So how often do you “woof” at someone on Scruff, without getting a response, before you get the idea to back off? Should someone take offense if your profile describes you as “clean”? Is “hey,” “hello,” “sup” an acceptable way to begin a conversation on a gay mobile phone app such as Grindr?
Curious (gay) minds want to know. And Mike Gerle hopes to provide some answers at tomorrow night’s “Tribe,” the monthly discussion group for gay men at West Hollywood Library.
“Social media and other connection technologies have proliferated far faster than the rules of social etiquette for using them,” says Gerle in a Facebook post explaining the event. “Everyone, including gay men, is using apps to hook up, drive political agendas, and coordinate social happenings. Let’s meet face to face to discuss how this is affecting us individually and as a culture and share ideas on what’s good manners and what’s just rude. ”
The topics that Gerle hopes the group will address include: Is the use of phone apps and other social media creating or killing gay culture? Which sites or apps are best and for what? Do you really know all of your Facebook friends, or do you just aggregate them to look popular?
The discussion starts at 7:30 p.m. and runs to 9 p.m. It takes place at the Community Meeting Room at the West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd. south of Santa Monica.
