From navigating surrogacy or adoption to accessing fertility treatments, queer people often face more barriers—and bigger bills—than others. Grindr believes everyone should have the opportunity to create the family of their dreams, and the company is stepping up to help make that a reality for their employees. 

Powered by Carrot Fertility, Grindr employees with 18 months of tenure can access up to $300,000 over five years for family planning journeys including adoption, surrogacy, and fertility treatments. Employees will get expert guidance, access to top providers, and seamless expense management, making what can be a stressful process a whole lot easier. 

“Grindr is about relationships, which in many cases lead to love, to marriage, and, for some, to dreams of starting a family. In a recent survey across the U.S., we learned that roughly 25% of gay and bisexual men under age 35 want to have children and that cost was by far the biggest impediment to having kids. It is vital to advocate on behalf of our community by pushing to bring these costs down, which are uniquely high for gay men, whether by allowing insurance-covered IVF treatments to be accessible in cases of surrogacy or by making family formation expenses tax deductible, like other healthcare expenses,” said Grindr CEO, George Arison, who has been vocal on supporting access to family formation, and is also a father via surrogacy.

“Grindr can lead by example. Through our success as a business, we aim to make a world where the lives of our global community are free, equal and just. By excelling at creating products our users love and shareholders value simultaneously, we shape a narrative about what it means to be gay, and through that have an outsized impact on the world and the lives of millions. We hope that by being at the forefront of American business on family formation, we not only offer our employees a critical benefit, but show other companies what is possible and encourage them to do the same.”

More than 80% of expenses are covered per journey, with flexibility for larger expenses like surrogacy and adoption. 

In 2025, the company is transitioning to a new health plan, developed to offer especially generous IVF coverage. Unfortunately, currently those having children through surrogacy cannot legally access IVF via health insurance. Thus IVF coverage within a health plan is not useful if someone is seeking to pursue one of the most common ways of forming a family for gay men, who are the overwhelming majority of Grindr’s users and a plurality of Grindr’s employees. While the limitation to use of IVF coverage within health insurance for surrogacy will change in California in 2026, other costs of surrogacy, which run upwards of $200,000, will stay as non-tax deductible out of pocket expense, unlike almost all other healthcare expenses. The company will continue to offer coverage for IVF through its health insurance plans and the Carrot benefit will be available for employees who incur these additional out-of-pocket expenses.

“Navigating family-building journeys, whether you’re going through fertility treatments, surrogacy, or adoption, can be extremely challenging," said Tammy Sun, Carrot Fertility Founder and CEO. "Grindr is committed to supporting its workforce by making it simple for people to access and afford the care they need. We’re proud to partner with them to make this possible. It's further proof that small companies have the ability to make a big impact on their employees' lives with supportive benefits.”

For those in different stages of life, the new benefit will also cover hormonal healthcare, including menopause and low testosterone support. 

About Grindr Inc.

With more than 14.5 million monthly active users, Grindr has grown to become the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket™, on a mission to make a world where the lives of our global community are free, equal, and just. Available in 190 countries and territories, Grindr is often the primary way for our users to connect, express themselves, and discover the world around them. Since 2015 Grindr for Equality has advanced human rights, health, and safety for millions of LGBTQ+ people in partnership with organizations in every region of the world. Grindr has offices in West Hollywood, the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York. The Grindr app is available on the App Store and Google Play.

About Carrot 

Carrot Fertility is the leading global fertility, family-building, and lifelong hormonal healthcare platform providing care for everyone, everywhere. Trusted by more than a thousand multinational employers, health plans, and health systems, Carrot's comprehensive clinical program delivers industry-leading cost savings for employers and award-winning experiences for millions of people worldwide. From maternity through menopause and pre-pregnancy through parenting, Carrot is dedicated to expanding access and improving outcomes. Carrot empowers members with compassionate, personalized, and inclusive support.

‍WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – Dec. 19, 2024 – Grindr, the world’s largest social network for the LGBTQ+ community, announced today that Roam—its feature enabling users to explore and connect with locals worldwide—will be available at no cost for 12 days this holiday season.

Launched earlier this year, Roam has already helped thousands of people explore new cities, plan trips, and connect with locals ahead of their arrival. Typically offered at for $5.99 per hour, this December, users can experience the freedom and excitement of Roam at no cost, sponsored by ViiV Healthcare. 

