Which Queer Celeb Should You Marry?

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Which Season 12 Drag Race Queen Are You?

QUIZBLOOPQUIZ

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Pioneering disco producer Patrick Cowley would have turned 69 last year. He died young, an early loss in the HIV/AIDS crisis. But the sound he left behind on the San Francisco gay dance floor leaves a legacy that still surges today.

Pushing the boundaries of what electronics could do for dance music in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Cowley helped to create Hi NRG and also invented the sound of gay sex—no, really. Over the past decade, the soundtracks that Cowley created for early gay porn movies have become some of the most celebrated vinyl reissues out there. Taken along with his string of Dance Chart hits, Cowley’s soundtracking of gay desire provides an alluring glimpse into queer hedonism in the pre-AIDS era.

In honor of his 69th year, here are our top 5 Cowley moments.

Menergy

Cowley’s biggest solo hit was the dance floor sizzler, “MENERGY,” a hi NRG gay sex anthem careening with vocoder vocals and Cowley’s signature synth sound. After the success of its 12” single, MENERGY would also become the title of his debut album, which was later repackaged as Megatron Man. After Cowley passed away, disco diva Sylvester even recorded a version of the track.

Do you wanna funk?

Cowley met Sylvester in 1978 and became a member of the singer’s traveling band. And while Cowley did lend arrangements to the disco smash “(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real,” “Do You Wanna Funk” was their enduring collaboration. Originally released under both artist’s names, the track would go on to become Sylvester’s biggest hit.

Somebody To Love Tonight

Featuring on Sylvester’s album Stars, this epic track merged the looser sound of Cowley’s gay porn soundtracks with Sylvester’s disco-funk approach. An even vibier instrumental demo popped up on the second posthumous Cowley reissue Muscle Up, and it stands well on its own two feet.

Deep Inside You

The sinewy slither of “Deep Inside You” is a groove that catches on and won’t let go for the track’s nine pulsating minutes. Also appearing on Muscle Up, its no surprise that the tune originally laid under X-rated scenes. Further reading into Cowley’s recently released sex diaries, Mechanical Fantasy Box, testifies to the salacious drive epitomized by this particular moment in SF cruising culture.  

Surfside Sex

Taken from the soundtrack for 1982 porno Afternooners, “Surfside Sex” is one of Cowley’s most irresistible grooves. Like a lot of his porn contributions, it’s as good for dancing as it is for fucking. Recorded the same year as his death from HIV/AIDS, it merely hints at what the rest of the decade might have had in store.

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Want more Cowley? Check out the treasure trove of reissues available via Dark Entries Records, and enjoy the Afternooners promo art below.

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What Type of Work From Home(osexual) Are You?

https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/5ec6b1dca0f8ff0014ffe94f?method=iframe

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QUIZBLOOPQUIZ

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First up: Access and Portability. All Grindr users now have automated access to the information stored by Grindr about them (with some limitations) both on our servers and on their device. AND the information is portable—meaning we will email you a copy of your information if you so desire. We’ve provided this option through our Customer Service team for years, but now it’s automated and self-serve.  The data you’ll receive spans the things you’d most likely expect, like your public profile information and chat history, along with some other interesting data, like your sign-in history and what ads we’ve shown you to promote other Grindr features.  

Make sure to read the Data Dictionary that comes with your data to see what the information means and how it is structured in the file.  And since this file could contain a lot of sensitive information, we’ve built some serious security into the process to verify ownership of your Grindr account and your ownership of the destination email address. You’ll find Download My Data (and most other privacy features) by accessing the sidebar menu (swipe from the left), clicking “Settings,” and scrolling to the “Security and Privacy” section.

Next up: Ad Targeting Opt-Out, which allows people to opt out of having their use of Grindr remembered by our Ad Partners—meaning they won’t receive LGBTQ+ ads outside their use of the Grindr app based on the fact that they have used the Grindr app. Grindr and our partners already honor the device-wide opt-out features in iOS and Android, but this new setting is for those users who want to receive targeted ads for most of their activities but not targeted ads based on their use of the Grindr app.  As with Download My Data, you’ll find this setting by accessing the sidebar menu (swipe from the left), clicking “Settings,” and scrolling to the “Security and Privacy” section (please note that if you use other LGBTQ+ apps or sites and have not triggered an opt-out there, you may still receive LGBTQ-focused ads outside of those apps and sites).

