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In this post, we’ll mostly focus on the alternatives, but we’ll also touch upon why Craigslist shut down their personals section, as well as what happened to backpage.com. Thus, without further delay, let’s get started!

There has been a time when Craigslist Personals ruled the online dating scene. There was simply no competition. But as it happens with all good things, it ended abruptly with no sign of return. Although it ended with a sad outcome, the platform spawned quite a few alternatives that, in our opinion, came pretty close to the source material.

Contents

Top 3 Craigslist Personals Alternatives

1. Bedpage.com
2. OutPersonals.com
3. Locanto.com
4. Oodle.com
5. Doublelist.com
6. iBackpage.com
7. Classifiedads.com
8. Hoobly.com
9. Adultsearch
10. Seeking.com

Good Craigslist Personals Alternative

Now that we’ve covered a little bit of history, let’s move on to Craigslist Personals replacements. We’ll be covering all kinds of things about these sites, including but not limited to, the date they opened, the average amount of visitors, number of users, and why it’s a good replacement. In addition, we’ll discover whom each site is for, what said website does, and finally, what unique features it has.

1. DoULike.com

Visit website

Monthly active users: 600K+

So at number one, we have DoULike.com, and suffice to say that this is a very good website for dating purposes. With monthly 600K+ active users, this is a paradise for lonely souls. It has all the bells and whistles a dating website needs and adds a dedicated mobile app into the mix. Each profile is verified a number of times, meaning that you won’t stumble on fakes. Also, the website is practically for everyone, whether you are 20 or in you mid 50, chances are that you will find someone. Couple all this will high-quality filters and an outstanding matching algorithm, and you got yourself one of the best websites around. The website makes sure that you have a pleasant experience by providing constant updates. Highly recommended for everyone who likes quality and wants to spice their life up.

2. www.bedpage.com

Visit website

Daily visits: 5000

Active users: 260,000

Bedpage is perhaps the most underrated platform we’ve seen to date. It is a very good Craigslist Personals alternative as it not only looks similar but functions in the same way, minus the controversial sections. The website has more than 5000 daily visits and around 260,000 active users. The community over this place is quite huge and for good reasons. The site offers a nice set of customization options when it comes to ads. Just like Craigslist Personals, you get the ability to create personal ads that will target exactly the type of people you’d like to meet. The website is pretty much for everyone but keep in mind that you won’t find a lot of seniors here. The site keeps everything in check and there are no bugs or broken filters. This is a good fit for those of you who missed Craigslist Personals or don’t really care for fancy UIs.

3. OutPersonals.com

Visit website

Active users: 500,000

While the site does sound like a spiritual successor to Craigslist Personals, it’s key audience are homosexuals. The site sports a massive international community that is around 500,000 members large. The site continues to grow and more than 1,000 photos are introduced every week. The key feature of the website is the blog posting option which is something that many of us will find cool. You might not use it but you can still read what other users have to say, meaning that you can easily understand their position on something, as well as you can learn what they like the most. Also as an added bonus, the micro-blog system will help you adapt to the community much faster. The site continues to grow as more people join.

4. Locanto.com

Visit website

Registered users: 450,000

Daily users: 2000

Based in Germany, this online classified network has all kinds of sections that aren’t exactly dedicated to dating. People can easily post personal ads in sales, services, jobs, and real estate sections. And just like Craigslist, you get access to a personal section that has more than 450,000 registered users. The average amount of active daily users is around 2000, making it a perfect fit for people who have just started. The unique feature of the site is that it has a few cool categories for beginners. These include friendship, men seeking men, women seeking women, men seeking women, and vice versa. You also have sections such as casual encounters and missed connections. Thus, even if you are a beginner, you will surely find a community to join. Lastly, the site also offers a mobile application that can easily be downloaded on the Google Play Store.

