Grindr Polled 10,000 Users About Love, Sex During the Pandemic

A recent survey by the gay dating and hookup app Grindr found love and sex are surviving the global pandemic and quarantine with an added emphasis on wellness. Grindr asked 10,000 users in the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, and India how their behavior and expectations have changed since the start of the pandemic. The results showed while some gay men are still hooking up while in quarantine, most have minimized risk by turning instead to virtual hookups and porn, and overwhelming majorities have focused more on their own mental and physical well-being as well as using the time in lockdown for some personal introspection.

"The Grindr community appears to be using this time to dig deeper into their core values: what they want from a partner, what their comfort zone looks like in a changed world, and how to stay healthy--physically, sexually, and emotionally," the survey found.

Grindr asked a series of questions relating to minimizing risk, virtual sex and communications, mental well-being, and sexual health. They found drastic changes in the way gay men date and have sex since the start of the pandemic.

According to Grindr, 69 percent of the men surveyed said they've watched more porn while in quarantine and 64 percent are trying to find new socially-distant ways to meet up with other gay men. Of those surveyed, 48 percent said they had virtual hookups, and another 31 percent revealed they've hooked up while wearing a mask. A full 59 percent said their sex drive has actually increased while in lockdown.

Perhaps more significant, though, are the changing attitudes about desire and attraction. 58 percent surveyed said they are now more interested in a long-term relationship and 67 percent said personality is more important than in pre-pandemic times.

One silver lining in the dark cloud of the global pandemic is a renewed and heightened focus on well-being. Most said they are focusing on mental health and have been more supportive and understanding of others during the pandemic (86 percent and 83 percent respectively). Another 82 percent are more focused on sexual health as well, with 67 percent saying they're still taking PrEP during the quarantine.

The least surprising aspect of the survey was how 63 percent of the gay men surveyed planned to make up for last time by hooking up more than usual after the pandemic has run its course.

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