Grindr Joins Partnership for Free At-Home HIV Testing
Dating app Grindr has joined forces with Building Health Online Communities and Emory University to enable users of the app to obtain cost-free at-home HIV testing kits.
Plus reported that the program, called Together TakeMeHome, includes a button on the Grindr menu "where US-based users can order the at-home HIV test for free."
"The test enables users to take the at-home test and receive their results in less than a minute," Plus added. "Grindr is also collecting no data during the process."
"Many Grindr users face barriers to testing in person, including clinic operating hours, transportation, costs, concerns about privacy, and fear of judgment," a blog post at Grindr.com stated. The post was credited to Jack Harrison-Quintana, Director of Grindr For Equality.
"Over the last three years, TakeMeHome has given away 125,000 HIV test kits, and more of those have gone to gay, bi, and trans people using Grindr than any other dating app platform," the blog post added. "Plus, one-third of those kits went to first-time testers, showing the power and innovation that comes from bringing these partners together."
The blog post went on to note that the program is "powered by an easy-to-use website funded by the CDC and operated by BHOC and Emory University. It allows anyone in the US, including Puerto Rico, to order up to two free at-home test kits every ninety days."
The blog post also discussed how Grindr has set its sights on expanding the program beyond the U.S. and Puerto Rico, with a goal of providing a million test kits over the next half-decade.
"We're incredibly proud of this partnership, so please check out 'Together TakeMeHome,' know your status, tell your friends, and let's continue to fight the epidemic together."