And last up for this round of privacy announcements: Viewed Me Opt-Out.  This privacy control allows users to remove themselves from the Viewed Me feature altogether. Users who activate the opt-out won't be added to the Viewed Me list of other users, but also won't be able to access their own Viewed Me list. You’ll see this feature show up in the Privacy section of the sidebar menu in the next few weeks.

A sincere thanks to our Product and Engineering teams for making these features a reality. I’m equally thankful to our Leadership team for keeping our privacy goals a top priority and to everyone else at Grindr that helped deliver these features for our users.

We’re not done! Much more to come on the privacy front so stay tuned.

-Shane Wiley, Chief Privacy Officer | LinkedIn

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Welcome to the Trend Report

This report is your guide to the best of the month, as defined by our users and curated by the diligent Grindr crew. Think of it like a casual monthly conversation on cultural and social trends that the community is into. To create the report, we tapped into the minds of 10,000 Grindr users to get their thoughts and feelings on the queer pop culture they care about: music, movies, TV, and more. We’ll continue to track these trends each month while rotating additional topics to add some flavor.

For March, we also asked users about their kinks. Since spring fever is a very real thing and people are finally ready to travel outside the house, it felt like the right time to do a check-in on what’s turning them on this year. Let’s just say no public space is safe…

Pop Culture Favorites

For the second month in a row, Miley is on top of the Grindr Hot 100 with her sexy new song dedicated to female pleasure, “River.” Daddy Pedro also remains on top as The Last of Us came to a thrilling finale. The Oscars took home the award for most cultural impact this month (go Michelle!) and John Wick was the biggest smash at the Grindr box office. Does John Wick’s number one spot have anything to do with Rina Sawayama co-starring in the new film? Hm…

Songs

1. River Miley Cyrus‍
2. All Of The Girls You Loved Before Taylor Swift
3. A&W Lana Del Rey

Shows

1. The Last of Us HBO
2. ‍The Night Agent Netflix
3. ‍Succession HBO

Movies

1. ‍John Wick: Chapter 4
2. Scream VI
3. Shazam! Fury of the Gods

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Pop Culture Moments

1. ‍The Oscars
2. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
3. ‍The Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial   

Kink Preferences

Grindr users have conflicting feelings about certain kinks. On one hand, public sex is the kink that users are most interested in trying, and also their favorite kink that they’ve already tried. But on the other hand, it’s also the second least favorite kink users have tried. Sounds like someone accidentally got poison ivy on their knees…

Check out the other preferences below to see how yours match up.

What kink are you most interested in trying this year?

What’s your favorite kink that you’ve already tried?

What’s your least favorite kink that you’ve tried?

When do you introduce a kink to someone?

How often do you go on Grindr looking for someone with similar kinks?

Do you use My Tags to share your kinks?

Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility, the day in which we honor the joy and resilience of trans people, as well as raise awareness about the discrimination and violence that they face. Historically, the trans community has been wildly underrepresented in pop culture, especially in film. Having media like films and documentaries accurately depict the trans experience is essential for trans visibility. Seeing films made by trans people with trans people on screen can be empowering for the trans community, and is especially valuable for those who don’t have trans people in their own lives.                  

So, to celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility, Grindr Cinema Club is recommending some excellent feature-length films that have illuminated transness for audiences over the past three decades. These films are spread across all genres. Better yet, they’re all made by queer, genderqueer and/or trans filmmakers. They’ll make you laugh and cry and feel both anger and hope. Just like transness, these films contain multitudes.

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‍Paris Is Burning (dir. Jennie Livingston 1990)

‍Where to watch: HBO Max, The Criterion Channel

File under: Documentary, Drag, New York City

This seminal documentary from genderqueer director Jennie Livingston takes an in-depth look at New York City’s ballroom scene in the 1980’s. Immersive, charming, and tragic, this world is populated by queer and trans BIPOC artists, models, and performers striving to make it big. Featuring the legendary Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija and Dorian Corey.

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Bound (dir. The Wachowski Sisters, 1996)

‍Where to watch: Pluto TV, Paramount+                          

File under: Noir, Crime, Cult Classic

Anybody who is a fan of The Matrix or The Wachowski Sisters should check out their feature directorial debut starring Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilley, and Joe Pantoliano. This film is about a sexy, edge-of-your-seat heist that subverts the gender binaries of film noir.

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The Matrix (dir. The Wachowski Sisters, 1999)

‍Where to watch: Tubi, HBO Max                                   

File under: Sci-fi, Hollywood, Oscar Nominee

Yes, The Matrix Trilogy is a trans metaphor.