5. Oodle.com

Visit website

Registered users: 350,000

Similarly to how Craigslist started, Oodle was also a classified ad site where you could find all kinds of posting. Before Craigslist Personal closed, Oodle was the only true competitor, which means that it also offers a very similar experience to CL. Indeed, just by landing on the website, you’ll immediately notice that there is a ton of different ads on singles, casual encounters, men seeking men, etc. And for good reasons too, it has more than 1000 ads posted daily. The register base is also massive, clocking in around 350,000 users. Yet, what separates the site from the competition is the fact that it lets you scan the web for personal offers. The site is also very reliable and safe as the moderation team tracks it 24/7. The best part about Oodle is that it suits practically all ages and tastes, there are no limitations and you will surely find someone to talk to.

6. Doublelist.com

Visit website

Registered users: 11,000,000

Another option you might find interesting is a website calledDoublelist.com. This online space borrows some elements from Craigslist Personals but after all, most sites like Doublelist tend to share some similarities, aren’t they? If you check out some of Doublelist review pieces, you’ll notice that users particularly like it for a great UI, simple design, and reliability. In addition to that, the site has a couple of cool features, like letting users post their interests via quick Doublelist classifieds, Doublelist personals ads, and more. There’s literally everything you need for finding an online date.

The key audience of websites like Doublelist is the LGBT community, but there are also quite a few straights looking for a one-night stand. This means that safety and privacy are paramount for Doublelist services. Nobody wants others to know such sensitive details of their personal lives, so it’s a great thing that Doublelist took care of that. Overall, there are more than 11 million registered users because this website is completely free of charge. Can we refer to Doublelist as the new Craiglist? Maybe not, but nevertheless, this online space is extremely promising, and it has new people joining daily. You might want to check it out.

7. iBackpage.com

Visit website

Monthly users: 550,000

The last one on our list is iBackpage. This is also a free offering but unlike our previous entry, the site offers a premium user experience. In general, this site is for everyone but most features are tailored for casual encounters first. It also has a dedicated LGBT section that is very active and friendly to newcomers. The key specialty of the site is that it tries to find your partner using geolocation. This means that it will focus on your area of residence and if you want more performance out of the ad, you can opt for the premium plan, which is only $2 per post. This is a very affordable price, especially considering that similar sites usually charge triple the amount. As reported by the site, there are around 550,000 visitors monthly, and more than 10,000 ads posted weekly.

8. Classifiedads.com

Monthly users: 400,000

ClassifiedAds is a great Craigslist alternative, too. It’s one of the largest classified ads sites at the moment. More than 3 million unique monthly visitors go there every month. Their personals sections look very much similar to Craigslist with options like “casual dating”, “men seeking men”, “woman seeking woman”, “men seeking women” and vice versa. They even have “missed connections” ads, which has been a favorite of many people. ClassifiedAds is not a big ass company yet, it’s a small startup with 20 people making it work. But despite their size, they are slowly gaining popularity in classified online space. As you browse through the ads, you see dozens of adds for all tastes, from the ones looking for a sex partner with very specific requirements to those who just need someone to talk to. All in all, check out this site, you might like it.

9. Hoobly.com

Monthly users: 500,000

Another free local classified ad site that can be a good alternative to Craigslist is Hoobly.com. It has millions of classifieds on in many categories. Google says, their most popular category is pet advertisements, but there are also many other tabs. You can use this site to buy and sell various goods, look for real estate and put in on sale or for rent. The ads on this site are updated on a regular basis and it also lets users place their own ads with all the details and pics. However, there is no personals section. You won’t be able to look for potential partners on this site, at least for now. You may hit on a girl you’ve just closed the deal with, nobody will stop you if you’re feeling adventurous. But generally, this is a great site, but just not for dating.

10. Adultsearch

For all of you who have been looking for good craigslist alternatives, Adultsearch might be exactly what you need. This website is one of the many hookup sites similar to Craigslist personals. Here you can find adults of all ages and genders who will gladly get to know you and have a little bit of fun. Whether you are a woman looking for another woman, or you are a man who is seeking to have a great time with a woman of their age, it is guaranteed you will find someone who will catch your attention and provide you with an amazing time!

