Contributed by: kellyseal on Friday, September 01 2023 @ 10:50 am
Last modified on Friday, September 01 2023 @ 10:56 am
A fast-growing percentage of Grindr users are turning to the gay dating app not to find a relationship, or even a hookup. Instead, they are looking to network for career advancement.
According to The Advocate, Grindr said almost a quarter of its members use the app to network, and that a spokesperson for the company said it’s an “effective tool” for those looking to connect with other gay men for both personal and professional relationships.
Traditionally, singles have avoided mixing work and personal relationships over dating apps, especially when they could get matched with a boss or co-worker. But now, according to Grindr’s own survey of its users, “approximately 25 percent say that one of their key activities on Grindr is to network,” according to The Advocate[*1] . A Grindr spokesperson told Business Insider in an email: “We know people use our app to meet new people in their area and in new towns, and we also have plenty of anecdotal evidence of people making connections that lead to professional opportunities like jobs.”
That includes the company’s CEO, who recently told the Wall Street Journal that he had “hired or had a professional relationship with several people” he met on the dating app. Another Grindr user interviewed for the article said he found Grindr to be a great way to advance his career despite the stigma attached.
He added that it was also a good way to make friends in the gay community. When he moved to L.A., he used Grindr as a way to meet people – for work, hookups and for friendship.
Grindr has come under scrutiny lately from its employees, who have made moves to unionize for fair treatment and pay. There were both economic and civil rights concerns mentioned in the union’s announcement, specifically about Grindr CEO George Arison, who has backed anti-LGBGTQ+ politicians. This comes at a time when several states are currently rolling back laws and rights that have been in place to protect the LGBTQ+ community.
Arison also recently came under fire from employees when he gave them an ultimatum to move and return to work at the company (rather than continuing to work remotely), or face firing. The move came a couple of weeks after the employees announced the intention to form a union, and many feel this was a retaliatory tactic.
An article in JDSupra posited the problems companies might face if they use dating apps to recruit workers, noting: “employers should resist the temptation to cast a wider recruiting net into the realm of online dating apps because it will be all too easy to face legal claims when that net is cast in a legally inartful manner.”
Other dating apps besides [page:grindr-reviews Grindr] are being used for friendships and networking, too. Bumble recently announced the launch of its Bumble BFF service onto its own platform, and Tinder users have been using the app to find friends, especially among young Gen Z users.