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Grindr president defends marriage ‘is between a man and a woman’ comment

Scott Chen says reporting on his statement was ‘unbalanced and misleading’

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hookup culture, gay news, Washington Blade

(Photo via Bigstock)

Grindr president Scott Chen is under fire for a Facebook comment he posted last week saying “marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman.”

Chen, who became president in August after Chinese tech company Kunlun Group acquired the dating app, posted a story about HTC president and CEO Cher Wang’s support for anti-LGBT groups in the U.S. that were against same-sex marriage in Taiwan. Into, Grindr’s digital magazine, first reported on the posts which were translated from Chinese to English.

“There are people who believe that marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman. I agree but that’s none of our business. There are also people who believe that the purpose of marriage is to create children that carry their DNA. That’s also none of our business. There are people that are simply different from you, who desperately want to get married. They have their own reasons,” Chen wrote in the since-deleted post.

He added: “Why spend all that money to stop people who love each other from getting married? Aren’t there more important stuff in life? I’ll never buy HTC products ever again, and I’ll never donate a cent to any Christian groups in Taiwan.”

Into published the story on Thursday writing on social media that Chen “does not support same-sex marriage.”

Chen responded in the comments of the story calling it “unbalanced and misleading” and that he had never been approached for comment. He continued on that his comments were mistranslated and the story “hurts Into and Grindr’s reputation.”

Into updated their original story to include Chen’s statement that he believes his post was misconstrued.

“The reason I said marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman is based on my own personal experience. I am a straight man married to a woman I love and I have two beautiful daughters I love from the marriage. This is how I feel about my marriage. Different people have their different feelings about their marriages. You can’t deny my feelings about my marriage,” Chen says.“I am a huge advocate for LGBTQ+ rights since I was young. I support gay marriage and I am proud that I can work for Grindr.”

 

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PHOTOS: Westminster Pride

LGBTQ festival held in Maryland city

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Bambi Ne'cole Ferrah performs at the Westminster Pride Festival on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The eighth annual Westminster Pride Festival was held at Westminster City Park in Westminster, Md. on Saturday, July 11.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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PHOTOS: Emerald City Pride

Colorful march followed by festival in Greenbelt, Md.

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Band members of Greenbelt Honk Situation lead the Emerald City Pride Parade in Greenbelt, Md. on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The fifth annual Emerald City Pride was held in Greenbelt, Md. on Saturday, July 11.

(Washignton Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Gay librarian to discuss new novel at Green Lantern

Gareth Carter to speak at ‘Cocktails, Chaos & Controversy’ fundraiser

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Gareth Carter will discuss his new book, ‘The Misadventures of Don Kee Dong & Phillip Miho.’ (Book cover image courtesy of Amazon)

Librarian, novelist, and advocate for intellectual freedom Gareth Carter will talk about his debut novel, “The Misadventures of Don Kee Dong & Phillip Mihol,” on Sunday, July 12 at 4 p.m. at Green Lantern Bar.

The event, titled “Cocktails, Chaos & Controversy” is a fundraiser for the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center Library and will celebrate queer storytelling, libraries, and Carter’s new novel. 

The event will combine humor, conversation, and community. In addition to being on hand to sell and sign books, Carter will share his own journey from librarian to novelist, discuss the state of public libraries in an era of book banning, and his own challenges with one group, which served as the genesis for this novel, the first in his International Men of Mystery series.

For more details, visit Carter’s website

The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.

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