Grindr is more than a casual dating app. It’s a social, community, and lifestyle platform for the GBTQ+ community, the digital gayborhood in your pocket. Our users average more than an hour a day on the app chatting, building relationships, getting advice when traveling to a new city, and networking.

Critically, Grindr is only for adults aged 18 and over who agree to our Terms, Community Guidelines, and Privacy Policy. We do not want minors on the platform and go to great lengths to prevent them from posting a profile to use the app. Our team continuously evaluates and enhances our multi-prong strategy to monitor for, screen, block, and remove underage user profiles and communications by:

• Categorizing our app under the most age-restrictive settings in the Apple and Google app stores so that only devices permitted to access adults-only apps can download Grindr. Unlike virtually every other major social media and online dating service, you cannot create a Grindr account on the open web, only by downloading the app from major app stores.

• A mandatory age gate barring prospective users who enter a birth date indicating they’re younger than 18. Not only are they unable to create an account and publish a profile at the time, but their device is banned from creating a Grindr account until they turn 18.

• A robust and dedicated human content moderation and customer support team that reviews user profiles and communications and bans accounts at the device level if they are suspected to belong to minors or discuss topics related to minors. 

• AI and machine learning tools that review user-provided information to proactively identify and ban problematic accounts. 

• Providing users with easy-to-use reporting tools and encouraging them to report problematic user profiles, messages, or other content. Our users play an active role in reporting accounts that they suspect may belong to minors or anyone seeking minors, which are then reviewed by our moderation team. All underage reports are flagged for immediate attention.

• Cooperating with law enforcement and other relevant third parties to support investigations and help hold those who misuse our platform accountable. Our Trust & Safety team is trained to identify, escalate, and, where appropriate, report child endangerment scenarios to law enforcement in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).  

• Partnerships with child protection organizations like Thorn to support the automatic identification, banning, and reporting of child sexual abuse material. We are members of and regularly work with online child safety groups, including the Tech Coalition and WeProtect Global Alliance, to combat the industry-wide challenge of minors accessing age-inappropriate apps and content.

Although there is currently no way to perfectly verify the age of every person seeking to use an adults-only online platform, and some tools raise significant privacy concerns, technology capabilities are constantly evolving, creating opportunities for new solutions to prevent minors from using platforms like Grindr. GenAI is creating many such opportunities. We have a team of engineers working on new AI-based tools to further improve our ability to identify and remove underage users. As these tools are built, we hope to be in a position to make them available to other platform operators as well. 

We at Grindr work hard to try to provide an accessible and safe platform for adult GBTQ+ people to build community. Our approach to keeping minors off the platform is central to that work. If you see or suspect any underage activity on Grindr, please report it immediately here or in the app by tapping the Ø icon in the upper-right corner of the screen → Report → Underage.

‍‍When you’re home for the holidays, figuring out where to hookup is half the battle. Bleachers? Parking lot? What the hell, sure. Your family and friends might imagine you snowed in with a cozy fire, but we know better. You didn’t come all this way just for eggnog and awkward small talk. Luckily, we’ve done the scouting for you.

Welcome to Grindr’s Top 10 Holiday Hookup Hotspots—proof that the place you grew out of might still have some charm after all. 

#10 — Behind the High-School Bleachers

The bleachers creak like your knees after too many…squats, but they still do the job. The cold air snaps at you, making you cling tighter, and each whispered laugh bounces around like a ghost of homecoming past. Sure, it’s freezing, but that just gives you an excuse to slide those hands further south.

#9 — The Back Row of Your Local Movie Theater

Forget the screen—the real show’s in the back row. You ditch the popcorn as your hookup’s hand creeps over, and suddenly every moan from the movie feels way too on-the-nose. The film’s forgettable, but this action will stay with you long after the credits roll.

#8 — The Motel Stairwell Under the Flickering “Vacancy” Sign

Nothing says “holiday cheer” like antifreeze fumes and stale smoke while you’re pinned against salty concrete steps. It’s a throwback to the days when you grabbed quick, unlikely hookups wherever you could. The vacancy sign’s flicker screams “This. Is. Cinema!”—and you’re absolutely loving your low-budget arthouse moment.

#7 — The Town Library’s Stacks

After hours, it’s dead quiet—just you, your hookup, and the faint hum of ancient fluorescents.

The old bulletin board’s covered in leftover flyer corners, and it’s cold enough to see your breath. Every rustle sounds loud as hell. Outside, maybe an off-duty librarian. Inside, just two adults trying not to knock over a stack of outdated brochures while groping under dim lights.

