As of this week two of China’s most popular gay dating apps were unavailable for download, although it appears they still work for those who had already downloaded them. Founded in 2012 Blued is the most popular gay app in China with more than 40 million global registered users. Considering the closure of Shanghai Pride in 2020 (the once biggest pride celebration in the country) as well as multiple LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations being forced to close their doors over the last five years, the fate of these apps is disturbingly uncertain. Such apps’ utility goes far beyond sex and dating. They are important social tools for queer community members, particularly for those who live in places where the politics or the geography create barriers to connection and self-realization. Just ask any of the 15 million active monthly Grindr users from 190 countries/territories around the world about how central the app is in their lives. Of course, using these apps for connection can bring with it negative experiences and consequences as well. This recent study, for instance, explored some of the correlations between loneliness and internet addiction among university students in Hong Kong. Nonetheless, shutting down the virtual queer spaces that these apps facilitate is a detriment to queers across this planet.
China and Gay Dating Apps
