Smart phones have revolutionised the way we go through life and the latest area to be touched upon by the gizmo gods, is the dating scene. The gay community has been using the virtual space to get in touch with like-minded people. Gay apps seem to be the buzzword among the queer community. If you’re too shy to go out for a cup of coffee on your first date, an app like this is just the thing you need to break the ice, virtually!
Anuj Kalra (name changed) who met his partner on one such app says that the experience has changed his perception of virtual dating. “I was skeptical at the beginning. I was at a restaurant and fidgeting on my phone, when a guy pinged me on a gay app. Out of sheer boredom, I said ‘hi’. But that one ‘hi’ on the app Grindr led to several conversations and before we knew it, I was drawn to my partner.”
Grindr, an all-male geo-social network, uses location-based technologies to bring together a global community. The app maps out the guys in your vicinity. Apart from a profile picture and generic information pertaining to interests, work etc., the app tells you exactly how far you are from the person and gives you a chance to chat with him.
Lesarion, a lesbian-dating app, is a female equivalent of Grindr. A virtual platform for lesbians, it is one of the many ways to track down like-minded female partners.
For those who are a little weary of a written profile to trust a complete stranger, there’s Maleforce. It includes video and audio profiles of local gay guys apart from the usual features. A GPS location search with ability to hide yourself on maps, find your match, block people, private photo messaging, Internet chat (like Skype), gay venue listings and free text messaging a gay chatline.