Language, neoliberalism, and human rights: Erotics of signs on a dating app

Abstract

This paper aims to address the naturalization of a neoliberal individualism online, the performance of profound inequality as a sexualized stylistic resource, and the equalization of capital and sexual relations. This is done by highlighting the kinship between the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Neoliberalism. We then argue that Grindr is designed to keep us coming back to it, subjecting us to misconduct by the app developers. We then proceed to report on the data generated by the erotics of signs (BONFANTE, 2016), methodology that highlights sexual-capital performances which bring two related phenomena to our attention: the spread of neoliberal practices on Grindr and the dissemination of the perspective of sex as a commercial good. Finally, we consider the ethical and epistemological gains of our paper.