11. Seeking.com

Monthly users: 250,000

Seeking.com or SeekingArrangement can partially make a good alternative for Craigslist. If you’ve been using it to find a sugar daddy online, this one is going to be perfect. It’s basically a dating site where sugar babes are looking for their mentors. To join the community, you need to create an account, define your terms, state the expectations, add a profile pic, and start looking for an arrangement. The site promises that people find their ideal match in less than a week. It’s not exactly a classified ads platform, but it gets the job done. And it’s even better for the people who know exactly what they want. No games, everything is honest and straightforward, all is nice and clear. The site has lots of useful features and it gathers active members from 139 countries. If you’re up to this kind of relationship, give it a try.

What is Craigslist Personals? Why it Shut Down?

Now for those of you who don’t know, back at the day, Craigslist was a completely different website than it is today. It used to host a section called “personals” that were primarily used for dating purposes. Yet, back then the internet (and frankly, the world) was a different place and this section sparked a lot of controversies because of a few sub-sections. The most popular sub-sections dubbed “casual encounters” and “erotic services” are the ones that caused a lot of trouble. And this is quite puzzling considering that there were sections that seemed way more controversial than “casual encounters”.

The Impact of Craigslist Personals Termination

Craigslist personals section was the place to be for quiet people who don’t even take selfies, not to mention the dating apps. These were men and women looking for someone without having to deal with tons of questions to answer, catchy usernames, profile pics, passwords all that. It’s also been a perfect place for bisexual people who were hiding this side of themselves from their spouses/partners. And when Craigslist shut down, it affected many people’s lives, clearly. But that’s not the biggest problem everyone complains about.

Personals section was closed due to a governmental regulation aimed at preventing sex trafficking. However, it also impacted lots of sex workers. The thing is, the world uses many US-based sites to run their businesses. It’s estimated by some sources that the shutdown of resources like Craigslist influenced around 10-15 million sex workers, and not just in the US but in other countries where this industry is legal. Too bad it ends this way.

Why Was Craigslist Personals so Important?

The reason why Craigslist Personals was so popular is that the service offered security as the system masked the identity of each person. Indeed, if there’s something users could count on, that was the fact that nobody knew who they are. This also added a thrill-like effect as it was always a gamble on whom you might land. Craigslist casual encounters were so popular that there was barely any criticism of the system too. Everyone enjoyed the platform, especially those who relied on anonymity.

Both doctors and high-level businessmen that had trouble meeting someone publicly loved the platform. Some described the system as the only place where they can even start searching for partners. And for good reasons too, for them, the platform was the only place where they could openly express their feelings. There is a good amount of people who actually met their soulmates and live together even today. Craigslist dating was a big deal, especially considering that nothing like it was introduced in the past.

What Opportunities did Personal Ads Provide?

There is no question that many gays found peace and comfort when it comes to dating on Craigslist Personals. To them, the system was a nice place to share not only their position but to find the like-minded people. Indeed, many formed communities were judgment-free, meaning that the platform was more than just a site where they could meet new people. It gave them a sense of belonging to a certain group.

Also, the site was practically a paradise for married men who were looking forward to trying gay sex. They didn’t have to risk revealing their identities so they also had zero trouble communicating with like-minded others. Another thing Craigslist Personals was good at is providing services such as sex workers, relationship building, and naturally, casual sex encounters. All this combined with high-level privacy made Craigslist Personals one of the best places to meet new people for flirting and sex.

Why Snapchat Can’t Be A Replacement?

First off, Snapchat was never built for meeting new people. There is no discover tab, and you won’t find a line to fill out personal information outside of your name. The main focus of the platform is to share photos and videos that you can modify with custom filters and masks. While it’s true that you can share snapshot photos with other social media platforms, you can only do so much with the app. It won’t be your Craigslist Personals replacement as it is more of a photo and video sharing platform than a dating one. So, TL;DR, it lacks the features a dedicated dating site has and the UI is simply not up for the task.