#6 — The Department Store Dressing Room

You came in for holiday slacks and ended up losing them altogether. What started as a quick errand now has your back pressed to the wall, your hookup’s mouth on yours. Coats fall, shirts wrinkle, and every knock at the door says you shouldn’t be doing this…but stopping just isn’t something that’s in stock.

#5 —A Friend’s Garage During Their Holiday Party

Inside, they’re wearing ugly sweaters and butchering carols. Out here, you’re pressing your hookup against a workbench, trying not to send tools clanging everywhere. The muffled party buzz leaks through the walls. Hard breathing, lip biting—the works. And you’re simply just too turned on to care that you just hit a box of rusty nails with your elbow.

#4 — The Church Attic After Midnight Mass

Everyone else stumbled home to sleep off the sermon. You two slipped upstairs into a dusty attic full of old holiday décor. One bare bulb, cobwebs galore, and you’re making out in a place nobody’s supposed to be. This is forbidden fruit, holiday edition. Jesus isn’t judging—that’s the big misconception. He’s a dirty little voyeur who’s enjoying the show.

#3 — The Backyard Porch

Most nights, this porch is just a porch. Tonight, it’s the center of the universe, and it’s going to rock your world. The neighbor’s light isn’t bright enough to ruin the mood, and nobody inside has a clue. It’s late, everyone’s inside dreaming of sugarplums or whatever, and you two are out here getting handsy on a porch step that’s seen better days. Old wood, cold air, warm hands. Hell yeah.

#2 — Knee-Deep in the Passenger Seat of Your Dad’s Parked Minivan

Is it casual now? No, it’s your dad’s minivan. But it's not just a minivan—it's a time machine, taking you back to the reckless, shameless hookups of teenage glory. The tight squeeze, the foggy windows, the plastic cupholder digging into your thigh… you’re just praying nobody walks by to see two grown adults going at it in a Ford Windstar. Hometown hookups might mean limited options, but in this van, the limit does not exist.

#1 — Your Old Bedroom

Out of all the places you could hook up, this one’s got it all—nostalgia, risk, forbidden excitement. Your bed still has a dent where you used to sleep, and you're about to add another. Risk? High. Turn-on? Higher. You’re both giggling like the stars of a coming-of-age film, half afraid someone’s gonna knock on the door. Congratulations, you’ve hit the ultimate holiday homecoming jackpot.

From navigating surrogacy or adoption to accessing fertility treatments, queer people often face more barriers—and bigger bills—than others. Grindr believes everyone should have the opportunity to create the family of their dreams, and the company is stepping up to help make that a reality for their employees. 

Powered by Carrot Fertility, Grindr employees with 18 months of tenure can access up to $300,000 over five years for family planning journeys including adoption, surrogacy, and fertility treatments. Employees will get expert guidance, access to top providers, and seamless expense management, making what can be a stressful process a whole lot easier. 

“Grindr is about relationships, which in many cases lead to love, to marriage, and, for some, to dreams of starting a family. In a recent survey across the U.S., we learned that roughly 25% of gay and bisexual men under age 35 want to have children and that cost was by far the biggest impediment to having kids. It is vital to advocate on behalf of our community by pushing to bring these costs down, which are uniquely high for gay men, whether by allowing insurance-covered IVF treatments to be accessible in cases of surrogacy or by making family formation expenses tax deductible, like other healthcare expenses,” said Grindr CEO, George Arison, who has been vocal on supporting access to family formation, and is also a father via surrogacy.

“Grindr can lead by example. Through our success as a business, we aim to make a world where the lives of our global community are free, equal and just. By excelling at creating products our users love and shareholders value simultaneously, we shape a narrative about what it means to be gay, and through that have an outsized impact on the world and the lives of millions. We hope that by being at the forefront of American business on family formation, we not only offer our employees a critical benefit, but show other companies what is possible and encourage them to do the same.”

More than 80% of expenses are covered per journey, with flexibility for larger expenses like surrogacy and adoption. 

In 2025, the company is transitioning to a new health plan, developed to offer especially generous IVF coverage. Unfortunately, currently those having children through surrogacy cannot legally access IVF via health insurance. Thus IVF coverage within a health plan is not useful if someone is seeking to pursue one of the most common ways of forming a family for gay men, who are the overwhelming majority of Grindr’s users and a plurality of Grindr’s employees. While the limitation to use of IVF coverage within health insurance for surrogacy will change in California in 2026, other costs of surrogacy, which run upwards of $200,000, will stay as non-tax deductible out of pocket expense, unlike almost all other healthcare expenses. The company will continue to offer coverage for IVF through its health insurance plans and the Carrot benefit will be available for employees who incur these additional out-of-pocket expenses.

