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Gay Men’s Construction and Management of Identity on Grindr

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Abstract

This study explores gay men’s construction and management of identity on Grindr. A sample of gay men was interviewed and the data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The following themes are outlined: (1) constructing and re-constructing identities on Grindr; (2) bolstering sexual self-efficacy; (3) managing online and offline identities. Despite the apparent social psychological benefits of geospatial gay social networking applications, the pressures of coercive norms on the application as well as perceived “addiction” to it can result in threats to identity, thereby challenging social and psychological wellbeing.

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Notes

  1. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/grindr-gay-same-sex-bi-social/id308956623?mt=8, Accessed on 15 December 2015.

  2. Some individuals digitally enhanced their profile photographs using features on their mobile device, such as by adding a “chrome” effect, adjusting the colour setting etc.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, LE1-9BH, UK

    Rusi Jaspal

  2. Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland

    Rusi Jaspal

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  1. Rusi Jaspal
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Correspondence to Rusi Jaspal.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Jaspal, R. Gay Men’s Construction and Management of Identity on Grindr. Sexuality & Culture 21, 187–204 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-016-9389-3

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