Why Backpage.com Shut Down Also?

The reason why backpage.com shut down is that it wanted to be the new Craigslist Personals. They had the same sections and even the UI somewhat resemble Craigslist but things were getting out of hand fast. Their casual encounters corner quickly gathered weirdos that advertise sex services. The government suspected that they were promoting prostitution and enforced pressure on banks that processed the transactions and warned the website to stop their activities. Yet, even so, the site continued to work and started accepting Bitcoins. Later, the CEO of the site was brought to court where the “Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act” or “SESTA” bill played a vital role in stopping the website from working.

Most Popular Cities on Craigslist >>

Bottom Line

Today you can easily find lots of sites that are great alternatives for Craigslist hookup and offer quite an expected amount of features and possibilities for users. It is essential to find a trusted website or a trusted place to find your perfect hookup. For best results and a secured conversation, pick the site which resonates with your purposes and wishes yet has positive reviews and feedbacks among the users. Luckily we will list the best sites for trying casual dating out there and fill you in with all needed information! Just pick the one that suits you most and browse through thousands and thousands of profiles of people who are looking for the same!

All in all, there are many different alternatives to Craigslist Personals but these are considered to be the best. There is no definitive answer to which one is better as each of them has a nice install base and is being actively worked on. Thus, go with whichever you like. Although, before we leave, we’d like to stress that we should make one more distinction regarding websites. There are those that provide local dating options (i.e CL) and international matchmaking type of services. Many local dating websites offer paid services but don’t be discouraged about it. Since users invest in their profiles, you are more likely to get some results. A good example would be DoULike.com, which is a high-quality option with an immense user-base.

• Amazing Dating Profile Headlines that Attract Female
• Tips to stay safe using dating sites

We didn’t always have a lot of openly gay couples to look up to on TV. I mean, there was Bert and Ernie (come on, we all know they’re more than just roommates). However, most old-school television shows would feature a gay best friend without a love interest, and his role was to support his friends on their love stories — not create one of his own.

Then in the late 1990s, groundbreaking TV shows like “Will & Grace” and “Modern Family” challenged traditional stereotypes and showed that gay relationships are (this may shock you) pretty much the same as straight relationships. Just with a better sense of style.

Nowadays, if you’re looking for the Mitch to your Cam or the Bert to your Ernie, you don’t have to look very far. The online dating scene has many LGBTQ-friendly resources and men-seeking-men sites where gay guys are the star of the show.

Overall Free Backpage Alternatives Black Older FAQs

Top Men-Seeking-Men Dating Sites (#1-3)

You may think of online dating as a straight person’s game, but you’d be wrong. Online dating is for everybody, and it works especially well for singles in niche communities. According to a 2016 Match.com survey, 56% of LGBTQ singles have dated someone they met online. The following dating sites offer men-seeking-men options to help you get off the bench and into the game.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Friends, Dates, and Relationships

Match System:Browse by zip, age, appearance, more

Our Experts Say:“Match.com has a massive and extremely active gay user base, as over 1 million gay, bisexual, and curious men use the site to find dates and partners...” Full Review»

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Match has a diverse membership base in terms of background, nationality, and orientation. This dating site has been around longer than any other dating site, and it’s still racking up success stories. It’s basically the queen of online dating. No matter what type of date you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it in Match’s treasure trove of profiles.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Serious Relationships

Match System:Search, Receive Partner Suggestions

Our Experts Say:“Not only is EliteSingles exclusively for educated professionals, but it also has a diverse user base made up of millions of gay and bisexual men...” Full Review»

