TORONTO—On October 9, gay cruising website Squirt.org announced a partnership with public health consortium Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC) to help its members get access to current and reliable health information.
The partnership has launched a content series that includes guides on a range of topics including: STI testing best practices, STI prevention and treatment, group sex, stigma, and general tips for leading a healthy sexual lifestyle. The health resources are available now at Squirt.org Member Resources and will be distributed to all Squirt.org members through a series of ongoing communications.
The partnership is one of the latest ways Squirt.org provides members with reliable health information, as well as a platform for the cruising community, including video chats, pictures and videos, erotic stories, and a global directory of cruising hotspots. Members are prompted to add safer sex preferences and their vaccination statuses to profiles in designated fields.
“I’m thrilled that we are partnering with BHOC to bring these vital health resources to our community. BHOC does incredible work in providing up-to-date, inclusive, and sex-positive information that is crucial for queer and trans people navigating intimacy, dating, and hookup culture,” said Andrew Nolan, Head of Dating at Squirt.org parent company Pink Triangle Press.
The creation of additional health resources was in response to member feedback and an effort to combat misinformation online. In a 2023 survey conducted by Community Marketing Insights (CMI), Squirt.org members indicated their top health concerns were related to mental health, HIV, and the prevention or treatment of STIs.
“We know that the queer community is often left behind when it comes to access to comprehensive health resources, and Squirt.org and our parent company Pink Triangle Press are committed to changing this. With the Squirt.org 25th anniversary just around the corner, this is just the beginning of a series of exciting partnerships that will offer a variety of benefits to our members, from health and well-being to new ways of enhancing their overall experience on Squirt.org," Nolan said.
In addition to the creation of health resources, Squirt.org and BHOC have partnered to deliver routine health messaging to Squirt.org members throughout the year, to promote access to at-home HIV testing kits and give updates on Mpox. Squirt.org members accessed more than 2,300 at-home HIV self-testing kits through the partnership in 2024.
“BHOC is happy to partner with Squirt.org on these new health resources. Talking about our bodies, our health, and what we want is a huge part of navigating hooking up, dating, and intimacy,” said BHOC Deputy Director Emmett Patterson. “We want Squirt.org’s members to have the most updated, sex-positive information about their options to take charge of their sexual health—including their mental health and substance use. These new health guides focus on the basics that most queer and trans people need to have fun while keeping their well-being in mind.”
For more information, visit the Squirt.org and BHOC websites.
