When hookup dating apps first emerged onto the market and changed the landscape of social interaction in the gay community as fast as you could load more guys, the idea of posting a face pic was still a bit edgy, even in gay meccas.
But times have changed. Edward Snowden taught us that the government can (and does) go through all our junk, celebrities have been hacked, and once-taboo apps like Grindr and Scruff have become as ubiquitous on smartphones as Candy Crush.
With a diminished expectation of privacy and a normalization of the apps, many more guys feel comfortable putting their best face forward, retiring their headless torso. Many, but certainly not all.
One factor that might determine where most guys in the US post face pics is the ever-changing social acceptance LGBT people face in different cities. Or at least that’s what Scruff thought.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
They mined their data to take a closer look at the statistic — Scrufftistic, if you will — and here’s what they found:
The Pacific Northwest leads the way, with the highest concentration of profiles with face pics found in Oregon and Washington, respectively.
U.S. States with Highest Face Pic Percentage
1 Oregon 59.51%
2 Washington 58.59%
3 Colorado 58.06%
4 Vermont 56.34%
5 Minnesota 55.81%
U.S. States with Lowest Face Pic Percentage
48 Arkansas 47.25%
49 Alabama 46.40%
50 Hawaii 45.92%
51 Mississippi 45.13%
52 Puerto Rico 39.79%
Here’s how it breaks down by area, with red indicating a lower percentage of face pics, and green being higher:
U.S. Cities with Highest Face Pic Percentage
1 Portland, OR 61.41%
2 Arvada, CO 60.99%
3 Gresham, OR 60.91%
4 Everett, WA 60.70%
5 Seattle, WA 60.09%
U.S. Cities with Lowest Face Pic Percentage
284 Jackson, MS 42.29%
285 McAllen, TX 41.09%
286 Waco, TX 40.64%
287 Brownsville, TX 38.30%
288 Laredo, TX 34.52%
For more information including interactive maps, head here.
Clark35
I’ve never used a hook up app like grindr, etc. but I have been on the sites for them like bear411, etc. and I would have no issue showing my face; but I stopped going on hook up sites almost a decade ago, and have no desire to go on grindr, scruff, etc.
KiDAciDic
@Clark35:
Congrats… you’re an inspiration to all us lowly app users/hookup site haunters. I will never understand the motivation to state one’s disdain or disinterest in being part of a social tool, community or event. Theres always that one (or dozen) person that ABSOLUTEY must make it known that they dont like or will never try a gay club, a pride parade, cruising, or even a hookup app. While I understand not everything entices everyone, theres still the aspect that LGBT people face this same snooty, holier than thou attitude from fundies simply based on the fact that we are gay. Grindr, Scruff etc. are simply new technology for a generation that accomplish things older generations took part in as well. Sure, you can say that ingenuity and sincerity may suffer for convenience but I mean, who the hell knows how to hunt their prey, skin it and cook it anymore? Older generations thought electricity was a blasphemy that could not be trusted! The list goes on. So Kudos for not liking something but hypothetically being willing to show your face… if you did happen to like said thing. :/
jwtraveler
Puerto Rico is not a U.S. state.
Jerry Wierzbicki
Interesting statistics.
Paco
I always assumed the headless torsos were less about privacy and more about the face not being as pretty as the body. Or the age not matching what was listed in the profile.