“The holiday season is all about connection,” said George Arison, CEO of Grindr. “By making Roam available at no charge, we’re giving our community the freedom to connect wherever they are—or wherever they’d like to be. We’re thrilled to partner with ViiV Healthcare to offer this benefit in the U.S., spreading extra joy and meaningful connections this holiday season.”

From December 22 to January 2, people on Grindr in the U.S. can experience Roam free of charge. To get started, open Grindr, navigate to the sidetray, tap “Roam,” select any destination, and activate the feature. Your profile will appear on the local grid in that area, letting others know you’re visiting virtually and ready to connect—whether you’re planning a trip, preparing to move, or simply curious about life in a different destination.

About Grindr Inc.

With more than 14.5 million monthly active users, Grindr (NYSE: GRND) has grown to become the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket™, on a mission to make a world where the lives of our global community are free, equal, and just. Available in 190 countries and territories, Grindr is often the primary way for our users to connect, express themselves, and discover the world around them. Since 2015 Grindr for Equality has advanced human rights, health, and safety for millions of LGBTQ+ people in partnership with organizations in every region of the world. Grindr has offices in West Hollywood, the Bay Area, Chicago, and New York. The Grindr app is available on the App Store and Google Play.

About ViiV Healthcare

ViiV Healthcare is a global specialist HIV company established in November 2009 by GSK (LSE: GSK) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) dedicated to delivering advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV and for people who could benefit from HIV prevention. Shionogi became a ViiV shareholder in October 2012. The company’s aims are to take a deeper and broader interest in HIV and AIDS than any company has done before and take a new approach to deliver effective and innovative medicines for HIV treatment and prevention, as well as support communities affected by HIV. For more information on the company, its management, portfolio, pipeline, and commitment, please visit viivhealthcare.com.

‍

You know that feeling of excitement when you’re about to visit a new city? The anticipation, the curiosity, the questions. Where’s the best place to go out? Who’s around? Why is everyone so hot?

And sometimes, you’re not even traveling—you’re just daydreaming. What’s life like in São Paulo? Who could I kiss in Tokyo?

That’s where Roam comes in. It’s your way to explore new places and meet people—whether you’re on the move or staying put.

What is Roam? At its core, Roam is about placing you exactly where you want to be, even if you’re not there yet.

Here’s how it works:

Choose Your Destination: Go global or stay local—it’s up to you. Roam works just as well for exploring far-off cities as it does for connecting with people in a nearby neighborhood.

Be Seen Locally: Roaming makes your profile visible to locals, giving you more chances to connect and chat.

Transparent Connection: A small “visiting” icon on your profile lets locals know you’re checking out the area and looking around.

Travel Dates: A simple way to let locals know when you’ll be in town, making it easier to plan meetups and start connecting before you arrive.

For just $5.99 an hour, it’s a simple, flexible way to make connections on your terms—without leaving home.

Why Use Roam?

Roam isn’t just about setting your profile somewhere new; it’s about giving you control. Think of it as your digital passport to anywhere you want to go.

Plan ahead with confidence.

Heading to a new city? Use Roam to set your profile there before you even arrive. Locals can tell you where to grab the best espresso martini or which dance floor is worth your time. By the time you get there, you’ll already have a list of go-to spots—or even someone to explore them with.

Make moving feel less overwhelming.

Relocating? Roam helps you find your people before you’ve even packed a single box. Set your profile in your new city, chat with locals, and get a feel for what’s ahead. It’s not just about breaking the ice—it’s about skipping the awkward phase altogether.

Explore without limits.

Not traveling? No problem. Roam lets you peek into life anywhere else. Curious about the nightlife in Madrid? Or what brunch culture looks like in Cape Town? Set your profile, strike up a conversation, and let your curiosity take the lead. You’re not scrolling—you’re traveling by chat.

Spice things up.

When your grid feels like leftovers for the third day in a row, it’s time to mix it up. Roam lets you shift your profile anywhere, meeting people who are not in your usual circle. It’s less about location and more about refreshing your connections.

How to Use Roam

Roam is easy to use and designed to fit into your routine. Here's how to get started:

1. Open the Sidetray: Begin by opening the Sidetray from your home screen.
2. Tap the Roam Button: Look for the Roam icon and give it a quick tap.
3. Enter Your Destination: Choose the city, town, or neighborhood you’d like to appear in, then tap “Show My Profile Here” to put yourself on the map.
4. Activate Roam: When you’re ready to connect, tap “Activate Roam” and start exploring who’s around and what’s happening.

