White Bodies, Muscles, and Abs: Digital and Visual Rhetoric Within Gay Centered Media

• Main Author: Ornelas, David
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2023
• Subjects: Internet and social media studies; LGBTQ studies; Rhetoric; Rhetoric and Composition; Web studies
• ISBN: 9798381162530

In this study, I investigated and curated Grindr advertisements by looking at the visual imagery and its connection to identity formation. There are current conversations going on within the field with emerging scholars that are investigating the messages Grindr is portraying visually and digitally. Grindr has been the #1 gay dating app that originally started out as a dating app for men within miles of their location. Over time the app has turned into a “hook-up” app in which men can meet up with other for sexual encounters. Through this I bring to light how the advertisements and Grindr are perpetuating a notion that all men must look “fit” or “muscular” in order to get the attention of other users. Through my analysis, I focus on how each image depicts a white man that all gay men must emulate as put on display by Grindr. I draw from scholars such as Dr. Michael Faris, Dr. Christopher Conner, and Dr. Jonathan Alexander to name a few. I argue that Grindr is using certain bodies to promote their app but instead of promoting a friendly place for gay men to conversate, it has turned into men strictly seeking other men for sex. I offer an analysis into many aspects of the advertisements while paying attention to who is viewing these advertisements and the circulation within the internet. I also offer my own experiences as a user of the app since 2012 which inspired me to choose this topic for my study.