COVID-19 Intimacies: Resilience and Viral Safety among LGBT and Heterosexual People Using Dating Apps in the COVID-19 Era, 2023

This data collection explores how lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (LGBT) and heterosexual individuals used dating apps to navigate intimacy and social connection during and after COVID-19 lockdowns. It investigates how digital platforms facilitated or hindered emotional and physical closeness, and how these interactions shaped personal resilience and perceptions of viral risk. Drawing on a national survey (n=824) and qualitative interviews (n=53), the study examines differing cultures of intimacy across sexual and gender identities, and their implications for online dating practices and support needs. Findings aim to inform how internet-based services can better support diverse emotional and social needs during times of crisis. The deposited collection contains anonymised survey responses of of 824 heterosexual and LGBTQ+ (self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, Trans and Queer) people and anonymised transcripts of 53 semi-structured online interviews which addressed the flux and flow of dating app use, the meanings and practices attached to virtual intimacies and connections, and of COVID-19 and the negotiation of viral risk.