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Let’s be honest—sometimes a casual hookup is just what you need. A serious relationship can be great, but it can also be exhausting and stressful. And if you’ve just gotten out of one, especially a long-term one, the last thing you probably want to do is try plunging yourself into another one.

People have long enjoyed the thrill of the one-night stand, and it’s now easier than ever to find one thanks to the internet. In recent years, dozens and dozens of sex and dating apps have popped up, but they are definitely not all created equal.

So, we’ve put together this list compiling 32 of very best sex apps available in 2022. There’s seriously something here for everyone interested in casual hookups, so keep reading to find the sex app that’s perfect for you. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to getting laid! And most importantly, in a safe way (scroll to the bottom for more information about how to stay as safe as possible when using these apps).

Best Sex Apps for No Strings Attached Sex in 2022

RankSiteBest For1.Adult FriendFinder Best sex app overall2.Tinder Best mainstream app3.SeekingBest for meeting wealthy men4.Ashley MadisonBest for affairs5.OKCupid Top choice for millennials6.BuddyBang Best pure hookup app7.BeNaughty Best for naughty singles8.ALT Best for alternative and BDSM9.Hinge Best for FWB and more serious possibilities10.ZooskBest for short-term dating11.BumbleSafest for women12.Plenty of Fish Best user community13.Pure AppBest for fantasies14.Feeld Most open-minded community15.Sex MessengerBest for anonymity16.Reddit R4RBest free option17.Flirty MatureBest for ages 40 and up18.FlirtBest free trial19.JSWIPEBest for Jewish singles20.OneNightFriendBest mobile site21.ThursdayBest new app22.ShipMost innovative app23.BlendrBest for young professionals24.HUDTop choice for sex positivity25.PureBest for women26.3FunFor threesomes27.WingmanBest for frequent fliers28.HerBest for LGBTQ+ women29.HappnBest for urban dwellers30.CasualxFor extremely casual hookups31.StringBest for the bold32.Established MenBest for finding a sugar daddy

1.  Adult FriendFinder – Best app overall

Some sites are more obvious than others about being sex apps. Adult FriendFinder is pretty clear about that. This means that it’s established a userbase full of people who are looking for casual hookups, which is a big plus if that’s what you’re hoping to find.

Adult FriendFinder also has a bit of a niche when it comes to swinging and open relationships. If you are already in a relationship and looking to open things up, or are hoping to be the third person in a threesome, then Adult FriendFinder is one of your best bets out there.

AFF is also one of the longest running sites, so it’s pretty trustworthy. Another nice aspect of AFF is that you can modify searches to find people looking for the same thing as you. This can help you save time and get down to business faster.

Pro tip: You don’t have to hold back on Adult FriendFinder, so be yourself! There are plenty of other people on there who will be looking for the same kind of thing as you, no matter how kinky.

Check out our full AFF review.

Pros:

Straightforward sex-oriented site
Makes finding like-minded people an easy process

Cons:

Relatively expensive compared to some sites/apps
The free membership is heavy on the ads

Pricing:

One-month membership: $39.95 totalThree-month membership: $26.95/monthOne-year membership: $19.95/month

2.  Tinder – Best mainstream app

When it comes to sex apps, Tinder is very likely the world’s most well-known and popular one. It’s definitely true that Tinder has garnered a hefty share of the market when it comes to the hookup and dating space. This is particularly true of younger people, like millennials and Gen Z, but you can find people of all ages on Tinder these days.

Tinder has long had a reputation for being a casual hookup or sex app. That’s still very much true, but there are also many people who are on there hoping to find true love or something serious. It helps to pay attention to people’s profiles—oftentimes they will specify if they are not looking for something casual.

Even though it’s gone more mainstream and there are now lots of people on there who aren’t so interested in casual sex, Tinder remains one of the best sex apps out there. This is largely due to the fact that it has such a big userbase, meaning that your chances of finding someone to hook up with are pretty solid.

Pro tip: Understand that not everyone on Tinder is looking for casual hookups. You should be upfront about your intentions in order to waste as little time as possible.

Pros:

Massive userbase
Many people looking for casual hookups

Cons:

Lots of fake profiles and spammers
Arguably oversaturated at this point

Pricing:

Free: limited number of swipesOne month: $19.99 total if you are under 30One month: $39.99 total if you are over 30Six months: $59.99 total if you are under 30Six months: $119.99 total if you are over 30

3.  Seeking – Best for sugar relationships

Some people may just be looking to hook up, but others may be looking for something more. And no, we don’t mean a romantic, long-term relationship. We’re talking about extra benefits, the kind that accompany sugar relationships.

