safety and well-being of plus-size women in mind. “Bustr specializes in the BBW (Big Beautiful Women) community, so it can adapt its algorithms and matching process to better meet the needs of plus-size users,” Cecilia explained. 

“By using video authentication and strong data encryption, Bustr protects the user’s identity and personal information,” she added. 

On the app store, Bustr claims that its user profiles are checked by an AI system to ensure spams, bots, and scammers are weeded out from the pool of authentic users. Remember the Code of Conduct we mentioned? It prohibits sexually explicit content, so you don’t have to worry about receiving any unwanted photos. 

Again, you can flag inappropriate content as you see fit. “Users can flag any misbehaviors, and upon receiving the flag, the system passes it on to a professional team for prompt processing,” Cecilia said. 

You’re set up to succeed on Bustr, and you don’t have to take our word for it. 

Cecilia proudly shared some Bustr success stories. “One female user called Elswyatt wrote in to tell us how she was able to connect with someone who appreciated her authentic side through Bustr and ended up building a lasting relationship.” 

“Another user thanked us for providing her with a warm, harmonious family, one in which she felt confident and secure at all times,” Cecilia told us. Confidence and security are two feelings that Bustr continually works to facilitate. “These stories lift us up and make us even more motivated to do better,” Cecilia said. 

Bustr prides itself on its ability to innovate for plus-size daters. On the app store, Bustr claims to provide advanced search options and “female-friendly chat features” for free; this way, users have a wide range of matches to choose from, and an even wider range of communication. 

According to Cecilia, Bustr’s work still isn’t done. “We’re working on enhancing our matching algorithm to provide even more personalized and accurate connections,” she said. The more personalized the algorithm, the more options users have to choose from. And as any plus-size individual who has ever experienced a traditional dating app could tell you, “options” can be hard-won. 

This is why Bustr also plans on expanding its social presence. If you want to date in a body-positive environment, don’t you also want to make friends in that environment? “We plan to introduce new social features, such as virtual events and community forums, where users can engage in group activities and discussions,” Cecilia shared. 

The goal is to turn Bustr into a “vibrant community for BBWs and their admirers,” Cecilia said. Imagine: a world where people of all shapes and sizes can make romantic connections with confidence and power. It’s a world Bustr is well on its way to creating, as Cecilia told us. “In this culture, we celebrate diversity and treat our users with dignity.”