The New Yorker Reports On Sniffies, the Comments Go Wild

The New Yorker Reports On Sniffies, the Comments Go Wild

We know that straights are so curious and nosy about gay culture. Many of the things that we have introduced into the world are seized up with the straights trying to appropriate our culture. Hello, metrosexuals (do we even use that term?), we are talking to you! Well, yesterday, The New Yorker (of all places) released a story all about Sniffies and how it is cruising for the gays in the digital age. The piece has gone viral, not because of the story, but because of the comments people are leaving on The New Yorker's social media post about the story. The story itself is good coverage, but many are confused as to why it was written by a woman, and not a gay man.

The story talks about the history of gay public sex, as a result of there not being any way for gay men to meet each other before a digital age. It also talks about the debut of Grindr and how it was a form of liberation for gay men to meet up on their phones. It wasn't just about hookups, although many times it resulted in that, but it was about gay men connecting freely. The article points out that many mainstream apps have borrowed elements from Grindr, such as Tinder and OkCupid.

The article goes on to talk about how even with Grindr, there is still a growing attraction to and need for anonymity and spontaneity. For those of us who have used Grindr since day one, many of us complain that it takes forever to hook up on Grindr, and it isn't as naughty as it used to be, and that guys want to actually...gasp...talk! There are also certain restrictions on the app that, on the surface, make it seem a bit too PG-13. With the dawn of Sniffies, now there is an alternative where you literally can be as anonymous as you want, and you can even just be a voyeur without making your profile live. There are no restrictions in setting up your profile. Want to show your dick, or ass, or a pic of you getting fucked? That's ok! Also, with the mapping system and immediate scrolling chat feature, sex can be delivered to your door in ten minutes or less! Sniffies is growing in popularity, and Grindr better watch out!

The article is interesting and does cover a lot of ground, from talking to current Sniffies users to examining the present and historical lewd conduct laws regarding cruising and meeting other gay men in public. The article presents the platform as a tool of freedom and queer celebration. It would be interesting to hear what the writer intended with the article, and why she was so interested in the app, and why The New Yorker thought it was a compelling topic.

To get a chuckle, check out The New Yorker's Instagram post and all of the comments.

 

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A post shared by The New Yorker (@newyorkermag)

One commenter posted, "Mind your business, Emily." Another, "Straight gurls, we love you, but please don’t speak on the behalf of our community. It’s cringe and it’s performative in this manner." And this one, "Stay tuned for next week’s article on poppers!"

What do you think?

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