(Image from Grindr.com)
Grindr for Equality, Grindr’s social impact initiative, launched new characterizing condom and DoxyPEP tags within the app March 11 as well as a series of videos that promote safer sex practices, empowering users to make informed decisions about their sexual health.
Grindr for Equality is taking a step in making options for safer sex visible in the app by including identifying labels indicating your selected health practices such as condoms, PrEP, HIV undetectable, prefer to discuss with partner and DoxyPEP, the latter of which is a pill Grindr for Equality is promoting. More than one selection can be visible on your profile.
“By giving users the option to include this profile information, we’re shining a light on a vital STI prevention strategy and chipping away at the health care barriers that keep people in the dark,” according to Grindr for Equality. “Prevention shouldn’t be reserved for those ‘in the know’ — it belongs in every bedroom, every conversation and every corner of our community.”
DoxyPEP, or Doxycycline Post-exposure Prophylaxis, is a prescribed pill which if taken within 72 hours after sex, will create a barrier protecting the body against certain sexually transmitted infections. According to Building Healthy Online Communities, it has been shown to prevent chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea in individuals “mostly having anal and oral sex.”
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Grindr released a five-episode series called “The Equality Spotlight,” focusing on the visibility and prevention of STIs. In the first episode, Grindr said DoxyPEP is not 100% effective but it reduces the chances of catching syphilis and chlamydia by 70% and gonorrhea by 40%. The antibiotic does not protect against viral infections such as HIV, HPV and Hepatitis.
The episodes were released weekly on Grindr’s YouTube channel, with the final fifth episode being released April 15.
Co-founder of BHOC, Jen Hecht works to partner with online dating apps to promote the visibility of safe sex on multiple platforms.
“The fact that you need a provider to prescribe it, the fact that many people don’t have health insurance or don’t have a primary care provider or don’t live in a place where they could easily get this information, that is the number one challenge,” Hecht says.
“Grindr is empowering queer and trans people to have conversations about safer sex in general.” says Nicholas Diamond, co-founder of Ctrl+F LLC, a consulting group that addresses challenges of public health and who is partnering with Grindr on their work with DoxyPEP.
“It’s going to start a conversation for queer and trans people,” Diamond says before mentioning it will also “…allow people who don’t know about DoxyPEP to talk with their friends, neighbors, their hookups and their health care providers.”
Diamond believes a trend will come from this initiative and will be seen by other companies, brands and apps who care about the health of the queer community. He mentions how they should follow Grindr’s example of promoting safer sex in the community.
Included in the app, Grindr previously released a “Free HIV Home Test” button which allows its users to have access to testing from anywhere without a doctor’s appointment. Partnering with BHOC, testing is available throughout the U.S. and is supported by the CDC, according to their website.
“We hope these app additions help Grindr users take control of their sexual wellness and encourage conversations around pleasure and safety,” according to Grindr for Equality.
You can learn more about DoxyPEP on the CDC’s website here and view “The Equality Spotlight” on Grindr’s website or view the video series below.
