Those of us who came of age in the late ’90s and early ’00s got a blast from the past this week when Gay.com announced it was changing ownership and that its once thriving chatrooms would “disappear” effective immediately, along with all profiles, photos and chat histories.
That’s right, fellas. It’s all gone. Forever.
Related: End Of An Era: Gay.Com Chat Rooms Are No More As Of Today
Most of us here at Queerty haven’t visited that site or used its chatrooms since Bush was in office, but the closure has still sparked some bittersweet feelings in our virtual office. And we’re not the only ones feeling nostalgic. Many of you seem to feel the same way:
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“I met my husband in a Gay.com chat room in January 2005,” one person wrote in the comment thread of our original article announcing the news. “Haven’t used it since.”
“Haven’t used what?” someone replied. “The website or the husband?”
“I dated a guy that I met on there for seven years,” another person recalled. “I have more fond memories about the chat rooms.”
“Those were the days,” a third guy said. “AOL chat rooms were neck and neck with Gay.com’s. Back and forth, back and forth. I met a lot of frogs and a few Princes. It was all fresh new and oh-so-exciting.”
Related: Bathhouses And Beyond: A Brief History Of Gay Cruising
But it doesn’t stop there.
“Met my f*ck buddy on Gay.com 12 years ago,” someone else said. “Still see him today. One of the best relationships I have had!”
“The first chat room I ever visited,” another person said, fondly.
“Gay.com was the first place I found other people like me,” a third person wrote. “R.I.P.”
Of course, some people had slightly less positive things to say about it.
“Now my ex will have even more trouble finding some one!” one person wrote.
“I won’t miss it,” another one added. “They would offer free sign up, but once the user did, he would have to subscribe and pay a wad to use the chats!”
“Can’t say I ever had a good hook-up on the site,” a third person said. “Surprised this site is still around!”
Related: If Gay.com Goes Offline and Hundreds of Thousands of People Can’t Hook Up, Does It Make a Sound?
But we think this comment sums is up the very best:
“Most of the time it was pretty boring in the chats, but nonetheless, I will always have fond memories.”
So long, Gay.com chat rooms.
And thanks for the memories.
ThumperPA
Well done! You made a WHOLE NEW “news” story out of the first 12 comments on the other “news” story.
Bucking for a job in the Trump administration as press secretary?