“Navigating family-building journeys, whether you’re going through fertility treatments, surrogacy, or adoption, can be extremely challenging," said Tammy Sun, Carrot Fertility Founder and CEO. "Grindr is committed to supporting its workforce by making it simple for people to access and afford the care they need. We’re proud to partner with them to make this possible. It's further proof that small companies have the ability to make a big impact on their employees' lives with supportive benefits.”

For those in different stages of life, the new benefit will also cover hormonal healthcare, including menopause and low testosterone support. 

About Grindr Inc.

With more than 14.5 million monthly active users, Grindr has grown to become the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket™, on a mission to make a world where the lives of our global community are free, equal, and just. Available in 190 countries and territories, Grindr is often the primary way for our users to connect, express themselves, and discover the world around them. Since 2015 Grindr for Equality has advanced human rights, health, and safety for millions of LGBTQ+ people in partnership with organizations in every region of the world. Grindr has offices in West Hollywood, the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York. The Grindr app is available on the App Store and Google Play.

About Carrot 

Carrot Fertility is the leading global fertility, family-building, and lifelong hormonal healthcare platform providing care for everyone, everywhere. Trusted by more than a thousand multinational employers, health plans, and health systems, Carrot's comprehensive clinical program delivers industry-leading cost savings for employers and award-winning experiences for millions of people worldwide. From maternity through menopause and pre-pregnancy through parenting, Carrot is dedicated to expanding access and improving outcomes. Carrot empowers members with compassionate, personalized, and inclusive support.

‍WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – Dec. 19, 2024 – Grindr, the world’s largest social network for the LGBTQ+ community, announced today that Roam—its feature enabling users to explore and connect with locals worldwide—will be available at no cost for 12 days this holiday season.

Launched earlier this year, Roam has already helped thousands of people explore new cities, plan trips, and connect with locals ahead of their arrival. Typically offered at for $5.99 per hour, this December, users can experience the freedom and excitement of Roam at no cost, sponsored by ViiV Healthcare. 

“The holiday season is all about connection,” said George Arison, CEO of Grindr. “By making Roam available at no charge, we’re giving our community the freedom to connect wherever they are—or wherever they’d like to be. We’re thrilled to partner with ViiV Healthcare to offer this benefit in the U.S., spreading extra joy and meaningful connections this holiday season.”

From December 22 to January 2, people on Grindr in the U.S. can experience Roam free of charge. To get started, open Grindr, navigate to the sidetray, tap “Roam,” select any destination, and activate the feature. Your profile will appear on the local grid in that area, letting others know you’re visiting virtually and ready to connect—whether you’re planning a trip, preparing to move, or simply curious about life in a different destination.

About Grindr Inc.

With more than 14.5 million monthly active users, Grindr (NYSE: GRND) has grown to become the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket™, on a mission to make a world where the lives of our global community are free, equal, and just. Available in 190 countries and territories, Grindr is often the primary way for our users to connect, express themselves, and discover the world around them. Since 2015 Grindr for Equality has advanced human rights, health, and safety for millions of LGBTQ+ people in partnership with organizations in every region of the world. Grindr has offices in West Hollywood, the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York. The Grindr app is available on the App Store and Google Play.

About ViiV Healthcare

ViiV Healthcare is a global specialist HIV company established in November 2009 by GSK (LSE: GSK) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) dedicated to delivering advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV and for people who could benefit from HIV prevention. Shionogi became a ViiV shareholder in October 2012. The company’s aims are to take a deeper and broader interest in HIV and AIDS than any company has done before and take a new approach to deliver effective and innovative medicines for HIV treatment and prevention, as well as support communities affected by HIV. For more information on the company, its management, portfolio, pipeline, and commitment, please visit viivhealthcare.com.

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You know that feeling of excitement when you’re about to visit a new city? The anticipation, the curiosity, the questions. Where’s the best place to go out? Who’s around? Why is everyone so hot?

And sometimes, you’re not even traveling—you’re just daydreaming. What’s life like in São Paulo? Who could I kiss in Tokyo?

That’s where Roam comes in. It’s your way to explore new places and meet people—whether you’re on the move or staying put.

What is Roam? At its core, Roam is about placing you exactly where you want to be, even if you’re not there yet.

Here’s how it works:

Choose Your Destination: Go global or stay local—it’s up to you. Roam works just as well for exploring far-off cities as it does for connecting with people in a nearby neighborhood.

Be Seen Locally: Roaming makes your profile visible to locals, giving you more chances to connect and chat.

Transparent Connection: A small “visiting” icon on your profile lets locals know you’re checking out the area and looking around.