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By Hook Or By Crook (dir. Silas Howard, 2001)

‍Where to watch: Amazon Prime                    

File Under: Buddy Adventure, Cult Classic, San Francisco  

Capturing the grit of 70’s road movies (think Easy Rider), this film stars trans director Silas Howard (Transparent) and artist Harry Dodge (My Meteorite) as two buddies in search of love and money on the streets of San Francisco.

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Stud Life (dir. Campbell X, 2012)

‍Where to watch: Tubi                                  

File under: Slice of Life, BIPOC, International   

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British trans director Campbell X brings us a brash and funny story about the friendship between J, genderqueer and butch, and Seb, a cute white twink. Their bond is tested when J falls in love with a beautiful femme. Starring T’Nia Miller, Kyle Treslove, and Robyn Kerr

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Strong Island (dir. Yance Ford, 2017)

‍Where to watch: Netflix                                

File under: Documentary, True Crime, Oscar Nominee                  

Yance Ford became the first out trans person to ever be nominated for an Oscar with this documentary that recounts the true story of his brother’s murder. This compelling exploration of masculinity, race, and class is a must-see.

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Lingua Franca (dir. Isabel Sandoval, 2019)

‍Where to watch: Tubi, Netflix                               

File under: Indie Darling, Great Performances, Drama          

Writer, director, editor, and coproducer Isabel Sandoval plays Olivia, an undocumented trans Filipino caregiver pursues a marriage to obtain a green card. This film is a beautiful, nuanced, sexy rendering of trans pain and joy, and dare we say a masterpiece.

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Disclosure (dir. Sam Feder, 2020)                                                

‍Where to watch: Netflix                           

File under: Documentary, Trans History, Hollywood              

And we can’t leave out Sam Feder’s comprehensive and unprecedented look at the history of transgender visibility and representation in film, tv, and Hollywood-at-large.

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We’re All Going To The World’s Fair (dir. Jane Schoenbrun, 2021)

Where to watch: HBO Max                                 

File under: Horror, Edgy, Indie Darling                  

Where does the corporeal world end and the internet begin? Lonely teenager finds out when she immerses herself in an online role-playing horror game from trans auteur Jane Schoenbrun.

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Anything’s Possible (dir. Billy Porter, 2022)

Where to watch: Amazon Prime                                

File under: Young Adult, Coming-of-Age, Romantic Comedy

When Khal, who is cis, develops a crush on high school classmate Kelsa, who is trans, they develop a romance despite the drama that it causes. For the fan of Dear Evan Hansen and Heartstopper, this film is from director Billy Porter ( Pose — a series inspired by Paris Is Burning).

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Lastly, we look ahead to the future with a couple of titles that we’re excited to get a wider release…

Kokomo City (dir. D. Smith, 2023)                                                

‍File under: Documentary, Edgy, Indie Darling                                    

A gorgeous, complex, and frank portrait of four trans black sex workers from New York and Georgia from trans director and Grammy-nominated producer D. Smith. Fresh out of Sundance.

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Mutt (dir. Vuk Lungulov-Klotz, 2023)

‍File under: Drama, Great Performances, New York City                                    

A day in the life of a young transmasc man named Feña who navigates the dynamics of old relationships made anew since transitioning. Fresh out of the Berlin Film Festival.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we want to recognize and celebrate the contributions of trans women throughout history. Trans women have played a vital role in the fight for women’s rights and gender equality, even as they face discrimination and marginalization within both the women’s movement and society at large.

From Sylvia Rivera, who was instrumental in the Stonewall uprising, to Wendy Carlos, a prominent musician and advocate for trans rights, trans women have fought tirelessly for their rights and the rights of all women.

But, despite the progress made, trans women continue to face significant challenges, including violence, discrimination, and limited access to healthcare and legal protections. It is crucial that we continue to uplift and support trans women in their fight for equality and justice. As we reflect on the contributions of trans women this Women’s History Month we’ve put together a list of just a few of the trans trailblazers whose impact on the fight for equality can’t be overstated.

Sylvia Rivera (1951 – 2002)

“I was a radical, a revolutionist. I am still a revolutionist…I am glad I was in the Stonewall riot. I remember when someone threw a Molotov cocktail, I thought, ‘My god, the revolution is here. The revolution is finally here!’"