Browse Free:View Photos Now

As a relationship-seeking space, EliteSingles prides itself on being a cut above the rest. This international dating site has attracted thousands of discerning daters seeking a gay relationship. Over 80% of its members have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, and over 90% are interested in finding the real deal and settling down.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Fun Dates, Serious Relationships

Match System:Search and get match recommendations

Our Experts Say:“Gay, bisexual, and curious single men love Zoosk because it's quick, easy, and really successful...” Full Review»

Browse Free:View Photos Now

Zoosk is headquartered in San Francisco, so you better believe this dating site is gay-friendly. In 2007, the startup launched a dating site that would use powerful social networking tools (newsfeed, behavioral, and lengthy profiles) to upgrade the online dating scene. And it took off. Today, Zoosk has over 40 million members in 80 countries.

Top “Free” Men-Seeking-Men Dating Sites (#4-6)

Going out on a date every weekend can get expensive, so singles should look for savings wherever they can. Maybe that means heading to the bar early for happy hour, or maybe it means checking out the free features on dating sites and apps. By joining a free dating site, you can get the lay of the land and browse profiles without spending a cent of your hard-earned cash.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Hookups, Chats

Match System:Search by encounter, location, and more

Our Experts Say:“BeNaughty is a popular casual hookup site for millions, which includes a large and active gay user base...” Full Review»

Browse Free:View Photos Now

Gay singles enjoy the dating-free-for-all available on BeNaughty. The hookup site is all about removing inhibitions and encouraging online flirtation. You don’t have to pay a subscription fee to send messages on the platform, but you do have to upload a photo — singles without pictures don’t show up in search results and can’t chat on BeNaughty.

5. Grindr

Grindr is pretty much universally known as one of the most popular gay dating apps around. In the 2018 movie “Love, Simon,” Simon’s dad hilariously refers to it as “Like Facebook for gays.” Not exactly. It’s more like a slam book for gays. You have the chance to rate local date prospects on a straightforward hot-or-not scale, and the ones who like you back will show up in your mutual matches. That’s when the real fun begins.

Grindr has approximately 3.8 million active users spread across 200+ countries.

As a casual men-only app, Grindr offers 100% free communication (though you can only contact guys who like you back) to all its members. Since 2009, it has endeavored to support the LGBTQ+ community and provide a safe space where gay singles can feel accepted, valued, and loved.

6. Tinder

Tinder needs no introduction. It’s the most popular dating app in the whole freakin’ world. It invented swiping, for crying out loud. Since 2012, this dating app has seen billions (yeah, with a B) of swipes and facilitated an ungodly number of first dates and hookups. And some relationships, too, I’m sure.

Gay singles can join the swipe life by downloading Tinder for free. As the app says, “Single is a terrible thing to waste.”

Top “Backpage Alternatives” for Men Seeking Men (#7-9)

Backpage was a popular classified ads website launched in 2004, but a slew of troubling and unethical incidents led the U.S. Justice Department to shut Backpage down in 2018. The CEO pleaded guilty to charges of facilitating prostitution and money laundering. It was a whole big mess.

The sad part is not everyone on Backpage were skeevy, sex-crazed perverts and criminals. Some were legit looking for a date. Where do those folks go now? We’ve picked up some upstanding dating resources that can offer a reliable alternative to Backpage. These sites have a similar personals-driven interface, but include more robust protections for user privacy and safety.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Daters & Hookups

Match System:Search by age, zip code, more

Our Experts Say:“With more than 79 million users, MenNation is among the largest gay and bisexual dating and hookup sites in the world. A basic membership is 100% free, and it allows you to upload info and photos, browse, and chat...”

Browse Free:View Photos Now

We rank MenNation as among the best gay personals sites around because it’s a free, fun, and flirtatious place to meet guys. The site has millions of active members, and it’s a sexually stimulating guys-only network. Gay singles and couples don’t have to be coy while mingling on MenNation, aka the world’s largest gay hookup site.

