Abstract

The primary purpose of this study is to explore the usage lived experiences of adult (18+) queer men using geosocial dating applications (apps) in two Kazakhstani cites: Shymkent and Almaty. I conceive of dating apps as ‘partner markets’, and examine their usage in these two cities to deepen academic understanding of how online media is reshaping the everyday lives of a stigmatised minority. Drawing on 20 interviews – 10 per city – I demonstrate that queer men use several different dating apps, such as VKontakte, Hornet, Grindr, and Tinder, and when doing face both positive and negative experiences. My research discusses the risks and challenges of using queer dating apps in Kazakhstani cultural and socio-political realities; how in Kazakhstan’s authoritarian context and LGBTQIA+-intolerant society, dating apps can, at times, be unsafe and non-stigma-free spaces. My research also explores how users navigate their digital intimacy, namely, safety strategies in online dating environments amidst the marketisation of dating apps. My research also compares my results with references and comparisons obtained from Western democracies and the Eurasian region.