Travel Dates: A simple way to let locals know when you’ll be in town, making it easier to plan meetups and start connecting before you arrive.

For just $5.99 an hour, it’s a simple, flexible way to make connections on your terms—without leaving home.

Why Use Roam?

Roam isn’t just about setting your profile somewhere new; it’s about giving you control. Think of it as your digital passport to anywhere you want to go.

Plan ahead with confidence.

Heading to a new city? Use Roam to set your profile there before you even arrive. Locals can tell you where to grab the best espresso martini or which dance floor is worth your time. By the time you get there, you’ll already have a list of go-to spots—or even someone to explore them with.

Make moving feel less overwhelming.

Relocating? Roam helps you find your people before you’ve even packed a single box. Set your profile in your new city, chat with locals, and get a feel for what’s ahead. It’s not just about breaking the ice—it’s about skipping the awkward phase altogether.

Explore without limits.

Not traveling? No problem. Roam lets you peek into life anywhere else. Curious about the nightlife in Madrid? Or what brunch culture looks like in Cape Town? Set your profile, strike up a conversation, and let your curiosity take the lead. You’re not scrolling—you’re traveling by chat.

Spice things up.

When your grid feels like leftovers for the third day in a row, it’s time to mix it up. Roam lets you shift your profile anywhere, meeting people who are not in your usual circle. It’s less about location and more about refreshing your connections.

How to Use Roam

Roam is easy to use and designed to fit into your routine. Here's how to get started:

1. Open the Sidetray: Begin by opening the Sidetray from your home screen.
2. Tap the Roam Button: Look for the Roam icon and give it a quick tap.
3. Enter Your Destination: Choose the city, town, or neighborhood you’d like to appear in, then tap “Show My Profile Here” to put yourself on the map.
4. Activate Roam: When you’re ready to connect, tap “Activate Roam” and start exploring who’s around and what’s happening.

Pro Tip: Add your arrival dates to your profile. It's a great way to let people know when you'll be in town and set up plans ahead of time.

Start Roaming

Roam is simple. It puts you where you want to be, whether that’s a neighborhood across the city or a community across the world. What happens next? That’s up to you.

So go ahead — Open Grindr and Try Roam Now.

It’s official: Missionary has been crowned Grindr’s “Sex Position of the Year,” beating out classics like doggy style, cowgirl, and spooning. It may seem a little strange, considering we often think of missionary as “boring” and “vanilla”—a position for folks who lack imagination. (And if you’ve been on Grindr, you know many users have extremely unique and creative sexual desires.) But missionary is anything but bland. 

Missionary leaves no room to hide. Your face is visible, your body pressed so close you can feel the shifting of ribs and hip bones. It asks you to look—not just a passing glance, but a real look. At their mouth, their eyes, the lines of their forehead. It strips away the distractions that other positions allow, demanding a level of presence that feels uncomfortably raw.

There’s also an intensity to it: their eyes locked on yours, their hands gripping your thighs, their sweat dripping onto your face. It’s messy, intimate, and overwhelming in the best way. When they cum inside you, and you finish onto your chest, it’s not just about pleasure. It’s about being fully seen, fully there, in a way that feels almost impossible to fake. 

And in 2024, when genuine moments are harder to find, this closeness feels special. It’s not just sex—it’s a simple, honest connection in a world that often isn’t.

People say you can only feel that kind of connection with someone you love, or at least someone who’s met your parents, but that’s not true. You can find it with a stranger, someone whose name you might not catch or remember, someone who smells faintly of mint or fabric softener. In missionary, there’s nowhere to hide; your faces are right there, watching each other in real-time.

This fleeting intimacy can enhance sex, turning a run-of-the-mill hook-up into a transcendent experience. (I’m not saying you’ll see God when you cum, but I’m not saying you won’t!)

For most queer men, sex isn’t that hard to come by. After all, we can hop on Grindr, and depending on where we live, there are likely a few guys who are down to come over and bone right then and there. But a genuine sexual connection—an intimate sexual experience—that’s harder to find. Missionary, where you look into your partner’s eyes, can help you get there. So, let’s throw our legs back and celebrate missionary as Grindr’s Position of the Year, not just for its simplicity but for its potential to foster meaningful moments of intimacy. 

Babes, the spreadsheets are in, the twink we keep locked in IT has emerged, and the data he’s shown us is hornier than ever. Grindr Unwrapped 2024 is here, and it’s waiting for you to take it in.

This year’s verdict: y’all have been busy. Millions of you hammering the switchboards, lining up dick appointments, and unlocking private albums with reckless abandon. Your thumbs deserve a standing ovation—or maybe just a night off—but knowing you, they’ve already penciled in more cardio for midnight. 

