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Category: All Gay
Match Is Still Refusing to Let Bisexuals Choose More Than One Gender
PINK NEWS – June 3 – Despite the fact that bi+ activists have been rallying for the feature for years, the company refused to allow users to choose more than one gender. Moreover, it emphasised that it offers "two-gender preferences", stonewalling non-binary users from joining. "Our site is for everyone but at the moment it's only set up for two gender preferences," the website's Twitter account stated. "Members can set up two profiles with their preferences and they only have to pay for one."
Grindr Has Removed Its Controversial Ethnicity Filters
Winning Bidder for Grindr Has Ties to Chinese Owner
REUTERS – June 3 – An investor group San Vincente that got U.S. approval to buy Grindr has financial and personal links to the dating app's current owner, China's Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) had cleared the sale of Grindr to San Vicente Acquisition for ~$600M. Grindr spokeswoman said: "The buyers for Grindr were selected after an extensive and unbiased bidding process that complied fully with all applicable regulations, as the receipt of all necessary approvals – including CFIUS – demonstrates." A regulatory filing shows San Vicente was incorporated on Feb. 19, just weeks before the deal with Kunlun. The company is named after the LA street where Grindr has its headquarters.
U.S. Approves Sale of Grindr
WALL STREET JOURNAL – May 30 – U.S. national security officials have approved an investor group's purchase of gay-dating app Grindr that is being sold by a Chinese company after the Trump administration raised concerns about the potential theft of Americans' personal data. China's Beijing Kunlun Tech said that the buyer – San Vicente Acquisition – has secured approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. Grindr could be sold for $608.5M. In 2016, Kunlun paid $93M for a 60% stake in Grindr. It acquired the rest of Grindr for $152M in 2018.
Grindr Is Not a Cure for Coronavirus Anxiety
OUTSPORTS – May 26 – LGBT mental health researcher Jack Turban explains the vicious relationship between Grindr and mental health. He says Grindr works like a slot machine: once in a while you score, but more often, you fail. A survey of 2K iPhone users showed that 77% of Grindr users felt regret after logging on. "The big problem is, as a society, we have not created enough safe spaces for LGBT young people to explore their gender and sexuality in a developmentally appropriate way," Turban says. "As a young gay, lesbian or bisexual person, if you're closeted, you're probably not going to have a high school prom, you're probably not going to have a classroom valentine. Because kids don't have that place to explore, a lot of them go online. It feels safer and more discreet and more anonymous." Even for those who aren't struggling with their identities, the coronavirus quarantine can be an exceptionally isolating experience. Many LGBT people are closer to their chosen families than biological families, and it can hurt to not see them. Stuck without in-person socialization, it can be tempting to turn to Grindr for some instant gratification.
70% of Gay Men Not Going on Dates
STAR OBSERVER – May 21 – A survey by Romeo (Planet Romeo), an Amsterdam-based gay dating app, has revealed that 70% of those surveyed said they haven't gone out on dates. 48.3% were keeping dates online only, while 21.6% said that the COVID-19 fallout had sapped their interest in dating. Half of the participants (50%) were also worried about their financial futures, and less than half (43.2%) were concerned about how the global pandemic would affect their health.
Queer People See More Harassment in Dating Apps Than Straights
ADVOCATE – May 19 – A recent Pew Research poll found out that lesbian, gay, and bisexual users are more frequently subjected to harassment than straight users. The data showed that 48% of LGB dating app users have experienced someone contacting them long after they expressed they weren't interested, compared to 35% of straight users. 17% of LGB users said that they've had people threaten to physically abuse them, compared to 7% of straight users.
India Gay Matchmaking Service, Arranged Gay Marriage Bureau, Under Fire
NBC NEWS – May 19 – The Arranged Gay Marriage Bureau, which promises to help Indian gay men and lesbians find love, is accused by some of being a "malicious" scam. The matchmaking service was the subject of a Vice Media report last month titled "The Arranged Gay Marriage Scam." The 20-minute documentary follows two U.K.-based clients of the service – the documentary's host, Reeta Loi, and a man referred to only as Keith – who, after 11 months, each received just a handful of dating profiles. At the end of the film, Loi calls the bureau a "malicious" scam.
Gay Men in South Korea Are Being Hunted on Dating Apps
