Key Takeaways

Grindr is redefining the boundaries of the modern dating app, and it’s doing so with the help of those infamous little blue pills.  

Woodwork is Grindr’s new telehealth service that provides erectile dysfunction medication to the app’s LGBTQ+ demographic. And according to Grindr CEO George Arison, the idea for Woodwork arose from a very real, very serious statistic. 

Arison told Fast Company that an internal poll revealed that more than a third of Grindr’s users take erectile dysfunction drugs. “That gave us a very clear opportunity,” he told the magazine. 

Arison saw an opening to provide a much-needed service to an oft-overlooked community. “Users want [erectile dysfunction medication], but they’re buying these products from companies that in no way speak to who they are,” he said. 

With Woodwork, Grindr will more closely resemble the inclusive, interconnected “global gayborhood” that Arison hopes to create. But Woodwork still has some hurdles to overcome if it’s going to pave the way for that long-awaited global gayborhood. 

Grindr’s Response To Gen Z’s Passion for Sexual Health 

Grindr suggests that Woodwork is the first of its kind: A telehealth service that not only caters to Grindr’s demo, but brings a well-rounded understanding of the nuances of sex and dating in the LGBTQ+ community. 

“Grindr’s introduction of ED medication services, via Telehealth, represents a pivotal step toward the normalization of sexual health conversations in LGBTQ+ communities,” Dr. Traci Lowenthal, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist and owner of Creative Insights Counseling, told DatingNews. 

Woodwork will connect users to clinicians who can prescribe them the ED drug that’s right for them, such as Cialis or Viagra. These clinicians, who are employed by OpenLoop, will have received specialized training that helps them best tend to the LGBTQ+ community. 

“There’s a set of warnings [with Woodwork prescriptions] that are actually very specific to our users,” Arison said. “I don’t think most services like this would say, ‘Do not take this medication with poppers.’ We do.”

Woodwork taps into one of Gen Z’s biggest priorities: health and safety. 

“Our Gen Z research reveals that for them, physical health encompasses more than a healthy diet and an active routine. Sleep and downtime, awareness of body image, sexual behavior and orientation, gender identity, diet and nutrition – all are part of one picture of health for Gen Z,” wrote EY Americas Cultural Insights & Customer Strategy Leader Marcie Merriman.

Gen Z singles want to date with health at the forefront, which is Grindr’s intention behind Woodwork. “If you don’t build a product that Gen Zers want, they’re not going to use it,” Arison said. “That’s where I think some of our peers have fallen flat.”

If Gen Z is passionate about health and safety, particularly when it comes to sexual health, then it’s probably safe to assume that Woodwork, despite its clever name, will not only provide ED medication in the future. 

Lowenthal told DatingNews that Woodwork has the potential to provide for many aspects of LGBTQ+ healthcare. “I would like to see the inclusion of PrEP and other educational resources supporting safer, more informed sexual practices,” she told us. 

Grindr Once Again Experiments With Technologically Complex Features

Grindr hopes that expanding into telehealth will revitalize user trust while enhancing AI automation.

While Grindr puts its own AI projects to the test (its AI Wingman has been in beta testing for months), it has also explored less obvious ways to grow. In other words, Grindr is no longer just in the hookup game; it wants to facilitate lasting romantic connections, too. 

According to Fast Company, Grindr is developing new features for people who want to pursue long-term relationships, not just hookups. 

“For our users’ sake, we need to offer them better dating experiences and better dating features to satisfy their needs,” Arison told Fast Company. 

Of course, Grindr isn’t going to abandon the hookup culture that made it so popular in the first place.

Right Now, another feature currently in test-mode at Grindr, will allow users to signal their availability in their very own “gayborhood”, as Grindr often puts it. This upcoming feature, which is being tested by users in more than 15 major cities, is mainly for hookups, ensuring that Grindr’s hookup culture isn’t going anywhere. 

Can Grindr Ever Be More Than A Hookup App?

Grindr’s biggest hurdle may be its own fame. 

“In my opinion, the success of these new features ultimately depends on maintaining clear boundaries between sexual connection services and the provision of medical care,” Lowenthal said. 

Grindr has to be careful not to muddy the waters between the hookup culture it’s known for, and real healthcare. 

It’s important that Grindr “genuinely prioritizes user wellbeing, rather than simply creating new revenue streams for an already successful company,” Lowenthal told us. 

This is why Grindr has publicized the creation of Woodwork as a sign of the company’s adaptability and commitment to the health and safety of its user base. 

With Woodwork, Grindr is in cutting-edge territory. 

“By embedding these services directly within a platform already used for sexual and romantic connection, Grindr is on the forefront of potentially creating a more holistic approach to users’ overall wellbeing,” according to Lowenthal. 

Although Woodwork is currently available in just Illinois and Pennsylvania, Grindr is planning on expanding the telehealth service to other states throughout 2025. 

With Woodwork, Arison’s dream of creating an inclusive and accessible global gayborhood may be within reach.