Pro Tip: Add your arrival dates to your profile. It's a great way to let people know when you'll be in town and set up plans ahead of time.

Start Roaming

Roam is simple. It puts you where you want to be, whether that’s a neighborhood across the city or a community across the world. What happens next? That’s up to you.

So go ahead — Open Grindr and Try Roam Now.

It’s official: Missionary has been crowned Grindr’s “Sex Position of the Year,” beating out classics like doggy style, cowgirl, and spooning. It may seem a little strange, considering we often think of missionary as “boring” and “vanilla”—a position for folks who lack imagination. (And if you’ve been on Grindr, you know many users have extremely unique and creative sexual desires.) But missionary is anything but bland. 

Missionary leaves no room to hide. Your face is visible, your body pressed so close you can feel the shifting of ribs and hip bones. It asks you to look—not just a passing glance, but a real look. At their mouth, their eyes, the lines of their forehead. It strips away the distractions that other positions allow, demanding a level of presence that feels uncomfortably raw.

There’s also an intensity to it: their eyes locked on yours, their hands gripping your thighs, their sweat dripping onto your face. It’s messy, intimate, and overwhelming in the best way. When they cum inside you, and you finish onto your chest, it’s not just about pleasure. It’s about being fully seen, fully there, in a way that feels almost impossible to fake. 

And in 2024, when genuine moments are harder to find, this closeness feels special. It’s not just sex—it’s a simple, honest connection in a world that often isn’t.

People say you can only feel that kind of connection with someone you love, or at least someone who’s met your parents, but that’s not true. You can find it with a stranger, someone whose name you might not catch or remember, someone who smells faintly of mint or fabric softener. In missionary, there’s nowhere to hide; your faces are right there, watching each other in real-time.

This fleeting intimacy can enhance sex, turning a run-of-the-mill hook-up into a transcendent experience. (I’m not saying you’ll see God when you cum, but I’m not saying you won’t!)

For most queer men, sex isn’t that hard to come by. After all, we can hop on Grindr, and depending on where we live, there are likely a few guys who are down to come over and bone right then and there. But a genuine sexual connection—an intimate sexual experience—that’s harder to find. Missionary, where you look into your partner’s eyes, can help you get there. So, let’s throw our legs back and celebrate missionary as Grindr’s Position of the Year, not just for its simplicity but for its potential to foster meaningful moments of intimacy. 

Babes, the spreadsheets are in, the twink we keep locked in IT has emerged, and the data he’s shown us is hornier than ever. Grindr Unwrapped 2024 is here, and it’s waiting for you to take it in.

This year’s verdict: y’all have been busy. Millions of you hammering the switchboards, lining up dick appointments, and unlocking private albums with reckless abandon. Your thumbs deserve a standing ovation—or maybe just a night off—but knowing you, they’ve already penciled in more cardio for midnight. 

In 2024, you didn’t just log on—you went feral. 130 billion chats, 10 billion taps, and 2 billion private albums. That’s not flirting, that’s foreplay on a global scale. Somewhere, a data server is fanning itself. And us? We’re clapping. With one hand. The other… well, let’s just say your energy is contagious.

Grindr Unwrapped 2024 is a look into how you connected, kinked, and crowned your queens this year. We surveyed over 10,000 of you on the moments that defined 2024. From the gay gasp heard around the world to the babygirl who had you in a chokehold—we saw it all.

Here are a few of our favorite 2024 stats:

1. Most Popular Tag Searched: Hung.
2. Highest Percentage of Open Relationships: South Korea
3. Sex Position of the Year: Missionary (25%).
4. Gay Gasp of the Year: Olympic French Pole Vaulter.
5. Mother of the Year: Charli XCX.

Want to know which country is hoarding hung tops? Where femme bottoms reign supreme? Or why one congresswoman delivered the Best Read of the Year? It’s all here.

And if you’re wondering how you and millions of others left your mark on Grindr history, the full report is waiting for you in your inbox and at www.grindr.com/unwrapped. But let’s get one thing straight: this report is all in good fun, so don’t come for us—unless we say you can 😘

To our users: You’re our horny heroes of the year. Now go break some more b̶a̶c̶k̶s̶ records for 2025.

For trans people like me, Grindr reflects not just the faces of potential connections but the stories I tell myself about my worth, my body, and what I deserve. Yet, Grindr also offers something rare: a platform that makes showing up feel possible, even when I’m not sure I’m ready. This is the story of one Grindr night—and everything it left behind.

