Grindr's communications director quits over CEO's anti same-sex marriage comments

“As an out and proud gay man madly in love with a man I don’t deserve, I refused to compromise my own values or professional integrity..."

The app Grindr displayed on a smartphone.

The app Grindr displayed on a smartphone. Source: Getty

Grindr's communications director has quit the company as a result of the ongoing fallout over the app's CEO, Scott Chen, who recently revealed that he .

Landon Rafe Zumwalt shared the news of his resignation via a note on publishing platform late last week.

“As an out and proud gay man madly in love with a man I don’t deserve, I refused to compromise my own values or professional integrity to defend a statement that goes against everything I am and everything I believe,” Zumwalt wrote.

He added: “While that resulted in my time at Grindr being cut short, I have absolutely no regrets. And neither should you.”
The drama all began last month, when Chen commented on Facebook that he believed marriage was between a man and a woman.

“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," he wrote.

“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 who are simply different from you, who desperately want to get married. They have their own reasons. Getting married is a personal issue.”

Chen has since as simply reflecting his experience as a straight man.

"The reason I said marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman is based on my own personal experience," he said.

"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."

Share
Published 11 December 2018 4:35pm
By Samuel Leighton-Dore


Share this with family and friends


SBS News in your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS On Demand
SBS News
SBS Audio

Listen to our podcasts
Join host Yumi Stynes for Seen, a new SBS podcast about cultural creatives who have risen to excellence despite a role-model vacuum.
The day's top stories from SBS News.
Ease into the English language and Australian culture. We make learning English convenient, fun and practical.
Get the latest with our sbs podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch SBS On Demand
Over 11,000 hours

Over 11,000 hours

News, drama, documentaries, SBS Originals and more - free.