Sylvia Rivera was a trans rights activist and prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising, which marked a turning point in the LGBTQ rights movement. Rivera was a tireless advocate for the rights of trans people, people of color, and those who lived in poverty. She co-founded several organizations, including STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), which provided support for trans youth. Despite facing discrimination and marginalization her entire life, Rivera never gave up fighting for justice and equality.

Christine Jorgensen (1926-1989)

“Nature made a mistake which I have had corrected and I am your daughter.”

Christine Jorgensen played a significant role in the history of gender identity and trans rights. In 1952, Jorgensen made headlines around the world when she became one of the first people in the United States to undergo sex reassignment surgery. Jorgensen’s openness about her transition and her advocacy for trans rights helped to raise awareness of gender identity and inspire others to come forward and live openly as transgender individuals. Her legacy continues to be celebrated during Women’s History Month and serves as an inspiration to those fighting for trans rights today.  

SOPHIE (1986-2021)

“Transness is taking control to bring your body more in line with your soul and spirit so the two aren't fighting against each other and struggling to survive.”

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SOPHIE was a groundbreaking musician and producer who helped reinvent the electronic music scene, particularly in the realm of avant-garde pop. SOPHIE began making music in her early teens and eventually gained widespread recognition for her unique style, which blended elements of pop, techno, and industrial music. In addition to her musical talents, SOPHIE was known for her advocacy on behalf of transgender and nonbinary people, using her platform to raise awareness and push for greater acceptance and inclusion. Her untimely death in 2021 was a devastating loss for the music world, but her legacy as a trailblazer and visionary artist continues to inspire.

Crystal LaBeija (1930s-1990s)

“I have a right to show my color, darling. I am beautiful, and I know I’m beautiful.”

Crystal LaBeija was a prominent figure in the LGBTQ community during the 60s and 70s, particularly as a leader and founder of the ballroom scene in New York City. LaBeija competed in the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Pageant, a competition that was documented famously in The Queen. As a Black trans woman, LaBeija faced significant discrimination throughout her life. However, she refused to be silenced and instead used her voice to advocate for the rights and visibility of trans people of color. LaBeija founded the House of LaBeija, which became one of the most renowned and respected houses within the ballroom scene.

Wendy Carlos (Born 1939)

“As human beings we do change, grow, adapt, perhaps even learn and become wiser."

Wendy Carlos is a pioneering electronic musician and composer who made major contributions to the development of electronic music. Carlos began experimenting with electronic music in the 1960s and became one of the first musicians to use the Moog synthesizer. She gained widespread acclaim for her work on the soundtrack for the film A Clockwork Orange, as well as several successful albums, including Switched-On Bach. Carlos’s innovative use of technology paved the way for future generations of female musicians and composers. As a trans woman, Carlos played an important role in raising awareness and promoting the acceptance of the trans community in the music industry.

As of today there will be a designated button in the Grindr side menu (under the profile settings) where all US-based Grindr users can go to order an at-home HIV test kit for free. The project is called “Together TakeMeHome,” and it enables you to order an at-home HIV test in less than a minute–similar to how ordering free COVID tests worked. You can use the link in Grindr or go directly to order a kit here in English and here in Spanish. Grindr will collect no data in the process.

Many Grindr users face barriers to testing in person, including clinic operating hours, transportation, costs, concerns about privacy, and fear of judgment. Over the last three years, TakeMeHome has given away 125,000 HIV test kits, and more of those have gone to gay, bi, and trans people using Grindr than any other dating app platform. Plus, one-third of those kits went to first-time testers, showing the power and innovation that comes from bringing these partners together.

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The result has been a national expansion of the program, powered by an easy-to-use website funded by the CDC and operated by BHOC and Emory University. It allows anyone in the US, including Puerto Rico, to order up to two free at-home test kits every ninety days. And, as we look to the future, Grindr will expand our commitment to home testing in other countries. This project is currently aiming to give out one million kits over five years. We’re incredibly proud of this partnership, so please check out “Together TakeMeHome,” know your status, tell your friends, and let’s continue to fight the epidemic together.

We at Grindr are appalled by the latest onslaught of discriminatory legislation in the US that threatens the LGBTQ community. We denounce these bills, which only seek to promote transphobia and prejudice against LGBTQ people.

Grindr is a company that not only values diversity, we live it. We believe every individual, regardless of sexuality or gender identity, deserves equal rights and protections under the law, and we are committed to taking action to protect those rights.