MenNation is a safe and trustworthy alternative for former Backpage users. The site allows its members to report abuse or sexually explicit ads, so the site can take appropriate action to protect people. Plus, MenNation is mobile-friendly, so you can access it on your phone without downloading an app.

8. Craigslist

While Craigslist no longer has a dedicated personals section, it’s still a hot spot for singles looking for friendship, camaraderie, and, let’s be honest, sex. They’re just not as in-your-face about it as they used to be. If you hang out in the community section, you’re bound to find folks seeking some one-on-one time.

The Activities, Missed Connections, and General groups are good places to start looking for hot guys in your area. You can do a keyword search through Craigslist ads to find gay singles and get in touch through private messages.

9. OkCupid

In 2014, OkCupid became the first dating app to offer 22 gender and 13 orientation options for its users. This inclusive move earned it top marks among the LGBTQ+ community, and the platform has continued to position itself as a staunch ally to singles who go against the grain and dare to be different.

Gay singles can use OkCupid’s free chat features to create a deep romantic connection.

OkCupid offers a>

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Bi Curious Hookup Site Like Craigslist Free

Relationships:Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates

Match System:Search by location, age, more

Our Experts Say:“BlackPeopleMeet is a go-to dating site for gay, bisexual, and curios black and biracial men, and it has a free membership option...” Full Review»

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BlackPeopleMeet is an obvious choice for black and biracial singles in the U.S. It’s the largest African-American singles network in the world, and it’s still growing. Over the last 17+ years, BlackPeopleMeet has made a name for itself as the most reliable and successful black dating site you can find, no matter what your orientation.

Gay singles can join BlackPeopleMeet for free and set their dating preferences, so only gay men appear in their search and match sections.

11. Plenty of Fish

With over 1 billion messages sent a month on the site, Plenty of Fish prides itself on being “the best dating site for conversations.” It’s free to send messages on POF, as singles call it, and you can browse under a username (not your real name) to stay anonymous while you browse.

Plenty of Fish gives its members a chemistry test to determine the individual’s relationship needs and cultivate successful matches on the site. You can read its success stories on the site.

12. Hornet

Young. Hip. Fast-paced. Hornet is all that and more. The dating site and app supports a community of gay singles seeking meaningful connections, not just hookups. The digital network boasts over 25 million members of all ages and backgrounds. Hornet is available on iOS, Android, and the web.

Hornet’s live newsfeed makes the dating platform feel like a social networking site.

Unlike some other gay dating sites, Hornet’s founders and leadership team are part of the LGBTQ+ community, so it’s mission is personal to them. The platform has done its best to not only facilitate dates but to offer a sense of belonging for gay men around the world.

Top “Older” Men-Seeking-Men Dating Sites (#13-15)

Once you reach a certain age, meeting new people isn’t so easy. For one thing, you may not be into the party scene anymore. For another thing, you may have already dated all the cuties in your friend group. That’s when it’s time to branch out and find an age-appropriate dating scene where your maturity won’t be counted against you. Check these over-50 dating sites out next time you’re interested in finding a daddy, a bear, or a silver fox.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Dates and Relationships

Match System:Search by profiles by zip and more

Our Experts Say:“OurTime is a fantastic option for gay, bisexual, and curious single men age 50 and up, as the site's user base is very active...” Full Review»

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OurTime is a high-quality dating site powered by the Match Group, which runs popular dating brands in over 190 countries. Since its launch in 2017, OurTime has made headlines as the fastest-growing senior dating site around. It welcomes gay, straight, lesbian, and bi singles seeking companionship and a new lease on life.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Friendship, Casual Dates, Serious Relationships

Match System:Search by age, location, height, education, ethnicity, and religion

Our Experts Say:“..” Full Review»

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Niche dating sites, like Silver Singles, have done a lot to change people’s perceptions about singles of a certain age. Not all over-50 daters are afraid of technology or hesitant to meet someone new. It can actually be exciting to get back into the dating scene and feel like a teenager again.