If you’re looking for a sugar relationship, which is when a (usually) older person spoils a younger person in exchange for dates, company, and whatever else they agree to, then Seeking (fka Seeking Arrangement) is a great bet.

This is a specific niche, and it may not appeal to everyone. If it does, however, it’s hard to go wrong with Seeking since it’s one of the first and most popular sugar sites around. They’ve been attempting to go for a more mainstream angle lately, but they very much remain a sugar-focused site when it comes to its user base.

Pro tip: If you’re a woman, Seeking can be quite competitive. If you’re a man, however, you should have more than your choice of young women to spoil.

Pros:

Free signups for women
Favorable woman-to-man ratio for men
Relatively safe way for women to find a sugar daddy

Cons:

Fairly expensive to use as a man
Hookups may not feel natural, more transactional

Pricing:

One-month membership: $89.95/monthThree-month membership: $79.95/monthDiamond membership (more premium features): $249.95/month

4.  Ashley Madison – Best for affairs

Ashley Madison is another sex app that doesn’t have any haughty pretenses to morality. They know what they are and they own it, hence the company’s motto “Life is short. Have an affair.” Hell, they even advertise on porn sites, where they know they might find some people who are feeling unfulfilled in their relationships.

If you don’t mind Ashley Madison’s straightforward and rather amoral approach, then this is a great place to go for finding casual hookups. They’re all about discretion, meaning that you don’t have to worry about “ASHLEY MADISON” showing up on your credit card bill.

The main thing is that you recognize that there will be plenty of people on there who are looking to have an affair. If that doesn’t bother you, then you’ll be in good shape. Just be careful!

Pro tip: Ashley Madison works on a credit-based system. The more credits you buy the better cost-per-credit average you get (which is fairly common when it comes to these apps/sites).

Pros:

Women can use it for free
Discretion prioritized
Judgment-free space

Cons:

Site actively advocates cheating
Can get expensive for men

Pricing:

Basic Plan: 100 credits at $0.59/creditClassic Plan: 500 credits at $0.34/creditElite Plan: 1,000 credits at $0.29/credit

5.  OkCupid – Best for millennials

OkCupid has been around a long time, before Tinder and some of the newer sites that have gained in popularity (e.g. Hinge, Bumble, etc.). Due to this longevity, OKCupid is quite popular with some older millennials who may have used it back when they were teens or in their early twenties.

In any case, OkCupid is doing some things right, because young people continue to gravitate towards it. It may be not be as popular as Tinder, but OkCupid still has a huge user base of people. As with most of these sites, it’s best to be upfront about your intentions. Thankfully, OkCupid lets you easily do that.

Pro tip: Be sure to set your gender and orientation options, as well as what you’re looking for, to have the best success and avoid wasting time!

Pros:

Solid filtering options
Varied and large user base
Relatively affordable

Cons:

Many people are looking for love (i.e. Cupid’s arrow)
It can be fairly time-consuming compared to other apps

Pricing:

One-month membership: $19.95 totalSix-month membership: $9.95/month

6.  BuddyBang – Best pure hookup app

The concept behind BuddyBang is pretty simple. Like the name suggests, it helps you find a buddy to ba—… *ahem* sleep with. Like Adult Friend Finder and Ashley Madison, this is another site that doesn’t hide what it’s all about. So, if you’re looking for casual sex and to find a friend with benefits, then BuddyBang is a solid option for you.

BuddyBang is pretty much a pure hookup app, which may turn some people off. In fact, some people may be so thirsty that you feel like you can’t even have a little warm-up conversation first. If you run into this problem, then you may want to try something else.

Some benefits to BuddyBang are that it’s straightforward about what it’s about (i.e. casual sex), it’s relatively affordable, and there are a number of useful features (like filtering options that help you pare down possible matches).

Pro tip: If you use BuddyBang, be prepared for people who are looking to get down to business fast. If this isn’t your cup of tea, then you’re probably better off trying something else.

Pros:

Engaged user community
People are very direct
Nice filters to make things go faster
Not too expensive

Cons:

Obnoxious ads on the free tier
People may be too direct for your taste

Pricing:

One-year membership: $19.95/monthOne-month membership: $39.95 totalThree-month membership: $26.95/month

7.  BeNaughty – Best for naughty singles

We’re talking about sex apps here, so it might not be too surprising that many of them have names like BuddyBang or BeNaughty. You might find them obnoxious, or maybe you appreciate the straightforward aspect. Either way, the name definitely helps ensure that everyone’s on the same page.