We urge lawmakers to reject any legislation that seeks to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals and their families, and to instead focus on creating policies that promote equality and respect for all. We also encourage our users, partners, and fellow businesses to join us in taking action against this sort of legislation.

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Here are some of the ways we’re working to protect the trans and the broader LGBTQ community here in the US:

• In partnership with the ACLU we’re sharing information with users in six states to help them contact their state-elected representatives and make their voices heard about anti-LGBTQ legislation and activities. You can find that information linked here.
• We continue to support our longtime partners, the Transgender Law Center and Lambda Legal, and other organizations on the front line, through monetary donations.
• We helped users in Little Rock and Memphis connect with the Victory Institute, an organization dedicated to elevating LGBTQ leaders so that they can help fight back against the anti-LGBTQ legislative attacks in Tennessee and Arkansas.
• We provided users with information to free name & gender change legal clinics in Arkansas hosted by the Arkansas Black Gay Men's Forum.  
• We’ve connected trans users to #VotingWhileTrans resources when visiting the polls during the 2022 midterms.

Grindr’s success is not only measured by our financial performance, but also by our commitment to making a positive impact on behalf of LGBTQ people. We stand in solidarity with the transgender community in particular, and will continue to work to ensure that their rights and dignity are protected.

The Black and LGBTQ liberation movements are interconnected civil rights initiatives that achieved major advancements in equality during the 20th century and continue to advance the rights of marginalized groups today. Crucial to these pivotal movements and milestones are Black LGBTQ icons who’ve made history by living authentically and fighting for Black queer liberation.                  

For Black History Month, we’re spotlighting the contributions of several Black LGBTQ Americans who all too often have been swept under the rug of history due to racism, sexism, stigma and other forms of discrimination.                  

Black LGBTQ history is multifaceted and impossible to encompass in a single editorial, but for those interested in learning about important Black LGBTQ trailblazers, here are 10 key figures whose impact on the fight for equality can’t be overstated.

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987)

“We, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers.”

Bayard Rustin was a gay civil rights leader who is best known for being one of the key advisors to Martin Luther King Jr. He helped organize the March on Washington, a key moment in the civil rights movement, and he testified in favor of New York State’s Gay Rights Bill in 1986. Rustin was unfairly punished for his sexuality in 1953 after getting caught having sex in a car with two men in Pasadena, CA, and ordered to spend 50 days in jail. California Gov. Gavin Newsom pardoned Rustin in 2020.            

Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992)

“No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.”

Marsha P. Johnson—one of the most beloved figures of the LGBTQ civil rights movement—was famously at Stonewall during the Stonewall Uprising, a major turning point in the fight for LGBTQ rights in the United States. Johnson would later go on to form the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) organization and would devote their later life to AIDS activism by joining Act Up.  

‍Audre Lorde (1934-1992)

“The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house”‍

Audre Lorde was a poet and activist who made important contributions to the work of critical race studies and queer theory. Her seminal works explored the intersectionality of being a Black and queer woman and inspired The Audre Lorde Project, an organization for LGBTQ people of color that supports community organizing in Brooklyn.  

‍James Baldwin (1924-1987)

“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”                  

―The Fire Next Time‍

Considered one of the greatest American writers, James Baldwin was a novelist, essayist, and playwright who shed light on the Queer Black experience. After years of discrimination in the US, Baldwin moved to Paris in 1948 and wrote his second novel, Giovanni’s Room, which offered a refreshingly honest take on contemporary homosexuality. He would later go on to write The Fire Next Time, a collection of essays meant to educate white Americans on what it meant to be black. The collection helped to galvanize the civil rights movement and is still regarded as one of the most influential books on race today.  ‍

Ma Rainey (1886-1939)

“White folks hear the blues come out, but they don't know how it got there.”‍

Ma Rainey is known simply as The Mother of The Blues. After her first record deal she became one of the most popular blues singers in the world and made over 100 records in 5 years. A trailblazer her entire career, she famously sang the openly lesbian song “Prove It On Me Blues,” which includes the line, “Went out last night with a crowd of my friends, They must’ve been women, cause I don’t like no men.” The song refers to an incident in 1925 in which the police raided an all-female orgy that Rainey was hosting.

‍Andrea Jenkins (Born 1961)                                    

“The amount we love each other is directly proportional to the amount we love ourselves.”

