A former film and tech professional built Gather, a two-month-old app for queer people to meet and build community. He created it after struggling with loneliness and finding existing spaces like Grindr and gay bars focused on sex and drinking instead of real connection.
I have created an app called Gather, which is to help queer people meet up and build community. I spent a long time working in the film business and tech and sort of became a storyteller and built an online audience of queer people, just mostly sharing my life about being gay. And I experienced a lot of disconnection and loneliness throughout my life, and which actually led me to a lot of drug use, compulsive drug use. And I just envisioned that there's a better way. It must be easier for us to get our connection needs met. And I've used Grindr a bunch, but I always find it deeply dissatisfying. I feel like the norms on Grindr can be focused on objectification instead of connection. And I've gone to a lot of gay bars, and in gay bars, there's a drinking culture. And so I just, I wanted a space where I can connect with queer people without those 2 things, the sexual objectification and the drinking. Sorry, I'm choking. And so I launched Gather 2 months ago.
