Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Grindr

So. Grindr. The newest thing in WiFi technology for gay men. An app for iPhone and iPod Touch that uses GPS to hook guys up for casual sex. It's like Craigslist on steroids!

Not for pepper.

On the one hand, I think this is ingenious. What a clever application of GPS technology, and way to identify a market and cater to it! On the other, the STD fighter in me cringes at the sheer number of casual sexual encounters that result from such a thing. Don't forget the condoms, men!

There are some concerns about safety and privacy. Personally, I think it's as safe as any other tryst-with-a-stranger-from-the-internet, gay or straight (meet in public and trust your heebie-jeebies, hurt feelings be damned).

There are also those that say the app perpetuates negative stereotypes of gay men as promiscuous and sex-crazed, which is probably true in some cases. As a counter, I will take this opportunity to point out that most gay men are not just looking for regular anonymous sex in random places. A bunch are, or apps like this wouldn't exist, but most are looking for someone to build a life and buy real estate with.

What are your thoughts? Have you used Grindr? What did you think?

Oh! Speaking of gay sex, there's some GREAT news! The rates of syphillis and gonorrhea among gay men in San Francisco declined in 2009!! Keep it up (and covered), men!!

UPDATE 2.19.10: Get it while you can, guys...looks like Apple is flexing their inner Big Brother again.

1 comment:

  1. I lean far enough toward personal freedom that I think this is just fine.

    ReplyDelete