Abstract
Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) find and maintain sexual, social, and romantic connections on digital platforms. Sexual and social experiences for these men have changed from interacting in bars, clubs, sex-on-site venues, and physical cruising locales because of multiple digital offerings available as popular alternatives. There is a stereotypical view that GBMSM only use these apps to look for hook-ups. An online survey containing two parts 1) an adapted version of the Tinder Motivation Scale by Timmermans and DeCaluwe (2017) assessed GBMSM’s motives for using dating apps and the second component of this part explored the degree of association between these motives and demographic variables, and 2) using subject positioning rooted in discourse approaches, an open-ended question in the second part of the survey explored how GBMSM use dating apps to express their identities. Descriptive statistics on the first part of the survey study showed that GBMSM use dating applications for sexual orientation, socializing, relationship seeking, and entertainment. On the second component T-tests and Mann Whitney U-tests revealed that GBMSM of colour, when compared to white GBMSM, are more likely to use apps because of peer pressure and belongingness. GBMSM who live in townships compared to GBMSM living in suburbs are more likely to use apps for flirting and social skills. With how GBMSM express their identities, the following subject positioning were identified in the second part of the survey study: the hated sissy boy, the proud and unapologetic GBMSM, the suggestive GBMSM, and the transformed romantic. These findings are interpreted within a South African context which is different from the global north where GBMSM have safe sexual outlets to easily express their identity and sexual orientation within a hook-up culture.
KEYWORDS: Dating apps, identities, motives, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), uses and gratifications, subject positioning