Thirdly, studies on GDA often generalize affordances of different GDA and overlook the nuances within. Secondly, Chinese GDA differ from the western counterparts in their platformization through functionality imbrication (Wang, 2019). Firstly, in heteronormative China where homosexuals remain generally invisible and stigmatized, GDA play a more important role in mediating gay men’s sexual and romantic encounters.
The case of Chinese GDA contributes to this vein in multiple ways. Current literature regarding GDA has shed lights on self-presentation (Bonner-Thompson, 2017 Conner, 2019), everyday interactions (Licoppe et al., 2015 Wu & Ward, 2019), uses and gratifications (Miller, 2015) as well as how GDA impacted gay communities (Aunspach, 2019 Batiste, 2013 Renninger, 2019) and gay sexual encounters (Race, 2015a, 2015b). Gay dating apps (GDA) have drawn increasing attention from researchers (Wu & Ward, 2018).
