A study by Northwestern Medicine found that over 50 percent of sexually active gay and bisexual boys, from 14 to 17 years old, use apps like Grindr to find boyfriends and friends.
Dr. Kathryn Macapagal, an author of the study, said “we found that teens in this study were super excited that somebody was paying attention with what was going on in their lives and how these apps played a role in their sexual development and coming-out process,” according to The Chicago Tribune.
According to NewNowNext, apps like Grindr can be a big part of the coming out process for teens. Creating connections on dating apps may be helping teens come to terms with having same-sex relationships – from hookups to friendships.
Oftentimes, said The Tribune, young gay and bisexual teens use apps like Grindr because it makes it easier for them connect with others in their community despite where they live. The study also showed how little people outside the community, like parents, educators and health care providers, know about the use of dating apps for this purpose.
In a statement to The Tribune from Grindr, the dating app said “Grindr does not condone illegal or improper behavior and we are troubled that an underage person may have been using our app in violation of our terms of service. Grindr services are only available for adults. Grindr encourages anyone aware of any illegal or improper activity on the app to submit a report either within the app or via email.”