Content area
Abstract
The objective of this study was to understand the experiences of young gay males using adult gay dating mobile apps Grindr and Adam4Adam. The use of a case study design aligned with the purpose of the study to explore both the subjective and the external conditions and characteristics of participants’ experiences to gain a comprehensive understanding of young gay male experiences with mobile app dating. The sample consisted of nine participants, ages 18 to 35, who identified as gay males and were current or past users of the mobile dating apps Adam4Adam or Grindr. During data analysis, within-case analyses were conducted in order to identify patterns within the data for each participant, and then a cross-case synthesis was conducted to identify overarching themes. Five cross-case themes emerged, including (a) accessing potential partners, (b) high incidence of personal misrepresentations, (c) predominance of hook-up culture, disappointment, (d) depression, and frustration, and (e) necessity for safety precautions. The most frustrated and disappointed were gay men looking for long-term relationships, as most of the people they met online were looking casual sexual partnerships. Many discovered potential partners misrepresented themselves to protect their privacy. Their descriptions did not match who they really were. One participant complained that prostitutes pretended to be seeking relationships. Participants described insisting on meeting in a public place, talking on the phone before meeting in person, and asking for protection. Many participants said that through the apps, they had access to a larger pool of potential partners, - which was appreciated. These misrepresentation findings in the present study coincided with the results of other researchers. These themes indicated the overall dating-app user experiences of participants and contributed to a better understanding of the experiences of millennial gay males after using online dating sites (e.g. Grindr and Adam4Adam).