In 2024, you didn’t just log on—you went feral. 130 billion chats, 10 billion taps, and 2 billion private albums. That’s not flirting, that’s foreplay on a global scale. Somewhere, a data server is fanning itself. And us? We’re clapping. With one hand. The other… well, let’s just say your energy is contagious.

Grindr Unwrapped 2024 is a look into how you connected, kinked, and crowned your queens this year. We surveyed over 10,000 of you on the moments that defined 2024. From the gay gasp heard around the world to the babygirl who had you in a chokehold—we saw it all.

Here are a few of our favorite 2024 stats:

1. Most Popular Tag Searched: Hung.
2. Highest Percentage of Open Relationships: South Korea
3. Sex Position of the Year: Missionary (25%).
4. Gay Gasp of the Year: Olympic French Pole Vaulter.
5. Mother of the Year: Charli XCX.

Want to know which country is hoarding hung tops? Where femme bottoms reign supreme? Or why one congresswoman delivered the Best Read of the Year? It’s all here.

And if you’re wondering how you and millions of others left your mark on Grindr history, the full report is waiting for you in your inbox and at www.grindr.com/unwrapped. But let’s get one thing straight: this report is all in good fun, so don’t come for us—unless we say you can 😘

To our users: You’re our horny heroes of the year. Now go break some more b̶a̶c̶k̶s̶ records for 2025.

For trans people like me, Grindr reflects not just the faces of potential connections but the stories I tell myself about my worth, my body, and what I deserve. Yet, Grindr also offers something rare: a platform that makes showing up feel possible, even when I’m not sure I’m ready. This is the story of one Grindr night—and everything it left behind.

I apologize after sex. “Sorry if I wasn’t what you were expecting,” “sorry if I got in my head,” and “it’s not you, it’s me” are all lines I’ve exhausted to no end. I can’t shake the feeling that my body is built differently than my hookup’s is, and he’s just putting up with it because he has to. He’s going to regret wasting his night on me, a trans girl, when he could’ve spent it with a cisgender person whose body is ‘normal.’

Grindr doesn’t promise easy, but it does promise options. Some nights, it’s a letdown. Other nights, it surprises you. A couple of weeks ago, my phone buzzed loud enough to make my friends look up in unison. “Another Grindr guy?” they asked, huddling around me.

“Well, open it. Is he cute?”

I do. They squeal. “An Australian guy? AND he’s hot? Girl, get on that.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s just make sure he’s not a chaser,” I say, feeling affirmed by their approval but doubtful that this guy could want anything more than to fulfill his trans-girl-hookup fantasy. Grindr has always been about possibility—a space that’s both unpredictable but necessary. It’s the only place where I feel both seen and unsure about what people see in me. It turns out that this guy actually wants to talk before sexting. Thank god. My doubt slips away as we spend hours sending long-winded messages about how proud we are to be queer.

Before I can blink, we’re on his grey sofa, and I feel the weight of needing to prove myself. If I kiss his arm enough, if I hold my breath so he doesn’t feel me exhale, maybe he’ll find my trans body pretty enough. Tonight, I have to make it about him.

Thirty minutes into our second date, he starts undressing me. Every article of clothing he removes reveals a secret I wanted to hide; my shirt softly falls to his hardwood floor and my wide ribcage is on full display. AMAB (assigned male at birth) people typically boast wider ribcages and broader shoulders than assigned-female people do. I brace myself for his reaction, as it’ll indicate how tonight will unfold. We’ve sexted on Grindr before, so I know he’s excited to be here with me, but my anxious thoughts become louder and my hands begin to shake. Here we go.

He unhooks my bra and says, “You’re so hot.” That’s his first lie of the night. There’s no way someone like him could be attracted to someone like me. Tomorrow he’ll be laughing with his friends about how small my breasts are, and I don’t blame him. I’m eyeing my phone from across the room like a lion stalks its prey from behind a bush — I want to text the bad-date codeword to my best friend so she can fabricate an excuse for me to leave. But I’m not actually having a bad time with him. There’s no legitimate reason to leave.

I follow his lead as he motions toward his bedroom. “Are you sure,” I think, surprised that he’d want to take our hookup further after seeing my body naked. Now he’s seen my narrow hips, too, and I’m bewildered by why he still finds me attractive. I become numb and just go with it, distracting myself by playing my favorite song in my head.

We complete our hookup on his bed, but he’s the only one who really finishes. I put my armor back on, get to my car and sigh in relief. Those 50 minutes felt like four hours.

