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Many queer men use gay dating apps like Grindr, Scruff, and Hornet. [1], but its effects on adolescents are not well known. To better understand these impacts, we interviewed health care professionals who work with young gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer men (YGBQTM).
Research Summary
We interviewed 28 health care professionals who work with YGBTQM in British Columbia. Our goal was to understand how gay dating apps impact the health and well-being of YGBTQM. Data analysis revealed three categories of impacts, both positive and negative.
Pleasant and transactional sex
Medical professionals felt that gay dating apps made sex more accessible, making YGBTQM's sexuality more transactional (i.e., encounters less emotionally engaging and less meaningful) or more pleasurable. Gay dating apps are also said to give YGBTQM the freedom to explore their sexuality while also helping them find suitable sexual partners more easily.
Increased sense of community and safety versus increased community alienation and violence
Medical experts discussed how gay dating apps can foster a sense of community by fostering connections among YGBTQM beyond sex. In particular, gay dating apps can help you create a visible queer community and meet new friends. Opportunities to connect with queer people may be even more important for trans individuals or YGBTQM who live in remote areas where queer social spaces are difficult to access. However, health experts have noted that gay dating apps expose YGBTQM more often to rejection and stigma (including transphobia, fatphobia, racism, and HIV discrimination). Discriminatory attitudes and messages (e.g., “No fat, no girls, no Asians”) are common on gay dating apps. On the other hand, health experts explained that it may be safer for YGBTQM to disclose information such as HIV+ status or trans identity before an encounter, which can increase physical safety by avoiding a potential violent response during the encounter.
STBBI and drug-related risks and prevention opportunities
Medical experts believed gay dating apps increased the risk of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) because they facilitated sexual activity and complicated contact tracing. Likewise, medical experts have criticized how gay dating apps can encourage or glamorize sexual drug use, which can be especially concerning for YGBTQM who have substance use issues or have never used drugs before. Conversely, health experts have pointed to the potential of gay dating apps for education and prevention. For example, information exchange between users improved YGBTQM's sexual health knowledge while also promoting sexual health services. Gay dating apps have also been a way for medical professionals to reach people in remote areas.
Implications for practice
The findings help us understand the complexities of the impact gay dating apps have on YGBQTM. Like a double-edged sword, these impacts are neither positive nor negative. Rather, they coexist in subtle ways, creating different experiences of YGBQTM depending on their identity and appearance. Understanding these complexities can help healthcare professionals maximize positive impacts while mitigating negative impacts. Additionally, medical professionals should be cautious about assuming that sex on gay dating apps is transactional or less genuine. This is because this may be perceived as prostitute-shaming and may negatively impact YGBTQM’s self-perception or how they interact with the healthcare system in the future.
For more information
Gaudette, M., Hesse, C. L., Kia, H., Chanady, T., Carson, A., Knight, R., & Ferlatte, O. (2022). “A double-edged sword”: Health care professionals’ perspectives on the health and social impacts of gay dating apps on young gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer men. Journal of Gender Studies, 0(0), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2153786
reference
[1] Macapagal, K., Kraus, A., Moskowitz, D. A., & Birnholtz, J. (2020). Use of geosocial networking applications, characteristics of sexual partners met through apps, and sexual behavior among sexual minority youth assigned male at birth. Journal of Gender Studies, 57(8), 1078-1087. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2019.1698004
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the study co-authors and collaborators who supervised this work, especially Olivier Ferlatte and Rod Knight. We would also like to thank the Canadian Institute of Health Research for funding this study. Special thanks to the healthcare professionals who participated in this study.