"We made a mistake. Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating..."

"... and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite. Some of the perspectives we heard were: from those who shared that celibacy is the only answer when reproductive rights are continuously restricted; from others for whom celibacy is a choice, one that we respect; and from the asexual community, for whom celibacy can have a particular meaning and importance, which should not be diminished. We are also aware that for many, celibacy may be brought on by harm or trauma."

Said the dating app company Bumble, apologizing for its ad campaign with the slogan "A vow of celibacy is not the answer/Introducing the new Bumble."

I'm reading about this in "Bumble to Users: You Need Sex. Users to Bumble: Get Lost. A new advertising campaign from the dating app set off a firestorm of criticism, prompting the company to apologize" (NYT).  From the article, which is by Gina Cherelus, who says, "Framing celibacy and abstinence from sex as a negative isn’t all that different from framing promiscuity and sexual freedom as shameful."

For Tobi Ijitoye, a program manager who lives in London, the campaign felt similar to societal pressures women feel with dating or settling down in a relationship. “It’s like, ‘Oh no, you have to engage in dating, you have to try and find a man or else you’re going to end up with cats.’ And I’m like, Why is that a threat?” Ms. Ijitoye said in a phone interview. “You want me to use the app, but you’re threatening me by telling me that the choices that I’ve made as an adult human being is going to make me miserable?”

Why must cats always pop up? Just to mention them, even derisively like this, is to participate in the terrifying stereotype. Does no one believe that the life of solitude is dignified, rich, and deeply beneficial? 

ADDED: The apology was posted here, on Instagram, where you can read many responses from non-customers of the company. Example:

As a marketer, my secondhand embarrassment for y'all is strong. HUGE miss. Women are tired of the harrassment, gaslighting, abuse, and trauma we experience at the hands of men. Shaming us back into engaging with them will not work. It's appalling that this company is managed by women who clearly have not read the room. I hope women continue to leave your app and others in droves. If anyone needs to be lectured or mocked about changing their behavior its MEN. Every woman i know has had many, many negative experiences on and off the dating apps. It's not worth the time, effort and money and never was. BYE!

And:

Women don’t want to have sex with men who don’t deserve them. Maybe there’s a quality men problem not an issue with women. Celibacy wasn’t the issue, it was the reaction to it.