I’m a trans person who’s diagnosed with gender dysphoria, which is defined as an uncomfortable misalignment between one’s identity and their assigned gender at birth. And tonight, I allowed a dysphoric episode to tarnish what was supposed to be a fun experience. Dysphoria feels like wrestling with an invisible bear — no one else can see its teeth growling at me, and the best way to fight it is by mentally checking out. Everything’s fine.

Dysphoria also causes me to place my cisgender sexual partner on a pedestal. I falsely associate his inability to see this seething bear with just being ‘too cool to care’ about the fact that it’s there. My partner is just happy to be hooking up with me, but I keep letting my physical insecurities and internalized transphobia get in my own way. I yearn for the ease of his experience.

Grindr doesn’t fix dysphoria, but it offers something else: a space where I decide how I want to be seen. Some days, it’s messy. Some days, it feels like progress. But it’s the only place that lets me practice showing up, even when it feels impossible.

Right now, I’m working on ways to fight my dysphoria bear without needing the armor of my clothes. I have to believe that my body is worthy of pleasure and that my sexual partner wants to give it to me. Grindr, which I’ve used for years now, is one of the best platforms for trans people to explore queer intimacy while steering clear of transphobia. And if Grindr has taught me anything, it’s this: showing up is hard, but staying hidden is harder. 

Hello reader, I’m Mel 4Ever. I'm a pop artist living in Los Angeles, making songs about my body, sexuality, and, more recently—being obsessed with sucking dick. So if you are too (or just like slutty bangers), add my new single, “I Can’t Quit,” to your playlist now and thank me after you pick your jaw up off the ground.

I am possessed by sex right now. As a trans girl—it is still new to me—every time I close my eyes and lean in for a kiss, I think, “OMFG! HE'S STRAIGHT!” (ish). I write about sex because I know sex is in everything: the relationships we build, the advertising we see, the way we work, the way we design our bodies.

Sex is written into the code of Grindr, just like it’s been written into my code as an artist; it’s impossible to separate the two.

When I started transitioning medically, I thought the process would tear me away from Grindr, but what I’ve realized is that being trans helps me understand, fit into, and feel more powerful than ever on the app.

The Desert

My early years with Grindr felt like looking through a peephole. I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama—otherwise known to me as the “Gay Desert,” with my first gay experience being an hour and a half away from my house.

I started my Grindr experience looking from the outside in. Stepping out of the closet, one drunken toe at a time. The app was my first beacon to affirmative touch—and eventually—myself.

The Bazaar

When I first came out and moved to NY and opened Bestie (the grid), the number of penises that were physically above, below, beside, in front and behind me was… well—🤩.  An ideal escape from the brooding gender dysphoria and loud clanging of “kill yourself” that rang in my head. I knew the only thing that could silence that noise was cum. Lots of it. I fucked for revenge, I fucked for clout, I fucked for pain, and I fucked for fun. For me, the load was affirmation. The load was validation. The load was self-worth—my gold star. After being with boys, I always learned a little bit more about myself. Knowledge is power, and it’s also terrifying.

Cross Dress to Impress

What happens when you live in Bushwick for 6 years and stop numbing yourself with drugs and alcohol? Gender. The time had cum for me to look inside and honor my true self. I didn’t know where to start or how to start. So, I used sex. Grindr provided a gorgeous virtual reality where I got to try on different characters. After all, one of my biggest concerns was, “But if I'm trans, will I be loved?”

The answer was not what I expected. When hot guys wanted to fuck a nonbinary no brows, no job, no make-up skills, I was like...woah. I realized there’s something for everybody. As I rowed through my gender river, each stop I made had something for me. I learned what worked for me and what didn't. I try not to think about it now… (I also tried out names. Kylie, Bella, KyBella.. fuck…)

The Double-Edged Sword

I’m still on Grindr (find me behind the handle “We Will See…”), but it’s not the same experiment it once was. Now, I’m direct and clear-headed about what I want. I know how to navigate the energy I meet, and I’m learning what to look for. The sweet boys who want to hold me, and the sweet boys I want to hold—they remind me of what feels right. Grindr served as my compass down the gender river. It helped me live and move more confidently in our imperfect world.

Grindr is a tool. I use it for me. I fuck for me. And that’s super fierce.

Dolls Run Grindr

Through the peephole, the Gay Desert, through the gender try-outs and down the river, I got what I wanted. We can make Grindr work for all of us. We can make this a safe place, we can look out for each other, and we can run it. For any of the boys out there who eye roll when they see the dolls on the grid, the NB’s wanting to side, or the people so clearly on the gender river, know that they are looking for the same thing you are.

