Building community, one swipe at a time: hook-up apps and the production of intimate publics between women. Issue 3 (1st September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Petrychyn, Jonathan; Parry, Diana C.; Johnson, Corey W.
• Is Part Of: Health sociology review. Volume 29:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 249
• Page End: 263
• Publication Date: 2020-09-01
• Subjects: Hook-up apps -- women's health -- intimacy -- community -- public space -- technology; Public health -- Periodicals; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Sociology, Medical -- Periodicals; Public health; Social medicine; Periodicals; 362.1042
• DOI: 10.1080/14461242.2020.1779106
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1446-1242

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Hook-up apps are an increasingly popular way for women to meet other people for sex, dating, relationships, and more. As a mundane and habitual form of media, the multiple uses of hook-up apps allow for the production of intimacy in surprising and complex ways. This paper draws on narrative interviews with 15 self-identifying women to explore how dating and hook-up apps help produce 'intimate publics' for women. The field of intimate publics available to women users of hook-up apps is broader than those afforded by in-app interactions; there is an entire network of intimacy, sociality, and publicity that forms around hook-up apps. Our findings show that while both queer and straight women use hook-up apps to find sex, hook-ups, dates, and relationships, they are also central to building community, friendship, and sociality between women.