I apologize after sex. “Sorry if I wasn’t what you were expecting,” “sorry if I got in my head,” and “it’s not you, it’s me” are all lines I’ve exhausted to no end. I can’t shake the feeling that my body is built differently than my hookup’s is, and he’s just putting up with it because he has to. He’s going to regret wasting his night on me, a trans girl, when he could’ve spent it with a cisgender person whose body is ‘normal.’

Grindr doesn’t promise easy, but it does promise options. Some nights, it’s a letdown. Other nights, it surprises you. A couple of weeks ago, my phone buzzed loud enough to make my friends look up in unison. “Another Grindr guy?” they asked, huddling around me.

“Well, open it. Is he cute?”

I do. They squeal. “An Australian guy? AND he’s hot? Girl, get on that.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s just make sure he’s not a chaser,” I say, feeling affirmed by their approval but doubtful that this guy could want anything more than to fulfill his trans-girl-hookup fantasy. Grindr has always been about possibility—a space that’s both unpredictable but necessary. It’s the only place where I feel both seen and unsure about what people see in me. It turns out that this guy actually wants to talk before sexting. Thank god. My doubt slips away as we spend hours sending long-winded messages about how proud we are to be queer.

Before I can blink, we’re on his grey sofa, and I feel the weight of needing to prove myself. If I kiss his arm enough, if I hold my breath so he doesn’t feel me exhale, maybe he’ll find my trans body pretty enough. Tonight, I have to make it about him.

Thirty minutes into our second date, he starts undressing me. Every article of clothing he removes reveals a secret I wanted to hide; my shirt softly falls to his hardwood floor and my wide ribcage is on full display. AMAB (assigned male at birth) people typically boast wider ribcages and broader shoulders than assigned-female people do. I brace myself for his reaction, as it’ll indicate how tonight will unfold. We’ve sexted on Grindr before, so I know he’s excited to be here with me, but my anxious thoughts become louder and my hands begin to shake. Here we go.

He unhooks my bra and says, “You’re so hot.” That’s his first lie of the night. There’s no way someone like him could be attracted to someone like me. Tomorrow he’ll be laughing with his friends about how small my breasts are, and I don’t blame him. I’m eyeing my phone from across the room like a lion stalks its prey from behind a bush — I want to text the bad-date codeword to my best friend so she can fabricate an excuse for me to leave. But I’m not actually having a bad time with him. There’s no legitimate reason to leave.

I follow his lead as he motions toward his bedroom. “Are you sure,” I think, surprised that he’d want to take our hookup further after seeing my body naked. Now he’s seen my narrow hips, too, and I’m bewildered by why he still finds me attractive. I become numb and just go with it, distracting myself by playing my favorite song in my head.

We complete our hookup on his bed, but he’s the only one who really finishes. I put my armor back on, get to my car and sigh in relief. Those 50 minutes felt like four hours.

I’m a trans person who’s diagnosed with gender dysphoria, which is defined as an uncomfortable misalignment between one’s identity and their assigned gender at birth. And tonight, I allowed a dysphoric episode to tarnish what was supposed to be a fun experience. Dysphoria feels like wrestling with an invisible bear — no one else can see its teeth growling at me, and the best way to fight it is by mentally checking out. Everything’s fine.

Dysphoria also causes me to place my cisgender sexual partner on a pedestal. I falsely associate his inability to see this seething bear with just being ‘too cool to care’ about the fact that it’s there. My partner is just happy to be hooking up with me, but I keep letting my physical insecurities and internalized transphobia get in my own way. I yearn for the ease of his experience.

Grindr doesn’t fix dysphoria, but it offers something else: a space where I decide how I want to be seen. Some days, it’s messy. Some days, it feels like progress. But it’s the only place that lets me practice showing up, even when it feels impossible.

Right now, I’m working on ways to fight my dysphoria bear without needing the armor of my clothes. I have to believe that my body is worthy of pleasure and that my sexual partner wants to give it to me. Grindr, which I’ve used for years now, is one of the best platforms for trans people to explore queer intimacy while steering clear of transphobia. And if Grindr has taught me anything, it’s this: showing up is hard, but staying hidden is harder. 

Hello reader, I’m Mel 4Ever. I'm a pop artist living in Los Angeles, making songs about my body, sexuality, and, more recently—being obsessed with sucking dick. So if you are too (or just like slutty bangers), add my new single, “I Can’t Quit,” to your playlist now and thank me after you pick your jaw up off the ground.