SilverSingles encourages its members to take the plunge, defy stereotypes, and make their golden years truly special. Free membership includes profile setup, browsing, and limited communication.

15. GayCupid

Although GayCupid isn’t strictly a senior dating site, it does have a strong foothold in the over-50 demographic. Cupid Media network owns this international dating service and introduces thousands of singles online. You can check out GayCupid’s success stories on the site.

New members automatically receive a free three-month trial period during which they can access all the premium features on GayCupid, including free messaging. After the three months is over, GayCupid members must upgrade their accounts to continue using the site to meet date prospects.

How is a Personals Site Different From a Dating Site?

We receive this question a lot, and I totally get it. Personals sites look a lot like dating sites. They both have new members create a profile, they both have some sort of live messaging system, and they both intend to facilitate dates and relationships. The difference is in the details.

Dating personals have fewer bells and whistles to distract and hamper singles in their search for a date. Here are the hallmarks of a dating personals site:

• Abbreviated profiles (ads)
• No match algorithms
• Simple search filers (gender, location, or keyword)
• No likes, favorites, or mutual matches
• Free, unlimited messaging

Most people use personals sites and traditional dating sites interchangeably because they’re so similar. However, dating sites (and apps) put more effort into curating matches, while dating personals sites are happy to get out of the user’s way and let him decide what he wants.

What Happened to Backpage, and is Craigslist a Good Alternative?

We’ve touched on Backpage’s sordid history and demise earlier in this article, but I’ll spill more of the juicy details here, too. The FBI worked alongside the IRS, the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Postal Inspection service to seize Backpage.com in April 2018. You know it’s bad when even the Postal Service is after you. The government charged seven people in a 93-count indictment on charges that included sex trafficking and money laundering.

It sounds like a straightforward good-guys-win and pimps-go-to-jail story, right? Well, the fallout has been a little more complicated than that.

In April 2018, the Backpage company pleaded guilty to human trafficking.

The Cut published an interesting piece about sex workers’ reaction to Backpage’s shutdown. A 20-year-old Muslim woman said, “Backpage is currently — or it was — my sole source of income,” and others pointed out that not having a platform to screen dates could make them more vulnerable to johns looking to take advantage of the situation.

But what’s done is done. The personals site is no more, the CEO pleaded guilty, and singles have to find a backup Backpage. The top candidate is Craigslist, a classified ads site, but it actually shut down its personals section in early 2018. You can still meet singles through the site’s discussion forum, which has a m4m section where gay men congregate, but there’s no longer a dedicated space for soliciting dates or sex on Craigslist.

“Any tool or service can be misused,” Craigslist stated in its announcement of the shutdown. “We can’t take such a risk without jeopardizing all our other services.”

What Does “M4M” and “MSM” Mean?

People throw around a lot of jargon in the dating scene, and it’s important to know what they’re saying so you don’t wind up in an awkward situation. If someone asks you to P&P, for instance, and you show up with a copy of “Pride and Prejudice,” you’re both going to be in for a surprise.

So, what does M4M mean? That’s an easy one. Men for men! I mean, I guess the person could also be referring to the M4M boy band, but it’s not that likely. In the context of a personals site, M4M is code for “I’m a guy looking for guys.” MSM (men who have sex with men) amounts to the same thing. When you see MSM or M4M on a dating personal, it’s a green light for gay singles.

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Americans still have a long way to go in terms of true equality and LGBTQ+ representation in society, but we’ve made significant progress in Hollywood at least. In 2017, even Disney broke with its princesses-seek-princes tradition and featured its first gay kiss on the animated series “Star vs. the Forces of Evil.”

Gay men have really come into their own in the last decade or so, and many men-seeking-men dating services celebrate their right to pursue anyone and everyone they like. It’s never been easier for men seeking men to get together. We’ve listed some of the best gay-friendly dating personals in multiple categories to help you take center stage and find the star-studded romance you deserve. Good luck!

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