Like boo, we have ALL been persecuted for our sexual desires, which, like it or not, is linked with gender. In our world now, where trans people are political chess pieces, and gays are "okay" as long as they follow a script—an app dedicated to connecting us and our genitals should be the absolute SAFEST place possible. We all remember our first time, so let's make it easier for everyone to get to their "next" time.

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Partnerships with the National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) and IntraHealth Namibia provide users with discreet HIV testing access through the Grindr app.

Grindr for Equality, Grindr’s social impact initiative focused on advancing health and human rights for LGBTQ+ communities worldwide, is expanding its free at-home HIV self-test kit program to Australia and Namibia. In collaboration with the National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) and IntraHealth Namibia, Grindr users in these countries can now order self-test kits directly to their doorsteps. In Namibia, this partnership was made possible by Equal Namibia, a youth-led social movement for equality fighting to end state-sanctioned homophobia and intersectional discrimination, who connected Grindr with Intrahealth, a community-trusted clinic.

Access to HIV testing often presents significant challenges—including geographic, economic, and social barriers—that limit many people’s ability to stay informed about their health. In Namibia, HIV prevalence is estimated to be 11%, and in Australia, an estimated 29,000 people are living with HIV. "With Grindr’s global reach, we’re ensuring GBTQ+ users can access life-saving health resources right from their phones, no matter where they are in the country,” said Owen Ryan, Managing Director of Grindr for Equality. “By expanding our network of partners, we’re providing essential tools to help break down these barriers and support the global fight against HIV.”

The program extension marks the first time the Grindr app will partner with organizations offering round-the-clock HIV testing resources on these two continents, accessible via a dedicated button within the app’s interface. With this feature, users in Namibia and Australia will have a convenient, confidential way to know their HIV status, empowering them to make informed health decisions. Depending on their results, NAPWHA and IntraHealth will guide users toward treatment or help them access PrEP to stay protected. Since launching in March 2023, Grindr’s self-test kit programs have reached users in Georgia, Ireland, New Zealand, London, and the United States, where our partnerships have helped distribute nearly half a million test kits.

About the National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA)

NAPWHA is Australia’s peak non-government organization representing people living with HIV. Dedicated to the advancement of the health and well-being of individuals and communities impacted by HIV, NAPWHA collaborates with Grindr for Equality to provide free, at-home HIV test kits across Australia, ensuring accessible and inclusive testing options for LGBTQ+ communities.

“Our partnership with Grindr represents a meaningful step forward in expanding access to HIV testing across Australia,” said Aaron Cogle, Executive Director of NAPWHA. “By empowering individuals to test in the privacy of their own homes, we’re reducing stigma and making testing more accessible for all. We’re excited to work with Grindr for Equality to reach those who might otherwise face obstacles to regular testing.”

About IntraHealth Namibia

IntraHealth Namibia is a leading local partner in public health, supporting the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services to enhance healthcare access for underserved communities. Through this partnership with Grindr, IntraHealth Namibia is bringing essential HIV testing resources to LGBTQ+ populations across Namibia.

“Collaborative efforts like this unique partnership with Grindr are imperative to harness resources, maximize impact, and drive sustainable outcomes,” said Helena Kataturua, Online Outreach Officer at IntraHealth Namibia. “Our aim is to reach underserved communities with HIV prevention services and to provide essential links to HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Together, we can improve health outcomes for Namibians and establish a model for equitable healthcare access across Africa.”

Our partnerships with NAPWHA and IntraHealth are making HIV testing more accessible, supporting early diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately the end of the AIDS epidemic. We encourage our Australian and Namibian users to take advantage of this free, confidential service and join us in the fight to eradicate HIV.

About Grindr for Equality

Grindr for Equality is Grindr’s social impact initiative, dedicated to advancing health and human rights for Grindr users and the global LGBTQ+ community. Launched in 2015, Grindr for Equality leverages the unparalleled reach of the Grindr app, the world's foremost social networking platform for GBTQ+ individuals with more than 14M monthly users, 80% of whom are outside the U.S., to improve lives through partnerships with public health authorities, non-governmental organizations, and grassroots advocates. 

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Last Thursday, Grindr traded pixels for pompadours and petticoats. We’re thrilled to report that the inaugural Pleasure Ball at Ideal Glass Studios in New York City was exactly what it promised to be: decadent, absurd, and the kind of night where “here for fun” truly delivered. 

Billy Porter and Frankie Sharp led the way—corsets straining, velvet capes brushing past lace fans, beats by Kevin Aviance and Kim Ann Foxman thumping like the 18th century never ended. We painted portraits in real-time, recited bespoke poetry from your latest Grindr DMs, and had a step-and-repeat that saw no empty moments. And the cocktails? Strong enough for even the most committed to break character.