I am possessed by sex right now. As a trans girl—it is still new to me—every time I close my eyes and lean in for a kiss, I think, “OMFG! HE'S STRAIGHT!” (ish). I write about sex because I know sex is in everything: the relationships we build, the advertising we see, the way we work, the way we design our bodies.

Sex is written into the code of Grindr, just like it’s been written into my code as an artist; it’s impossible to separate the two.

When I started transitioning medically, I thought the process would tear me away from Grindr, but what I’ve realized is that being trans helps me understand, fit into, and feel more powerful than ever on the app.

The Desert

My early years with Grindr felt like looking through a peephole. I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama—otherwise known to me as the “Gay Desert,” with my first gay experience being an hour and a half away from my house.

I started my Grindr experience looking from the outside in. Stepping out of the closet, one drunken toe at a time. The app was my first beacon to affirmative touch—and eventually—myself.

The Bazaar

When I first came out and moved to NY and opened Bestie (the grid), the number of penises that were physically above, below, beside, in front and behind me was… well—🤩.  An ideal escape from the brooding gender dysphoria and loud clanging of “kill yourself” that rang in my head. I knew the only thing that could silence that noise was cum. Lots of it. I fucked for revenge, I fucked for clout, I fucked for pain, and I fucked for fun. For me, the load was affirmation. The load was validation. The load was self-worth—my gold star. After being with boys, I always learned a little bit more about myself. Knowledge is power, and it’s also terrifying.

Cross Dress to Impress

What happens when you live in Bushwick for 6 years and stop numbing yourself with drugs and alcohol? Gender. The time had cum for me to look inside and honor my true self. I didn’t know where to start or how to start. So, I used sex. Grindr provided a gorgeous virtual reality where I got to try on different characters. After all, one of my biggest concerns was, “But if I'm trans, will I be loved?”

The answer was not what I expected. When hot guys wanted to fuck a nonbinary no brows, no job, no make-up skills, I was like...woah. I realized there’s something for everybody. As I rowed through my gender river, each stop I made had something for me. I learned what worked for me and what didn't. I try not to think about it now… (I also tried out names. Kylie, Bella, KyBella.. fuck…)

The Double-Edged Sword

I’m still on Grindr (find me behind the handle “We Will See…”), but it’s not the same experiment it once was. Now, I’m direct and clear-headed about what I want. I know how to navigate the energy I meet, and I’m learning what to look for. The sweet boys who want to hold me, and the sweet boys I want to hold—they remind me of what feels right. Grindr served as my compass down the gender river. It helped me live and move more confidently in our imperfect world.

Grindr is a tool. I use it for me. I fuck for me. And that’s super fierce.

Dolls Run Grindr

Through the peephole, the Gay Desert, through the gender try-outs and down the river, I got what I wanted. We can make Grindr work for all of us. We can make this a safe place, we can look out for each other, and we can run it. For any of the boys out there who eye roll when they see the dolls on the grid, the NB’s wanting to side, or the people so clearly on the gender river, know that they are looking for the same thing you are.

Like boo, we have ALL been persecuted for our sexual desires, which, like it or not, is linked with gender. In our world now, where trans people are political chess pieces, and gays are "okay" as long as they follow a script—an app dedicated to connecting us and our genitals should be the absolute SAFEST place possible. We all remember our first time, so let's make it easier for everyone to get to their "next" time.

‍

Last Thursday, Grindr traded pixels for pompadours and petticoats. We’re thrilled to report that the inaugural Pleasure Ball at Ideal Glass Studios in New York City was exactly what it promised to be: decadent, absurd, and the kind of night where “here for fun” truly delivered. 

Billy Porter and Frankie Sharp led the way—corsets straining, velvet capes brushing past lace fans, beats by Kevin Aviance and Kim Ann Foxman thumping like the 18th century never ended. We painted portraits in real-time, recited bespoke poetry from your latest Grindr DMs, and had a step-and-repeat that saw no empty moments. And the cocktails? Strong enough for even the most committed to break character.

But this wasn’t just a night of spectacle. For each guest, $500 was pledged to Grindr for Equality—our night of powdered wigs came with purpose. This is only the beginning; we plan to make it bigger, bolder, and even more impactful every year.

And while most outfits made an impact, there were some that really left a mark. Here’s who absolutely turned it out at the #GrindrPleasureBall—our night of Flirts, Follies, and Finery.

To those who turned it out at the #GrindrPleasureBall—we thank you. Until next year.

