Romance Is In – Take It from Grindr

Tragedy breeds ingenuity. Since the advent of HIV/AIDS, the queer community has led the world in sexual education, transparency and responsibility. Condoms factored into our foreplay as we made awareness an aphrodisiac.

But how can we apply what we have learned to the COVID crisis? It’s difficult to be intimate when you can’t share the hot breath of your lover, which is why Grindr recently polled their users about all things romantic during the pandemic.

The results are a curious mixture of hedonism and heroism. An overwhelming majority of respondents, 88%, said they discuss safety before proceeding with a hookup. That shouldn’t be surprising, since queer cavorters have pioneered the fine art of status-sharing since the 80s.

What may be more shocking, however, is the sheer number of Grindr’ers who admitted to knocking boots while wearing a mask. Now, we assume they meant N95s rather than your traditional puppy-worship garb.

Interestingly enough, 31% attempted masked sex while 69% indicated that they’ve been watching more porn. Those numbers add up to a perfect 100, so are the two groups mutually exclusive?

Speaking of exclusive, 58% of those surveyed expressed a renewed interest in long-term relationships. That leads to the inevitable question of how people are meeting Mr. Right, Ms. Wrong, and everyone in between. Chat’s that! Indeed, online conversations have filled the gap (pun intended) created by our collective decline in sexual activity.

And when talk turns to titillation, let your fingers do the walking, honey.

48% of the Grindr crowd spilled the taboo T, boasting that they have gotten off online while live-streaming with a digital partner (or multiples – ooh, the more the hairier!). Virtual sex has been a huge source of relief and release during the pandemic. In fact, 71% of poll participants have traded graphic pics and/or videos over the past year.

We sincerely hope that the billions of engorged members sailing through cyberspace will eventually find their perfect orifices. But even though our nether regions are heating up, our hearts are even warmer. Perhaps the most enlightening and encouraging statistic from the Grindr questionnaire is a solid 83% – that’s the faction of LGBTQ+ individuals who have become more empathetic as a byproduct of COVID-19.

Leave it to the gays to turn a silver lining brilliantly pink. Well done, fam!

Photo: YouTube @Grindr