Are Gay Dating Apps Threatening To Expose Republicans? What We Know

Newsweek

2 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A social media post has gone viral after claiming that gay dating apps are threatening to out closeted Republican officials and members of Congress who have accounts on their platforms if the Supreme Court overturns its same-sex marriage ruling.
Why It Matters
The U.S. Supreme Court is facing a choice about whether to take a case filed by former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis that urges the court to overturn its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark case that guaranteed the right to same-sex marriage nationwide.
Members of the court, including Justice Clarence Thomas, have signaled an openness to revisiting the case as the court has shifted to the right—a change defined by its 2022 ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, which for decades guaranteed abortion rights.
If the court overturns same-sex marriage nationwide, the issue would likely return to the states.
A composite image shows same-sex marriage supporter Vin Testa waving an LGBTQIA pride flag in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 2023, and the Grindr app in Apple's...
A composite image shows same-sex marriage supporter Vin Testa waving an LGBTQIA pride flag in front of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 2023, and the Grindr app in Apple's App Store on an iPhone 12 Pro Max in Berlin on January 26, 2021. More/Christoph Dernbach/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
What To Know
On X, the account @HalfwayPost wrote earlier this week, "BREAKING: Several gay dating apps are reportedly threatening that, if the Supreme Court bans gay marriage, they'll reveal all the closeted Republican officials and members of Congress who have accounts on their platforms."
The post has been viewed more than 7 million times, with many social media users believing it to be a statement of fact. However, the account—run by comedian Dash MacIntyre and self-described as "comedy and satire"—says in its bio, "I don't report the facts, I improve them."
This isn't the first time @HalfwayPost has gone viral over such a claim, and rumors about gay dating apps disclosing the identities of Republican officials on their platforms have circulated online for years—often in response to news that affects the LGBTQ+ community.
In 2023, following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' Parental Rights in Education Act, which critics dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill, the claim circulated widely online.
The dating app space is highly saturated, with a number of apps available to users across the sexuality spectrum. Newsweek spoke with Grindr, Feeld and Hornet, three of the most popular LGBTQ+ apps in the U.S. All three apps denied any threats to expose Republican politicians.
"This claim is false," a spokesperson for Grindr told Newsweek. "At Grindr, we take our role as a connector for the queer community very seriously and are committed to upholding high standards of trust and user safety, protecting the privacy of all of our users."
Feeld's press office shared a statement with Newsweek, which said in part: "Feeld is built on a commitment to our members' privacy and safety. We would never release members' data or information publicly without the appropriate consent being given."
Christof Wittig, the founder and CEO of the dating app Hornet, told Newsweek: "We have never threatened to expose users' identities or personal information at Hornet. Privacy and safety are core to our mission, and we remain committed to protecting the trust of our community."
Newsweek also spoke with experts about why such claims continue to resonate widely online.
"Rumors like this gain traction because the LGBTQ community is deeply aware that some of their most vitriolic opponents are hypocrites in high places," Brett Krutzsch, a scholar of religion at the Center for Religion and Media at New York University and the editor of the Revealer, told Newsweek via email.
"The LGBTQ community has a long history of debating the merits of outing conservatives against their will," Krutzsch said. "When facing the possibility of the Supreme Court overturning Obergefell, the idea of outing closeted Republicans taps into a form of queer power, even if it isn't coordinated by a dating app or if it doesn't produce the desired political result."
Shaka McGlotten, a professor of media studies and anthropology at Purchase College, told Newsweek, "On one level, these viral revenge fantasies function as pressure valves, redirecting energy that could go toward organizing into liking, sharing, and commenting."
McGlotten added: "Personally, though, this is what I think is actually happening: Republicans have exposed themselves by helping to build a political culture that weaponizes sexual identity and that thrives on using anxieties about sex and gender against minorities. When you participate in creating that, you shouldn't be surprised when it turns on you."
What People Are Saying
Grindr said in a statement shared with Newsweek: "It is our mission to support a world in which the lives of our users are free, equal, and just, and we condemn any attempts to undermine the rights of LGBTQ people."
Feeld's press office said in a statement shared with Newsweek: "Our goal has always been to create safer, more inclusive spaces and to protect our community with the highest standards of trust and care."
Christof Wittig, the founder and CEO of the dating app Hornet, told Newsweek: "While we vehemently oppose any and all efforts to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges—especially in a political climate already marred by anti-LGBTQ legislation—we do not condone such behavior, even in the name of advocacy."
Sasha Costanza-Chock, a faculty associate at the Berkman-Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, told Newsweek via email: "Satire has always been a valuable tool for oppressed communities to ridicule their oppressors. The widespread popularity of this satirical news headline reflects the massive disconnect between right-wing efforts to suppress the LGBTQI+ community and the reality that a wide majority of people now support LGBTQI+ rights. In particular, people are targeting the hypocrisy of closeted queer elected officials who do harm to their own communities."
Shaka McGlotten, a professor of media studies and anthropology at Purchase College, told Newsweek via email: "The viral claim originated from a satirical account. It spreads because it offers the fantasy of revenge in a time when so many people feel powerless. Platforms like X amplify inflammatory content, and this story delivers a perfect mix of scandal and justice for engagement."
What Happens Next
Concerns about the Supreme Court overturning same-sex marriage are ongoing. It remains to be seen whether the court will decide to hear Davis' case.