I download the app with the vigour and hope that I usually reserve for the first day of a clearance sale. Not so well, but I’d let you be the judge of that with my six day gaycation on the app: I am neither a bro, nor am I straight - so I break both the cardinal rules when I decide to try it out - I am not one to shy away from finding true love, even if it’s with a potentially straight man.
It’s for men who don’t want to commit - to labels, or a relationship - in fact, men can even ‘fist bump’ each other to show their sign of approval, so that they can be comfortable in their skin when they ultimately do ask each other for a blowjob (they are just one football jersey short of not really questioning their sexuality after using it.) This is my one grouse with the app it puts heteronormativity on a pedestal. There’s always been a grey area between the boundaries of sex, relationships and friendship, and when an app asks you whether you are looking to find friendship, fun or ‘whatever’, Bro wins hands down in the grey department, all fifty shades of it. There are less faceless torsos, more happy faces of people doing happy things. But beneath the blue and white, straight man-friendly exterior, does it really offer anything that Grindr doesn’t? Sexuality is a continuum and not a binary, and Bro recognises that. It finally lets people be what they shouldn’t be embarrassed of being - sexually fluid. In fact, Bro advertises itself as the app that welcomes men who don’t feel welcome in the gay community. It’s online dating without typecasting itself as online dating. Straight, gay or bisexual - Bro is an all-accepting sausage fest, and makes no qualms about it. Launched in early 2016, (but like most other things, making its debut in India a year later) Bro promises that it ‘goes beyond using labels, and is for men that are interested in meeting other guys - it's as simple as that.’ It doesn’t say it’s a sex app (in those many words) - it’s for men seeking friendships, men who want to date, men who want casual hookups and all the permutations and combinations in between - without the baggage of old labels and questions by older relatives.
Say hello to Bro, the app that everyone is talking about. But what about straight men looking to woo (or wingman with) other men, you ask?
THE BRO CODE NEEDS YOU, COME AND HELP YOUR BROS OUT 11 Bro's don't smell each other on purpose TAKEN FROM THE OLD BROCODE.ORG 1 COMMENT +5 12 A Bro always maintains a minimum of one urinal gap between Bros TAKEN FROM THE OLD BROCODE.ORG ian 3 COMMENTS +8 13 A Bro is never vegan TAKEN FROM THE OLD BROCODE.ORG 1 COMMENT +3 14 Bros never talk about their Bro's wife in a sexual way TAKEN FROM THE OLD BROCODE.ORG +4 15 A Bro must always accept a request to act as wingman for another bro TAKEN FROM THE OLD BROCODE.ORG 1 COMMENT +5 16 A Bro will always tell their fellow Bro if they discover the girl they like is interested in someone else TAKEN FROM THE OLD BROCODE.ORG +4 17 A Bro NEVER dates another Bro's ex SUBMITED BY SuggOnDeez 4 COMMENTS +6 18 If a Bro gets dumped, it is up to his fellow Bros to take him paintballing and get him drunk to forget TAKEN FROM THE OLD BROCODE.ORG +5 19 A Bro only comments on another Bros appearance if it improves his odds of getting laid SUBMITED BY jo shmo 42069 David +2 20 When the girlfriend of a Bro comes and asks where said Bro is, YOU KNOW NOTHING.Gay or straight, the laws of online dating have always been balanced. The Bro Code ★ BEING ADDED TO THE BRO CODE - 2 days LEFT TO HAVE YOUR SAY Even in a fight to the death a Bro never punches another Bro in the groin THE OLD BROCODE.ORG +7 1 Bros before hoes - a 'ho' is defined as any woman that is not your wife or direct family ORIGIN UNKNOWN 7 COMMENTS +27 2 A Bro is always allowed to do something stupid as long as his Bros are doing it ORIGIN UNKNOWN 5 COMMENTS +3 3 If a Bro gets a dog it must be at least knee height when fully grown ORIGIN UNKNOWN 3 COMMENTS +3 4 Whether a Bro is in to sports or not they pick a team and support them until their dying breath ORIGIN UNKNOWN +4 5 A Bro shall not gaze at a naked Bro ORIGIN UNKNOWN 2 COMMENTS +5 6 A Bro never sends a birthday card to another Bro ORIGIN UNKNOWN +1 7 A Bro is honor-bound to aid his Bros with diy and moving house ORIGIN UNKNOWN 1 COMMENT +4 8 Bros do not share dessert ORIGIN UNKNOWN 1 COMMENT +4 9 If a Bro leads a beer/food run they are entitled to all left over change ORIGIN UNKNOWN 3 COMMENTS +3 10 A Bro doesn't allow another Bro to get married until they are at least thirty years old ORIGIN UNKNOWN 9 COMMENTS -13