Halloween? It’s not just a day—it’s the Olympics of queer excellence. Forget costumes, this is a battle of who can break the most necks. And Grindr’s got the tea. We asked you, and you came through with the hottest looks for 2024.

We asked our users what they think will be the hottest Halloween costumes for 2024. Here’s what they said: 

• Brat Green: You’re not just wearing Brat Green—you’re showing everyone that Brat Summer never ended. Subtlety? Never heard of her. Brat Green is everywhere, and that’s the point. It didn’t just take 2024 by storm—it grabbed the year by the throat. Too loud? Too much? That’s exactly what makes it Brat.
• Chappell Roan: She’s canceled shows, called out her fans, and had thoughts about pop stardom— but can you blame her? Who else has had a rise this fast, going from indie darling to headlining stages in what feels like a heartbeat? Her look? Metallic pink bodysuits, glitter boots, and her iconic Pink Pony Club vibe with feathers and sequins. Chaotic, bold, the moment.
• Cowboy Carter: Rhinestones where dirt used to be, leather in places no one saw coming—this isn’t your typical cowboy. Beyoncé didn’t just tip her hat; she made it sparkle. Sequins, stomping boots, and a Stetson that’s more crown than cap. Country has gone rogue, loud, and fully unapologetic.
• Gladiator: This isn’t Paul Mescal in running shorts—it’s Mescal in slutty armor. Garb clinging in all the right places, bruised, dirty, and hotter for it. You don’t want clean; you want raw, intense, and just the right amount of mess. Mescal’s Lucius doesn’t do polished; he does survival, and looks damn good doing it.

How Early Do You Start Planning Your Costume?

Looks like 9.1% of you start planning the day after Halloween. Are we calling that ambition or just the inability to chill? Meanwhile, 46.6% take a month—enough time to plan, plot, and execute. But the real wild cards are the 27.4%. You wake up, remember it’s Halloween, and somehow pull off a look that leaves people speechless. Real.

Best Couple (or Throuple) Costume Ideas

Alright, so 37.7% of you couldn’t settle for just one—you grabbed Deadpool + Wolverine and called it a day. Then there’s the 15.2% who chose Kamala Harris + Coconut Tree. Mixing policy with palms? Legislative shade just got literal. And 12% of you went straight to Lydia Deetz + Beetlejuice. Sometimes weird just hits different.

That’s just a taste for you. For the data nerds who can’t get enough—check out the rest of our Halloween 2024 survey results below.

Happy Halloween.

Extended Survey Results

Top Costume Picks (Ranked by Popularity):

1. Gladiator — 22.7%
2. Cowboy Carter — 20.7%
3. Brat Green — 20.3%
4. Chappell Roan — 19.1%
5. Homelander (The Boys) — 16.7%
6. Agatha Harkness (Agatha All Along) — 14.2%
7. House Targaryen (House of the Dragon) — 13.5%
8. Jools - “Very Demure, Very Mindful” — 13.3%
9. Raygun (Paris Olympics) — 11.5%
10. Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders — 9.2%
11. Jonathan Bailey’s “Drink Your Milk” Moment — 6.7%
12. Queen of Melrose — 6.4%
13. MaXXXine — 6.2%
14. An Alien — 5.8%
15. Carmy (The Bear) — 5.8%
16. Moo Deng — 5.6%
17. The Boreworm — 4.9%

Best Couple (or Throuple) Costume Ideas (Ranked by Popularity):

1. Deadpool + Wolverine — 37.7%
2. Kamala Harris + The Coconut Tree — 15.2%
3. Lydia Deetz + Beetlejuice — 12%
4. Harley Quinn + The Joker (Folie à Deux) — 11.6%
5. Challengers (for the throuples) — 6.6%
6. Elphaba + Glinda (Wicked) — 5.4%
7. Sabrina Carpenter + Jenna Ortega (Taste Video) — 5.1%
8. Charli XCX + Lorde (or Billie, or Troye, or Addison) — 5%
9. Tania + Tonka (Chimp Crazy) — 1.5%

‍

Introducing Daddy Lessons—a series of bite-sized snackable lessons in queer history, told by those who’ve lived the kind of lives you don’t learn about in textbooks.

We’re launching Daddy Lessons during LGBT History Month—because if we’re going to teach, we might as well make it sexy. Twice a week, we’re dropping fresh episodes to bring you the history you didn’t get in school. 

