Lyft is introducing a new feature that lets women and non-binary riders choose a preference to match with drivers of the same gender.

The ride-hailing company said it was a “highly requested feature” in a blog post Tuesday, saying the new feature allows women and non-binary people to “feel that much more confident” in using Lyft and also hopefully encourage more women to sign up to be drivers to access its “flexible earning opportunities.”

The service, called “Women+ Connect,” is rolling out in the coming months. Riders can turn on the option in the Lyft app, however the company warns that it’s not a guarantee that they’ll be matched with a women or non-binary person if one of those people aren’t nearby. Both the riders and drivers will need to opt-in to the feature for it work and riders must chose a gender for it to work.

  • HikingVet@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 year ago

    Really? Seems like a bit of a stretch.

    Never heard any of my male friends ever comment on the sex of a driver or even have a preference.

    I mean all my evidence on this is anecdotal, and yours seems like it’s just conjecture.

    Edit: How do men not caring about the gender of their driver reduce the amount of woman drivers for the women who ask for them?

          • HikingVet@lemmy.sdf.org
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            1 year ago

            Men may not, but women do.

            That’s my point. Men aren’t asking for this, so how would it reduce the amount of women drivers for women who wish to be passengers?

              • HikingVet@lemmy.sdf.org
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                1 year ago

                Maybe it’s about men preferring female drivers and making it harder for other to get them.

                This is what I was trying to understand. Your confusion is at the same place mine is. This doesn’t really make sense to me.

    • popololote@lemmings.world
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      1 year ago

      If men and “not men” can ask for woman drivers they are “competing” for some drivers and making it harder for each other to get them. If only “not men” can ask for women it is easier for them to get the driver they want. So if men don’t have a strong preference it’s easier for other to get what they are asking for.

      I’m not agreeing with them, just trying to make sense of it.

      • KoboldCoterie@pawb.social
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        1 year ago

        It’s not about men asking for women drivers, it’s about everyone requesting their own gender - that’s what the policy allows. If a woman explicitly wants a male driver, this doesn’t help them, same as if a man wanted a woman driver, or a non-binary driver.