Eliel Cruz

Bio

Eliel is a contributor at The Advocate, Religion News Service, and Mic writing on (bi)sexuality, gender, religion, and media. His favorite vegetable is peanut butter.

An Open Letter to People Who Don't Message You Back on Tinder

Dear Person Who Didn't Message Me Back On Tinder, So there I was, swiping away on a Thursday night, when I came across your profile. You were cute, you said you were down for drinks and you didn't have any pictures with guns and dead animals. So I…

Here's What It's Really Like to Be a Bisexual Man in the Dating World

My date and I had settled into our entrées when we started talking about what we do for work. Other than a few awkward pauses during our appetizers, I felt like the date was going well. But that quickly changed when I told him that even though I had…

13 Stunning Portraits Reveal the Epidemic Nobody's Talking About

Forty percent. That's how much of the homeless youth population identifies as LGBT, even though less than 5% of the American population identifies as LGBT. With a new photo book, See Me: Picturing New York's Homeless Youth, photographer…

New 'Christian Tinder' App Seems to Miss the Point of Religious Dating

This week brought a news update that many could have predicted: Young Americans are less religious than ever, as about 35% of adult millennials identify as religious "nones," according to the Pew Research Center. What does that mean for the dating…

The Dumbest Stereotypes That Almost Stopped Bisexual People From Coming Out

Ugly stereotypes may be the reason so many bisexual people have found it difficult to come out, according to a new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A group of 45 self-identified bisexual people told researchers that their friends' and…

Here's Why We Should Be Talking About Guys' Butts (Yes, Really)

"Butt play" is officially in our vernacular, now that it's embraced in pop culture and our bedrooms. Straight women are enjoying anal sex more than ever, as far as surveys and anecdotes can tell. When it comes to gay men, pop cultural depictions of…

Here's How PDA Is Actually Changing the World, One Kiss at a Time

We've all heard arguments against public displays of affection: It's inappropriate, distasteful or even flat-out "gross." Sometimes such sentiments zero in on a certain act (no one wants to see someone's tongue all over someone else's face), but too…

4 Facts That Put the Biggest Myths About Dating Bisexuals to Bed

Dating isn't easy for anyone. But few things rock potential relationships more than one partner feeling insecure — and dating someone sexually fluid can feel threatening to even the most secure individuals. Which is why there's arguably nothing that…

This Dangerous Practice Is Proven to Hurt LGBT People — And It's Still Legal in 47 States

Conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, is a dangerous pseudo-science intended to "change" LGBT people's sexual or gender identity. Despite the overwhelming evidence against the effectiveness and safety of the outdated practice — every…

Here's What Happens When a Bisexual Man Changes His Gender on Tinder to "Female"

Apps like Tinder are made to connect people with exactly what — and who — they want. But what if what you want from a sexual partner isn't all that you want? The fluidity of our sexual preferences is an established human reality, yet it's one that…