“How do gay mobile dating apps reinforce the

discourses around gay men and vanity, promiscuity,

and STI’s?”

It has grown much to my concern the way in

which the dating scene, particularly that of

homosexual men has been greatly impacted,

socially, by emerging technologies.

Long gone (it appears) are the days of

predominant face to face courtship. Not that

this be an issue, but the issue more lies in

what seems to be a pattern of

unromanticised, increasingly promiscuous and

heavily risk orientated courtship. Or, has it

always been this way but in a less mediated

format?

I wanted to use discourse analysis to note how

emerging dating apps within the past decade,

(more specifically focusing on mobile dating apps;

due to analysis length) have had an impact on the

way gay men pose themselves and how this

“mediated” format of themselves then becomes

something they might conform to or be influenced

by, essentially affecting their socialisation and the

gay dating scene itself.

Representation would play a predominant part in

my analysis as I will be researching to note if these

apps enable gay men to represent themselves in

such a mediated way that it then becomes a truth/

reality affecting lifestyle.

Discourse Analysis To note associations with

these apps and the stereotypical ideologies,

representations and discourses associated around gay

men, in regards to: vanity, promiscuity, and STI’s.

Audience Analysis: Around eight gay men,

along with permission to monitor/record their profile

activity for around a month.

Gay Dating Apps

Discourses surrounding gay

men (vanity, promiscuity, STI’s)

Online Dating - Mediated image

Currently conducting studies

into issues and

representations around

gender and sexuality

Expertise in filed of

Discourse analysis