The Politics of Dating Apps: Gender, Sexuality, and Emergent Publics in Urban China (The Information Society)

An examination of dating app culture in China, across user demographics—straight women, straight men, queer women, and queer men.

In this exploration of data app culture in China, Lik Sam Chan argues that these popular mobile apps are not merely a platform for personal relationships but also an emerging arena for gender and queer politics. Chan examines the opportunities dating apps present for women's empowerment and straight men's performances of masculinity, and he links experiences of queer dating app users with their situation as sexual minorities. He finds that dating apps are both portals to an exciting virtual world of romantic possibilities and sites of power dynamics that reflect the heteronormativity and patriarchy of Chinese society.