I’m a Gen Z man. Here’s why so many of my peers supported Donald Trump

Published in Fast Company on 11/7/24

“Over the past four years, I’ve watched the young men around me increasingly disavow themselves from politics. Some of them had policy-oriented reasons, like American support of the war in Gaza. Most, though, simply began feeling like legislators did nothing at all. Almost no one in my generation is talking about Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, or Trump’s string of long-tailed executive orders. For many, the last significant policy change (outside of some landmark Supreme Court decisions) is still the Affordable Care Act, which happened about 14 years ago. 

Meanwhile, the current era of heightened political theater is starting to feel customary. Remember that most young men grew up in the years following Trump’s ascendance. The last non-Trump Republican on a presidential ticket, Mitt Romney, ran when I was nine years old. For older generations, there’s still a certain shock factor to MAGA eccentrics, thinking back to the era of Republican puritanism. For young people, it’s all they know. 

That’s not to say all young Trump voters are merely disillusioned; many fervently support his policies and beliefs. But, even just four years ago, there was a stronger culture of shame and abandonment. Young Democrats set themselves as fixtures of morality, demonstrating to their peers how a Trump win over Biden would fundamentally hurt them. Now, many of the blue voters around me are more muted. During the 2020 election, when I was in high school, liberal students began canvassing before they were even old enough to vote. This year, many were reluctant to post ‘I Voted’ stickers on their Instagram Story. “

How these Grindr competitors are trying to beat the dating app at its own game

Published in Fast Company on 10/2/24

“Grindr might not have been the first location-based dating app—that distinction belongs to MeetMoi, a hookup app acquired by Match Group in 2016. But whether LGBT or not, looking for a long-term relationship or not, most singles are living in the house that Grindr built. 

Pew Research found that roughly 60% of gay and bisexual men have used Grindr—which predates dating-app stalwarts like Tinder and Hinge, and spawned LGBT-focused competitors like Scruff and Growlr. As the company has targeted growth via a 2022 public offering—its stock price has seen marked improvement since mid-2024—it has become the establishment business. It’s hard to compete with 14 million monthly active users. 

But Grindr is intentionally wide in its scope: Users can list their preference for chats, dates, friends, networking, relationships, or hookups. That’s left room for upstart apps like Sniffies, Archer, and Motto to bring something new to LGBTQ+ users by splitting off and innovating on some of Grindr’s features while jettisoning others.”

Your Marriage Counselor Is Now a TikToker

Published in The Daily Dot on 2/14/23

“‘Workplace TikTok’ is an ever-growing genre, with professionals sharing day-in-the-lives and career-specific tips. As the promise of high-paying brand deals and creator fund payouts grows, more and more are making TikTok their bonafide side hustle. The treasure trove expands for independent businesses, as TikTok rises to become a top search engine and one of the largest social media platforms for consumer spending. If you want to gain clients or customers, TikTok is your best bet.

But, as these everyday workers share the intimate secrets of their professional lives online, there is an inevitable question of privacy. This dilemma reaches its peak in the case of the therapist, a position requiring a high threshold of confidentiality. Nothing is more unnerving than the idea of your therapist sharing your personal information online.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we checked in with some couples therapists who run active TikTok accounts, asking for advice on how to manage private and public life—something creators of all genres and niches struggle with.”