Grindr Casual Hook-Ups as Interactional Achievements (Top Paper)

• In Event: Using Affordances of Mobile Communication to Build Relationships and to Negotiate Social Actions

Abstract

One pervasive use of the Grindr mobile application is the initiation and accomplishment of anonymous sexual encounters between gay strangers based on location awareness. Not only are such encounters oriented towards quasi-immediate sexual gratification, but they are collaboratively done so as to preclude repeat encounters and relational development, with the protagonists supposedly left unaffected emotionally, relationally and socially by their meeting. This creates a rather special - and analytically interesting - interactional dilemma when Grindr users initiate a social contact with potential partners, usually through the chat function integrated into the mobile app. The paper describes the way Grindr users have developed a particular ‘linguistic ideology’ which casts ordinary conversation as an interactional activity which is performed between (potential) friends and enables relational development. As thus, it is unsuitable for anonymous sexual encounters, the production of which is a distinctive and accountable interactional accomplishment.

Authors

• Christian Licoppe, Telecom Paristech

• Carole Anne Rivière, Telecom Paristech

• Julien Morel, Telecom Paristech