No stuffy lectures here—just stories from those who’ve lived through queer history’s defining moments, with the insight and experience to back it up. That’s why we’re thrilled to kick things off with Clayton Littlewood. As one of our Daddies, Clayton isn’t just a storyteller; he’s a chronicler of LGBTQ+ life, an acclaimed writer, and someone who has dedicated himself to capturing the grit, humor, and heart of queer culture.

Curious? You should be. 

Here’s Clayton, in his own words:

Imagine living in a town with no gay bars, no clubs, no saunas, no gay magazines, no bookshops, no films, and—worst of all—no Grindr. That was Weston-super-Mare in the 1970s. I felt like a freak. Like I was the only gay person alive.

My first realization of “otherness” came at school. I vividly remember reaching the third year, and overnight, all my friends started talking about girls. I couldn’t understand what they found interesting about them. Sure, I’d fumbled with a breast or two, but it always felt like a messy business. If they were into it and I wasn’t, what did that make me?

Every Saturday afternoon, I’d catch the bus to the library and browse the Young Adult section. But this day, I was there for a different reason—research. Making sure no one was watching, I gravitated toward the Psychology section. That’s when I found a book on sexual abnormalities. I had a name: homosexual. I nearly dropped the book. I quickly put it back and rushed out of the library.

I took the back entrance, my head buzzing, and popped into the adjoining bathroom. There, I made another discovery. Inside a cubicle, the walls were covered with writing: poetry, jokes, statements like “My mother made me a lesbian” and “If I get her the wool, will she make me one too?” And then, “Stuart sucks big cock,” “Meet me on the prom at 9 pm if you wanna get fucked.” Discovering your culture in a urine-drenched bathroom wasn’t life-affirming, but it was a revelation. There were others like me out there.

Fast forward ten years. Living in London and attending Westminster University, I walked into another library. At the back, on the bottom shelf, I found a gay section—an actual gay section. Quickly, I realized we had a history—a history that had been hidden from me. Oscar Wilde, Alan Turing, Radclyffe Hall, Kings and Queens, the Romans, the Ancient Greeks. It was mind-blowing. And it set me on a course of discovery.

Gay history has long been hidden—from shame, fear, or the law. Diaries have been destroyed, families denied their loved ones’ sexuality, and gay men stayed closeted. Same-sex couples were written off as “best friends.” Even in Hollywood, we’ve been coded, closeted, hidden away like a dirty secret.

Ironically, it was negative press—court cases, raids, arrests, executions—that shone a light on our world. The sensationalist coverage revealed an underground community most never knew existed. That publicity gave rise to the community we know today.

We’ve come far since then, but the pendulum swings back. As gay culture hits the mainstream, backlash follows. Living in Florida, it often feels like I’m living at the heart of it. We’re seeing LGBTQ+ book bans and “Don’t Say Gay” laws. The ACLU is currently tracking over 530 anti-LGBTQI+ bills in the U.S., and trans murders are rising at an alarming rate.

So how do we reach LGBTQ+ youth who may not have access to gay books in school so they don’t feel isolated? That’s where Daddy Lessons comes in. We’re here to get gay history across in a way that’s fun, accessible, and true to our experiences. I come from a generation of survivors. AIDS decimated my generation in the ’80s and ’90s. 

For those of us left, it’s time to give back. It’s time to tell our stories. To keep our history alive.

Don’t miss a lesson—follow us on Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. 

Class is in session.

In Challengers, former best friends turned adversaries Patrick and Art (Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist) sit on a sunlit New Rochelle tennis court, sweaty, ruined, and captivating. The sport’s queer undertones are clear as Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ score throbs like the climax of a 24-hour rave. Patrick waves a banana — firm, phallic, but full of potassium — at Art before taking a dramatic, throaty bite. While the film was a triumph for queer cinema and tennis lovers alike, there isn’t a real-life crossover. In fact, men’s tennis remains one of the few global sports without an openly gay player.

Even without the banana and Guadagnino’s sensual director’s eye, skin-tight tennis whites, glistening sweat droplets, and bellowing grunts are still the name of the game—something Grindr understands with its new, court-ready “Grunt” notification sound. It’s hard to envision something gayer than two guys whacking a ball back and forth, so what’s the root of the lack of representation? The other end of the tennis spectrum evokes visions of country clubs, stuffiness, conservative elitism, pearl necklaces — and not the fun kind, either. And beyond this: the riptide of homophobia. 

