Grindr has released its annual Unwrapped report, offering a snapshot of user trends and profile behaviors across the platform.
The report is split into two sections. The first draws on data from the gay dating app’s more than 15 million monthly users, highlighting identity markers, sexual habits, fetishes, dating patterns, and connection styles.
The United States has been dubbed “Daddy Capitol of the World” for the sheer number of users who tag themselves as “daddy” or list the subgroup under “My Tribes.” Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada follow close behind.
Ireland leads the pack for self-identified “bears” on Grindr, followed by the United States, Greece, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
On the other end of the subgroup spectrum, Switzerland has the highest percentage of users identifying as “twinks,” followed by the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Germany.
When it comes to sexual roles, South Africa has the highest percentage of users identifying as bottoms, followed by South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Finland. Vietnam, however, has the most severe “top shortage,” ahead of Thailand, Poland, Mexico, and France.
Finland has the highest percentage of users who identify as versatile, while Singapore leads in the share of “sides,” a term referring to people who don’t engage in anal sex when intimate.
France is the top hotspot for those seeking “hung bottoms,” followed by the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Australia. The United Kingdom leads for “fem tops,” with Ireland, the United States, Slovenia, and Australia rounding out the top five.
Foot fetishists are most common in Italy, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Greece. Meanwhile, South Korea leads in the share of users in open relationships, outpacing historically liberal Western European countries such as Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
Tokyo tops the list of cities where users indicate they are looking for friends rather than sex, followed by Taipei and the U.S. cities of Seattle, San Diego, and Minneapolis.
Medellín, Colombia, tops the list of cities whose users send the most pictures, followed by Milan, Athens, Bangalore, and Manaus.
India earns top honors for having the “Fastest Repliers,” ahead of the Philippines, Spain, Italy, and Chile.
Malta leads all countries in the share of users looking for “right now,” ahead of Singapore, Portugal, Albania, and Italy.
When it comes to travel, London is both the “Top City to Roam To” and “Favorite Gaycation of the Year,” beating out New York City and Paris in both categories. But Taipei and Berlin edged out London for “Most Favorited Cities” on the app, with Mexico City and Montreal also making the top five.
This year’s most searched profile tags were “hung,” “trans,” “bb,” “Dom,” and “feet.” The five most common emojis in profiles were the eyes emoji (signifying “looking”), the eggplant, the fire symbol, the grinning devil, and the sweat droplets, often used to denote semen.
Among users who share their zodiac signs, Scorpios are the most likely to be “favorited,” Leos are the most likely to engage in sexting, and Aquarians are the most likely to be into BDSM.
The second section focuses on pop culture, celebrities, and music and fashion trends based on 32,000 user survey responses, and it turned out to be a banner year on Grindr for Lady Gaga, who earned the distinction of “Mother of the Year.” She beat out Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Chappell Roan.
Gaga’s Mayhem was named “Album of the Year,” while “Abracadabra” earned both “Song of the Year” and “Gay Guy Music Video of the Year.”
Gaga’s “Mayhem Ball” tour was named “Tour of the Year,” beating Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” tour, Dua Lipa’s “Radical Optimism” tour, and Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” world tour.
Gaga’s tour also had a real-world impact on Grindr usage, with app activity spiking by 7% on the nights she performed in each city, according to a Grindr press release.
The Los Angeles-based girl group KATSEYE was voted “Girl Group of the Year,” while Sabrina Carpenter was named “Mother-in-Training of the Year,” a new category in which she beat out rising artists Doechii, Addison Rae, Tate McRae, and RAYE.
Users voted Kesha as this year’s “Comeback Queen,” ahead of Lindsay Lohan, the TikTok app, Demi Lovato, and Pamela Anderson.
Pedro Pascal was named “Daddy of the Year,” beating Henry Cavill, Ricky Martin, Tom Hardy, and David Beckham. Jonathan Bailey earned “Hottest Man of the Year,” ahead of rapper Bad Bunny, Superman star David Corenswet, Sinners star Michael B. Jordan, and Korean pop idol Jung Kook.
Joey Mills was named “Porn Star of the Year,” while Bad Bunny’s Calvin Klein ad earned the new “Best Bulge” award. Caleb Hearon beat Matteo Lane for “Comedian of the Year,” and Dan and Phil were named “Gaymer of the Year.”
The Bald and the Beautiful, hosted by Drag Race favorites Katya and Trixie Mattel, won “Podcast of the Year,” while Jinkx Monsoon earned “Doll of the Year.”
KPop Demon Hunters was voted “Movie of the Year,” while Overcompensating took home “Show of the Year.” Love Island earned “Hate Watch of the Year,” and Angie Katsanevas of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City was named “Housewife of the Year.” The Netflix hit Wednesday earned “Press Tour of the Year.”
This year’s “Viral Sound” was “Nothing beats a Jet2holiday,” while the “Gayest Fashion Trend of the Year” was “slutty little glasses.”
Cardi B earned “Wig of the Year” for her hairpieces during her recent civil assault trial (in which she was found not liable) and “Best Beef” for her feud with fellow rapper Nicki Minaj.
The “Gay Gasp” award went to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter “Album of the Year” win at the Grammys. Meanwhile, the plush toy Labubu topped the list of “Trends We’re Leaving in 2025,” and “Delulu” earned “Gay Phrase of the Year.”
“The internet moves fast, but the gay internet is driving,” Tristan Pineiro, Grindr’s senior vice president of marketing and communications, said in a statement. “Unwrapped…proves gay culture doesn’t just follow trends, we create them. What starts in our community today becomes mainstream culture tomorrow.”
The full Grindr Unwrapped report can be accessed at grindr.com/unwrapped or on the Grindr app.
A new survey finds that many LGBTQ Americans -- especially transgender and nonbinary people -- have altered their lives in response to a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws and rhetoric sweeping the country, with many reporting serious harm to their mental health and overall wellbeing.
Conducted from May 29 to June 13 by NORC’s AmeriSpeak panel for the Movement Advancement Project, the online survey polled 1,055 LGBTQ adults nationwide, including 111 who identified as transgender or nonbinary.
Operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, AmeriSpeak is a probability-based panel designed to reflect the U.S. household population. Randomly selected households are contacted through mail, email, phone, or in-person interviews.
Lucien Bates, a transgender man, says security guards threatened to arrest him after he used the women’s restroom at a Round1 arcade inside the North Riverside Park Mall in suburban Chicago. Bates, an Indiana resident, was visiting the venue on September 28 with his fiancé and a friend to play Dance Dance Revolution.
Bates, who presents as alt-masculine with facial hair and piercings, had just arrived at the arcade when he needed to use the restroom. He chose the women’s restroom, a decision he often makes in public because he feels safer there and is less likely to be harassed.
The sudden turn from sunny early autumn to a wintry November left us feeling more than a little light-deprived. But one sure remedy to brighten these gray days is to plan ahead for the joyful whirl of the holiday season.
Should those plans include taking in a fabulous live show here in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, or beyond, it's best to start making your list now and checking it twice. We're here to help with a LGBTQ-focused rundown of the divas, divos, and drag queens who might be jingling your bells from now through December.
Gay Men's Chorus: The Holiday Show -- The GMCW's most popular show every year brings an extravaganza of holiday carols, high-kicking reindeer, and sparkling snowflakes, which sounds like a euphemism for something festive to accompany songs like "O Holy Night," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Let It Snow," and "Go Tell It on the Mountain" (12/13-14, 12/20, Lincoln Theatre)
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