So yeah, as you might guess, BeNaughty is all about casual hookups. The goal is to connect people so they can chat and get down to hooking up asap. One cool thing about BeNaughty is that they have numerous ways of finding people, not just the swipe method that has become so ubiquitous. There are various chat rooms you can join and even galleries to look through before starting a one-on-one chat.

Overall, BeNaughty is a strong choice as a sex app because people are there for the same reason. It also features some solid filtering options, meaning you can save some time and get to what you’re there for in the first place.

Pro tip: Be sure to try the various options offered on BeNaughty for meeting people, like the communal chat rooms and galleries.

Pros:

Innovative options for finding people
Community that won’t judge
Couples as well as singles
Trial option won’t break the bank

Cons:

User base can be a bit superficial and thirsty
Hard to use without the premium membership

Pricing:Three-day trial: $1.05/dayOne-month membership: $27.01 totalThree-month membership: $15.15/monthSix-month membership: $12.24/month

8.  ALT – Best for alternative and BDSM

At one point, the homepage of ALT featured a man bound and gagged with the words “Don’t get tied down, get tied up.” This should tell you just about everything you need to know about this hookup site!

Yes, ALT is all about casual sex and specifically for the kinky ones out there. If you’re hoping to go nice and slow and find some vanilla sex, then this is probably not the place for you. People on ALT generally know what they want, and they want it now.

If you’re a kinky type, then you’ll probably be in heaven on ALT. You can find someone out there for just about anything you might be into. Plus, there’s a user base of over two million people, meaning that you have a good chance of linking up with someone like-minded.

Pro tip: ALT has a super specific niche, so if you’re not down for fast and kinky hookups, then you should probably stay away.

Pros:

Sort by your kinks
Browse NSFW content
Webcam shows

Cons:

Watch out for bots and scammers
Premium account required to really get the most out of the site

Pricing:Silver Membership: $19.95/month (with longer plans available)Gold Membership: $29.95/month (with longer plans available)

9.  Hinge – Best for FWB & more serious possibilities

In recent years, Hinge has become super mainstream. At least on the surface, they are all about matching people up for long-term relationships, hence their motto “The dating app designed to be deleted.” (We’re not sure how that makes for a good business model, though.)

In any case, Hinge is popular with all kinds of people looking for all kinds of things. So, if you want to use it as a sex app only, don’t hesitate to give it a try. Yes, you may come across people who specify that they want something serious, but you’re also sure to find people who just want something casual.

Luckily, Hinge makes this a smooth process, thanks to a filtering feature that allows you to specify what kind of thing you’re looking for. This saves everyone time and energy.

Like Tinder, Hinge has a massive user base, which makes it a solid option, especially if you live in a sparsely populated area.

Pro tip: Be straightforward on Hinge, since many people on there will be looking for something more than just a casual hookup. If you state that you’re looking for friends with benefits upfront, you’re less likely to waste time and hurt people’s feelings.

Pros:

Trendy app with younger generations
Top-notch matchmaking algorithm
Can find people looking for friends with benefits
Massive user base

Cons:

Many people here want something serious
A bit pricey

Pricing:One month: $12.99 totalThree-month membership: $20.99 totalSix-month membership: $29.99 total

10.  Zoosk – Best for short-term dating

Despite its silly, Dr. Seussian name, Zoosk is a good option for short-term dating. It’s actually in 80+ countries now, meaning that it may come in handy if you’re a frequent traveler.

Another big benefit to Zoosk is that it has a very diverse user base. Many people may want something more serious, though, so if you’re looking for casual hookups only, be sure to be clear about that.

Pros:

Engaged user community
Worldwide user base

Cons:

May not find as many casual hookup opportunities as other apps
Additional features can add up

Pricing:One-month membership: $29.95 totalThree-month membership: $19.98/monthSix-month membership: $12.49/month

11.  Bumble – Safest for women

Not sure why, but Bumble has gone with a “bee” vibe with its name and branding. In any case, this app has succeeded in getting a lot of buzz by helping people find their next honey. (Yes, we know, that was god awful.)

Part of its popularity and trendiness is that women are the ones to make the first “move” on Bumble. So, if you’re a man on this site, you won’t be able to reach out to women first. This is quite frankly a nice change of pace for everyone, especially if you’re a confident woman or a somewhat shy dude.

Women have flocked to Bumble since it puts them in the driver seat and means they are much less likely to get harassed and deal with asshats. For men, this is a great place to find a confident, self-assured woman. That said, many of them may want something serious, so you’ll have to be sure to be clear about what you’re looking for upfront (as always with all of these sites basically).