On a Reddit thread entitled “Are there any out gay male tennis players?” fans wonder about LGBTQ+ visibility with a mix of trepidation and speculation. There’s the ever-looming fear of heckling; the loss of lucrative sponsorships in a highly individual sport without the backing of a team; traveling to countries where being out and proud includes the specter of hostility and even violence. (Notably, the absence of LGBTQ+ representation at the elite male level stands in stark contrast to the women's game, where notably former players like Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Amelie Mauresmo, and Daria Kasatkina have come out over the years.)

In many cases, the call is also coming from inside the house: a 2022 survey of the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour revealed that 75 percent of players had heard other players use homophobic slurs, prompting the tour to partner with You Can Play, an organization dedicated to advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports. In addition to the devastatingly high percentage, the aforementioned survey also noted a "strong fear of rejection, isolation from others on tour, and loneliness" as being barriers to players' publicly disclosing their sexuality.

It was the reality for American player Brian Vahaly, who came out publicly in 2017 — a full decade after retiring from the sport. “I heard homophobic comments all the time in the locker room: to my face, behind my back,” he told The Telegraph in 2018. “That was just a part of the culture.” No matter how many rainbow flags or LGBTQ+ charities are involved, the persistence of homophobia in men’s sports can’t be ignored. It’s locker room culture; it’s fearful alpha males; it’s the jock archetype from high school, stronger and more vicious with age.

To state the obvious: It’s all a damn shame. Two men with ripped, lean bodies grunting and swinging their rackets is a beautiful thing that has no place in the closet. As with most things in life, it’s all a matter of time. It only takes one tennis player to say, “Fuck it!” and open the doors for those in his wake. (Or perhaps the Challengers effect is already in motion? All will be revealed!) Until then, we’ll always have the grunts.

Season 2: We’re back, and yes—everyone’s still an asshole.

Last season was a light spank. Now? We’re going all in—big time. Who’s the Asshole? Season 2 is here, and Katya and her celebrity guests are getting their hands dirty, sifting through hookups and hang-outs gone awry to figure out: who’s the asshole? 

A master in chaos and off-the-wall absurdity, Katya will dig through your past, air out your dirty laundry, and make it a comedy special. Katya has that rare combination of self-awareness and biting humor that makes every punchline universal.

Season 1 was messy, but in Season 2, we’re setting up camp. Grab a seat and get comfortable.

Season 1 Recap

In case you missed it, Season 1 gave us the likes of Orville Peck, Jordan Firstman, Trace Lysette, and Saucy Santana. Check out their episodes for a refresher. 

What’s New in Season 2

This time, we’re upping the ante—Season 2 is stacked. Here’s who we’ve got:

Adam Lambert‍

He’s fronted Queen, taken over American Idol, and lit up stages worldwide with his sky-high tenor. From selling millions worldwide to reimagining glam rock for a new generation, Lambert keeps pushing boundaries.

Cosmo Lombino (Queen of Melrose)‍

Hollywood’s own gossip queen doesn’t do subtle. She’s loud, she’s everywhere, and somehow she knows everything. Hollywood’s secrets? She got them. The rest of us? Just trying to keep up with her.

Gottmik‍

Drag queen, makeup artist, and the first trans man to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Gottmik knows how to beat a face—and if you think that’s impressive, just wait until you see how else she turns up the heat. 

Bowen Yang‍

Quick with the punchlines and quicker with the stings, Bowen Yang is your resident scene-stealer from SNL, now set to make waves in Wicked as he brings his sharp wit to the big screen.

Brandon Kyle Goodman‍

You know him from Big Mouth and Human Resources, but get ready for the kind of real talk that doesn’t come with an animation filter. He’s bringing the laughs and leaving just enough to let your imagination do the dirty work.

Evan Ross Katz‍

Pop culture journalist and podcast host (Shut Up Evan) Evan Ross Katz reads the headlines before they’re written and asks the questions you didn’t realize needed answers. If it’s happened, he’s already there.

The Grindr Voicemail

Full inbox. Fuller confessions. You sent us your juiciest voicemails, and we listened. Now it’s time to air them all out. Katya and her guests will comb through every detail and decide: were you in the right, or were you just another asshole? 

One thing’s for sure: whatever you confessed—good luck hiding it now. This season, nothing’s off-limits, no one’s safe, and we’ve got the receipts.

Whether your story has us clenching or cracking up, we’ll be right here, judging every last detail. So tune in. It’s going to be one hell of a ride—straight to the… well, you know where.

The first episode of Season 2 premieres on September 12, 2024, and can be viewed on YouTube and streamed wherever you get your podcasts.