“I don’t have enough bandwidth to use multiple apps. It’s a one stop-shop for anything I’d look for in a dating app: hookups, dates, even friends.” - Matthew, 27 I guess I have narrowed it down to using that because it’s my favorite. Still, it’s not uncommon to have shared nudes before you’ve actually met in real life. While it’s usually used for more quick and casual “liaisons”-you can and plenty of people still do use it to ask out men on dates. Grindr, in case you live under a rock, was the first gay geolocation app, meaning that it lets you know how close you are to others (e.g., 715 feet).
GrindrĪlright, since I started with Grindr, let’s finish up talking about it before I move onto the next apps. So we reached out to a bunch of LGBTQ folks of all genders and non-straight sexual orientations to discuss which apps they prefer and why. Apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble all have options to choose the same-gender. In fact, it’s one I never go to I just happened to be in the area for a random meeting.īut Grindr is just one of many dating apps for queer people, and queer folks don’t necessarily need an app that’s specifically marketed as gay or bisexual. If it wasn’t for Grindr I’m not sure if I would have ever met Ryan, since that wasn’t my usual gym. Roughly a year later, he’s my little man. He said yes, and admitted he was looking at me too. I messaged him asking if he was the guy I saw at the gym today. On most gay/bi social networking apps that cater primarily to hook-ups as opposed to dates, it’s customary to post a headless body photo to protect anonymity. Luckily, he actually had a photo of his face and not his torso, which as any queer man can tell you, is rare. I hopped on Grindr, thinking he may still be in the area, and there he was. I told myself I’d build up the courage, walk over to him, and introduce myself when I finished my set, but by the time I was done, he was nowhere to be found. We locked eyes while he was squatting at the rack and both looked away coyishly. I met my current boyfriend at the gym, but I’d have to award Grindr the assist.