Chappy, the gay dating app launched in 2017, wants to help guys find more than love or a quick bang; it has revealed it will launch a Friend Mode to make it easier for gay men to find platonic friendships.

 

The new mode will allow users to connect with other men looking for friendship including those in a new city, looking for a gym buddy, a mentor, or support to help them come out. As with the original app mode, users swipe right to initiate a chat with someone they like.

 

“As our lives evolve, so does our need for authentic friendships," explained Sam Dumas, head of Chappy. "Too often, the destinations where gay men are directed to online-only feed into harmful stereotypes.

 

“We want all gay and bi men to be able to enjoy Chappy -- to meet friends, to mentor or be mentored, to be listened to, to get help with coming out, to meet people in different cities. But most importantly, to be empowered to be themselves.”

 

This isn't the first app to promote gay friendships. QueerBFF was released in 2017.

 

”While we in the LGBTQ Community celebrate the progress on legal and social acceptance, the rates of depression, loneliness and substance abuse remain stagnant,” founder Ruben Jauregui, Jr. told The Huffington Post. “It is still dangerously alienating to go through life as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. I want [QueerBFF] to be a community that will help us bond and grow with each other and our straight allies.”

 

More common hook-up apps like Grindr have a "friendship" search option, as well, so the application you're currently using might work just fine for finding friends. Of course, just watch out for that guy who thinks "platonic buddy" simply means grabbing a quick drink before fucking.