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Gay Dating In The Internet Age

The internet has opened up a world of opportunity for the queer community to mingle and find their love match.

Cyber networking has broken down many of the barriers that gay and lesbian singles have faced in the past when trying to meet new people.

There is a virtual smorgasbord of gay dating sites helping single queer people in their mission to hook-up and develop romantic relationships online.

The reason internet personals are so useful for gays and lesbians, more so than their hetero brothers and sisters, is two-fold:

1. PRIVACY

A web profile allows the user a certain degree of anonymity. It is a safe-space where users can control to what extent they are "outed". Many gays and lesbians are not comfortable advertising their sexuality in to their family or in social situations like the workplace, or sporting teams. This can make the task of find meeting a potential partner in the real world a difficult task to navigate.

The number of avenues open for seeking a soul mate or sexual partner are substantially less for a discrete gay person than for their straight counterparts. When you are a member of a gay dating site you can remain closeted without feeling isolated. Using face pics, or disclosing real names, locations, or places of employment, is not a compulsory requirement.

The queer community has embraced the internet as a partner-seeking tool because it is a non-confrontational medium where privacy is easy to maintain.

2. PROXIMITY

A personals website also allows users to meet potential partners outside of their home locality, maximizing the pool of like-minded people that they can chat to.

Gay people in remote or regional locations can interact with users in their capital cities, across the state, nationally, and even internationally. The internet literally opens the door on a whole new gay world that they may not be finding at their local pub.

Gay people can explore their sexuality by chatting with other gay people. The internet removes distance as a limiting factor and brings people together who have sexuality in common.

Many gay people enjoy the internet because it allows them to view their sexuality on a global scale. It is confidence boosting to know you are not so odd when it comes to the big picture.

The internet brings companionship and the comfort of knowing you are not "the only gay in the village".

WHICH SITES ARE BEST?

Gay men tend to use Gaydar, Gay.com, Gay Friend Finder, or Gay Matchmaker, to find romance or new friends. There are more specific cruising and casual sex sites like Dudes Nude, Squirt, or Manhunt. The sites usually offer free memberships and allow users the send each other messages or exchange private pics.

Lesbians in Australia can find a friend on Pink Sofa, Planet Sappho, Fem Finder, or Gaydar Girls. The woman of your dreams can be found with a few clicks of the mouse.

Transgendered, cross-dressers, asexuals, and bi-curious swingers all have a niche on the internet. The possibilities are endless. There is a website out there for every minority group. All you need to do is Google a site that suits you, and register a profile.

The internet has streamlined the process of meeting new people. You can literally search for exactly the partner you are looking for, and openly state the type of relationship you would like to start. Sexuality-based dating sites have revolutionised the way queer people socialize and have improved the quality of life of the shy and separate.

Learn more about this author, Morgan Bell.
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