LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At the outset of European testing week, Grindr Inc. (NYSE: GRND), the world’s largest social network for the LGBTQ+ community, today announced the launch of its new partnerships with Equality Movement and MPOWER to connect Grindr users directly with HIV self-test kits in Georgia and Ireland, respectively. With these partnerships, Georgia and Ireland become the first countries outside of the United States in which Grindr users can order free at-home HIV self-test kits directly from links embedded in the Grindr interface, in less than one minute.
Access to HIV testing continues to be one of the biggest obstacles in the fight against the global HIV epidemic. In-person testing, in particular, poses barriers such as clinic operating hours, transportation, costs, and concerns about privacy or stigma. These barriers become even more pronounced for a variety of Grindr users, such as those living in rural areas, or those who are not “out” to their families. At-home self-testing offers users a convenient and discrete option to protect their health.
Grindr has a long history of promoting both Equality Movement and MPOWER’s home self-testing programs. As it became clear that a significant number of Grindr users needed the level of flexibility and anonymity that home self-testing provides, Grindr decided to partner with both organizations to make this easier than ever. In expanding this collaboration, Grindr emphasizes both organizations’ commitment to implementing community-level interventions and judgment-free resources.
“For the past eight years, it has been my goal to find ways to increase access to HIV testing for Grindr users, and of all the things we’ve experimented with, embedding in-app links to home self-test kits has emerged as the most powerful strategy by a considerable margin,” said Jack Harrison-Quintana, Director of Grindr For Equality. “I could not be more excited to launch partnerships similar to those with Equality Movement and MPOWER around the world.”
“Making free at-home HIV self-testing available directly through the Grindr app helps to ensure members of the LGBTQ+ community have access to vital services they need to protect their health and feel supported in their daily lives,” said Lasha Nonikashvili at Equality Movement. “We are thrilled that the LGBTQ+ community across Georgia will now be able to protect their health with an easy solution they can access from home.”
“This partnership with Grindr has the potential to revolutionize the way our community across Ireland accesses vital at-home HIV self-testing,” said Adam Shanley at MPOWER, whose mission is to devise sex-positive, judgment-free and harm reduction-based resources, services and support for gay, bisexual and MSM in Ireland. “By making these resources more widely available at home, we hope to increase access, reduce stigma, and contribute to the long-term reduction of HIV.”
Today’s announcement builds on Grindr’s commitment to achieving a meaningful impact for the LGBTQ+ community. Earlier this year, we partnered with Building Healthy Online Communities and Emory University to launch Together TakeMeHome (TTMH) with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. TTMH is a unique partnership that has distributed over 232,262 test kits within the first six months of the program. Nearly a quarter of those orders were placed by people who had never previously tested for HIV, and a majority were requested through Grindr. Grindr remains committed to launching similar programs for users around the world.
About Grindr Inc.
With more than 13 million monthly active users in virtually every country in the world, Grindr has grown to become a fundamental part of the LGBTQ+ community since its launch in 2009. The company continues to expand its ecosystem to enable gay, bi, trans, and queer people to connect, express themselves, and discover the world around them. Grindr’s impact is further driven by Grindr for Equality’s wide-ranging initiatives that help the LGBTQ+ community around the world. Grindr is headquartered in West Hollywood, California. The Grindr app is available on the App Store and Google Play.