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Andrea Jenkins is the first out transgender person to win elected office in the United States and is currently President of the Minneapolis City Council. Prior to her work in office she worked as an oral historian for the Tretter Transgender Oral History Project at the University of Minnesota, where she documented the lives of transgender and gender non-conforming midwesterners. In 2020 Jenkins became a leading voice in the protests that erupted over the murder of George Floyd, who was killed in her district. After his murder she said, “I am calling for a declaration of a state of emergency for Black people. Racism is a public health crisis.”

‍Angela Davis (Born 1944)

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”

Angela Davis is a lesbian activist, philosopher, academic, and writer. She is an author of several books including, Women, Culture & Politics. In the 60’s and 70’s Davis became a central figure in the civil rights, Black power, and feminist movements. She’s more recently become a leader of the prison reform movement, and In 2017, she was an honorary co-chair at the Women’s March in Washington after Donald Trump became president.  

‍Stormé DeLarverie (1920-2014)

“It was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience— it wasn’t no damn riot.”‍

Stormé DeLarverie was a lesbian civil rights activist who famously “threw the first punch” during the Stonewall Uprising. As she was being attacked during a raid at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 she fought back against police and yelled at the crowd to do something. Her call to action helped unite the crowd, including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, two trans activists who built their own legendary legacies as civil rights pioneers.

‍Barbara Jordan (1936-1996)                                    

“What the people want is very simple - they want an America as good as its promise.”

Barbara Jordan was a prominent civil rights leader and lawyer who became the first African American elected to the Texas Senate in 1966 and the first African American to be elected to Congress from Texas in 1972. In 1994 Jordan received the Presidential Medal of Honor for her career in politics. ‍

Willi Ninja (1961-2006)

“Voguing is like fighting but in dance form. Whoever was throwing the best moves was throwing the best shade, basically.”‍

Willi Ninja, AKA the godfather of vogue, was a central figure in Harlem’s ball scene. He was prominently featured in the documentary Paris is Burning which widely cemented his legacy as one of voguing’s most legendary figures. He went on to star in multiple music videos including two by Janet Jackson. The House of Ninja is still active today in the ball scene and was recently featured on HBO MAX’s “Legendary.”

Grindr for Equality is our company's social justice program, aimed at advancing LGBTQ safety, health, and human rights around the world. We serve a variety of functions – from helping to build features in the app that protect Grindr users in dangerous environments, to collaborating with global public health agencies to get the word out on emerging sexual health issues like Monkeypox – it’s all in a day’s grind.

The four key laws‍

Through years of working with LGBTQ activists and organizers, we’ve developed a way of thinking about the future that we believe can be a north star for helping us create a safer, more inclusive world for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We’ve distilled that thinking into the four key laws we must enact in every country to ensure equitability for all:

Decriminalization

Decriminalization means getting rid of the laws that make it illegal for us to be who we are and love who we love. Currently, sex between men is illegal in about seventy countries, sex between women in about forty countries, and “crossdressing” is illegal in about fourteen. Removing these laws is fundamental to recognizing the basic humanity of all people.

Legal Gender Recognition

Trans people deserve the right to be recognized by their governments as the gender they truly are. In many countries, this is administered at the national level with documents like national ID cards and passports. In the US, it’s a bit more complicated because various IDs are handled at the federal and state governments, each of which may have different requirements. Nevertheless, it is a key goal of our movement to ensure that trans people have access to legal gender recognition in all facets of their life and without unnecessary barriers – like requirements that individuals go through surgeries that may be unaffordable or unwanted.

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Non-Discrimination or Anti-Discrimination

These laws make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and they create pathways for legal recourse when discrimination does take place. They can cover a range of circumstances in which discrimination might take place, from employment to education, housing, and something called “public accommodations,” which refers to generally accessible places such as stores, restaurants, hotels, and transportation.  

Relationship Recognition

“Relationship recognition” is often more specifically referred to as marriage equality, but it can include other forms of recognition like domestic partnerships. So far, we’ve achieved full equality in terms of relationship recognition in only thirty-three countries worldwide.

Beyond

We have another job to do too – in many countries, our LGBTQ movements are forced to fight back against newly proposed laws that would harm us, rather than guaranteeing our rights. In the U.S., we are currently experiencing a backward trend of laws banning drag and criminalizing care for transgender youth, a phenomenon that is part of a larger attack on the LGBTQ community to label us as “dangerous.”

And, of course, the work doesn’t stop with fighting back bad laws or trying to establish these four legal pillars. But, these efforts are key to focusing our efforts as we continue to fight for equality and use our platform to facilitate joy, connection, and liberation for all of those in our community.