Pro tip: If you’re a guy, work hard on your profile, as that will be the one thing that women assess before deciding to message you or not. And if you’re a woman, don’t be shy! It’s up to you to make the first contact.

Pros:

Nifty premise (women make first contact)
Solid ratio of women to men
Basic but well-crafted UI

Cons:

May have trouble finding people down for casual only hookups
Premium membership will cost you a pretty penny

Pricing:Premium Membership: $8.99/week

12.  Plenty of Fish – Best user community

You have to go back nearly twenty years to the beginnings of Plenty of Fish (POF), all the way back to 2003, which honestly feels like forever ago at this point. The good thing about this is that POF is not one of these dating sites that has just popped up, and its longevity suggests that it’s been good at connecting people.

One of the best things about POF is its large user base and the matchmaking algorithm it uses to pair people up. While this is standard with dating sites in general, POF seems to have one of the more robust algorithms out there.

Since it’s not a casual hookup-focused site, you’ll have to be upfront about what you’re looking for to ensure you don’t waste anyone’s time.

Pro tip: Be thorough when answering the questions and when providing other info to POF. Doing so will help ensure that you get the best possible matches.

Pros:

Top-notch filtering options
Huge user community
Cheaper than other apps listed here

Cons:

Many people may want something serious
Watch out for fake bot accounts and scammers

Pricing:One-month membership: $19.99 totalThree-month membership: $9.80/monthOne-year membership: $5.95/month

13.  Pure App – Best for fantasies

Pure advertises itself as all about “shameless dating,” and is pretty straightforward about its approach as a hookup site. Hell, the logo they’ve even used at times (see above) resembles a vagina…

In any case, Pure is great for people who don’t quite feel at home with the more mainstream apps and sites. You can really be yourself here, and doing so will ensure that you find other people you’re compatible with.

Pure is one of the best apps out there for no-strings attached hookups, and it has some solid features that help keep things feeling safe and secure, like disappearing profiles and safe video chatting.

Pro tip: If you aren’t in a major urban area, you may have trouble finding people near you on Pure since it hasn’t yet taken off quite like some of the other apps reviewed here.

Pros:

Focus on privacy and discretion
A breeze to join and get going
Good for fantasy seekers

Cons:

Relatively small user base
Better if you’re in an urban area

Pricing:One week: $14.99 totalOne month: $29.99 total

14.  Feeld – Most open-minded community

Feeld isn’t one of the best-known hookup apps out there, but it makes up for its relative youth by being a great platform for open-minded people looking to find other open-minded people.

With Feeld, it’s all about creating a non-judgmental space where people can feel comfortable looking for no-strings attached hookups. Its focus in particular is in enabling couples to find a third person to join in on the fun.

Feeld’s sex-positive ethos and inclusivity make it one of the best new hookup sites around, and we’re honestly hoping that it takes off soon.

Pro tip: A Facebook account is (unfortunately) needed to verify your identity in the sign-up process. Also, Android users can’t use the premium version, which is a major downside.

Pros:

Very sex-positive platform
Open-minded community
Top app if looking for threesomes

Cons:

Android users locked out of premium version
To verify your profile you need a Facebook account

PricingOne-month membership: $14.99 totalThree-month membership: $29.98 total

15.  Sex Messenger – Best for anonymity

Messenger (fka Facebook Messenger) and Whatsapp are used and loved by more than a billion people on the planet now. Sex Messenger is hoping to play into this appreciation for messaging apps by creating a hookup app that focuses on discreet sexting and messaging.

Sex Messenger is so discreet, in fact, that your name is not even shared with the other person. This helps keep things anonymous, which is especially appreciated for people who prioritize discretion and may be already engaged in a relationship (or relationships).

Sex Messenger is great for discreet sexting, which ramps up the tension, and then meeting up to really get down to it.

Pro tip: This app is all about anonymity and discretion, so don’t go around sharing details about your personal life or asking other people for information about theirs. The whole idea is to keep things light and discreet.

Pros:

Makes sexting relatively safe and secure
Ideal for casual hookups

Cons:

For full access you need a premium account
The anonymity part may not be everyone’s cup of tea

PricingOne-month membership: $14.95 total

16.  Reddit R4R – Best free option

If you’re aiming to find a casual hookup buddy, you might as well try Reddit’s personals forum (i.e. “subreddit.”) Why? It doesn’t cost anything, so you really have nothing to lose (besides the few minutes it takes you to make the post or browse other people’s and send a DM or two).