But this wasn’t just a night of spectacle. For each guest, $500 was pledged to Grindr for Equality—our night of powdered wigs came with purpose. This is only the beginning; we plan to make it bigger, bolder, and even more impactful every year.

And while most outfits made an impact, there were some that really left a mark. Here’s who absolutely turned it out at the #GrindrPleasureBall—our night of Flirts, Follies, and Finery.

To those who turned it out at the #GrindrPleasureBall—we thank you. Until next year.

Halloween? It’s not just a day—it’s the Olympics of queer excellence. Forget costumes, this is a battle of who can break the most necks. And Grindr’s got the tea. We asked you, and you came through with the hottest looks for 2024.

We asked our users what they think will be the hottest Halloween costumes for 2024. Here’s what they said: 

• Brat Green: You’re not just wearing Brat Green—you’re showing everyone that Brat Summer never ended. Subtlety? Never heard of her. Brat Green is everywhere, and that’s the point. It didn’t just take 2024 by storm—it grabbed the year by the throat. Too loud? Too much? That’s exactly what makes it Brat.
• Chappell Roan: She’s canceled shows, called out her fans, and had thoughts about pop stardom— but can you blame her? Who else has had a rise this fast, going from indie darling to headlining stages in what feels like a heartbeat? Her look? Metallic pink bodysuits, glitter boots, and her iconic Pink Pony Club vibe with feathers and sequins. Chaotic, bold, the moment.
• Cowboy Carter: Rhinestones where dirt used to be, leather in places no one saw coming—this isn’t your typical cowboy. Beyoncé didn’t just tip her hat; she made it sparkle. Sequins, stomping boots, and a Stetson that’s more crown than cap. Country has gone rogue, loud, and fully unapologetic.
• Gladiator: This isn’t Paul Mescal in running shorts—it’s Mescal in slutty armor. Garb clinging in all the right places, bruised, dirty, and hotter for it. You don’t want clean; you want raw, intense, and just the right amount of mess. Mescal’s Lucius doesn’t do polished; he does survival, and looks damn good doing it.

How Early Do You Start Planning Your Costume?

Looks like 9.1% of you start planning the day after Halloween. Are we calling that ambition or just the inability to chill? Meanwhile, 46.6% take a month—enough time to plan, plot, and execute. But the real wild cards are the 27.4%. You wake up, remember it’s Halloween, and somehow pull off a look that leaves people speechless. Real.

Best Couple (or Throuple) Costume Ideas

Alright, so 37.7% of you couldn’t settle for just one—you grabbed Deadpool + Wolverine and called it a day. Then there’s the 15.2% who chose Kamala Harris + Coconut Tree. Mixing policy with palms? Legislative shade just got literal. And 12% of you went straight to Lydia Deetz + Beetlejuice. Sometimes weird just hits different.

That’s just a taste for you. For the data nerds who can’t get enough—check out the rest of our Halloween 2024 survey results below.

Happy Halloween.

Extended Survey Results

Top Costume Picks (Ranked by Popularity):

1. Gladiator — 22.7%
2. Cowboy Carter — 20.7%
3. Brat Green — 20.3%
4. Chappell Roan — 19.1%
5. Homelander (The Boys) — 16.7%
6. Agatha Harkness (Agatha All Along) — 14.2%
7. House Targaryen (House of the Dragon) — 13.5%
8. Jools - “Very Demure, Very Mindful” — 13.3%
9. Raygun (Paris Olympics) — 11.5%
10. Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders — 9.2%
11. Jonathan Bailey’s “Drink Your Milk” Moment — 6.7%
12. Queen of Melrose — 6.4%
13. MaXXXine — 6.2%
14. An Alien — 5.8%
15. Carmy (The Bear) — 5.8%
16. Moo Deng — 5.6%
17. The Boreworm — 4.9%

Best Couple (or Throuple) Costume Ideas (Ranked by Popularity):

1. Deadpool + Wolverine — 37.7%
2. Kamala Harris + The Coconut Tree — 15.2%
3. Lydia Deetz + Beetlejuice — 12%
4. Harley Quinn + The Joker (Folie à Deux) — 11.6%
5. Challengers (for the throuples) — 6.6%
6. Elphaba + Glinda (Wicked) — 5.4%
7. Sabrina Carpenter + Jenna Ortega (Taste Video) — 5.1%
8. Charli XCX + Lorde (or Billie, or Troye, or Addison) — 5%
9. Tania + Tonka (Chimp Crazy) — 1.5%

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