You won’t often find pictures on r/R4R, which makes it somewhat less superficial and more anonymous than mainstream apps like Tinder or Hinge. It’s more about shared interests and conversation. If the DM’ing goes well, then you may be well on your way to a casual hookup (and without paying a cent).

Pros:

Totally free
No subscriptions or memberships necessary

Cons:

Can be competitive
No way to get priority (no paid features)

Pricing:Free

17.  FlirtyMature – Best for ages 40+

Not everyone is a millennial or Gen Z’er and wants to jump on Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge. For people a bit older, FlirtyMature is a solid option. This hookup site is all about older people, so it’ll be of interest to you either if you are older yourself or want to find someone older than you.

FlirtyMature has a pretty simple and intuitive IU, and its user community is fairly active. There’s a high response rate here, which you definitely don’t always get on other sites (like the ones mentioned ab0ve).

Pro tip: FlirtyMature, like the name suggests, is targeting older users, so it doesn’t make sense to join unless you’re in the 40+ age range or you’re just looking for someone in that age range.

Pros:

Pretty affordable
One of the few options for Gen X and older
Straightforward to use

Cons:

Somewhat annoying registration process

Pricing:1-week: $7 per weekOne month: $28.80 per monthThree months: $48.60 ($16.20 per month)

18.  Flirt – Best free trial

Are you a flirt? Well, here’s an app with your name—so to speak— on it!

On Flirt, you know that you can find other people who are ready to get flirty and find other people who are ready for casual hookups. There’s a solidly active user base on here, despite the fact that Flirt doesn’t yet have the name-brand recognition that a Tinder or Hinge has.

Pro tip: Take advantage of Flirt’s free trial before committing to a paid membership. It’s one of the better free trials around when it comes to hookup sites/apps.

Pros:

Cool SMS feature to take things off-site
Engaged user community
Registration is a breeze
Truly free trial option

Cons:

You can’t do much without a premium membership

Pricing:Free: limited featuresOne month: $22

19.  Jswipe – Best for Jewish singles

Known by some as the “Jewish Tinder,” Jswipe has a pretty obvious niche—catering to the Jewish community. So, if you’re single and Jewish, then JSwipe could be a good option for you to find someone. If nothing else, you have Judaism in common.

While some younger and less orthodox people of Jewish faith may be more open to casual hookups, you’ll have to recognize that many people on JSwipe will be looking for something serious and longer lasting. To prevent wasting your time or anyone else’s, you’ll want to be clear about your intentions upfront if they involve casual hookups.

Pros:

Top option for Jewish singles
Relatively affordable
Nice UI

Cons:

You need Facebook to sign up
Not targeting users after casual hookups

Pricing:Free: limited featuresOne month: $24.99 totalThree months: $44.99 total

20.  OneNightFriend – Best mobile site

Like BuddyBang, AdultFriendFinder, or BeNaughty, the name behind OneNightFriend attempts to make things pretty clear. So, if you’re looking for a “friend” for one night, then this is a solid option to consider.

That said, there are a fair number of issues with OneNightFriend. The main problem is that it doesn’t do a great job at preventing bot profiles. This means that you may have to be rather patient when using OneNightFriend.

One big positive for OneNightFriend is its easy and free sign-up process.

Pro tip: You might as well give OneNightFriend a try since it’s free, particularly if you’re on a budget. Just be careful for spam profiles.

Pros:

Can’t beat free sign-up
Streamlined for mobile

Cons:

The free plan is limited, and the one-month plan is pricey
Tons of fake profiles to wade through

Pricing:Free: limited featuresOne month: $39 totalThree months: $65.70 total

21.  Thursday – Best new app

Thursday is a cool app with a unique premise. It gets rid of the idea of 24/7 dating that’s available due to the internet. This gives you the chance to take care of the rest of your life the other 6 days of the week, including focusing on actual in-person dates.

For the moment, it’s restricted to certain large urban areas (like London and New York), but they have plans to open up to other cities soon. This is one app to keep your eye on for sure.

Pro tip: Thursday is full of young professionals and is trendy, so this may not be the ideal scene for everyone.

Pros:

Unique concept (available on Thursdays only)
Trendy, lots of young professionals

Cons:

Geographically limited at the moment
Concept may not appeal to everyone

Pricing:Free: limited featuresPremium (“BlackCard”): $14.99 per month

22.  Ship – Most innovative app

Ship is another cool and trendy app based around a new concept. Rather than endless swiping and waiting around for matches, Ship has your friends help you play matchmaker.

It works by setting up a group chat with your friends. You then pick people you think would be good for your friends, and they do the same. You can then discuss possibilities with your friends.

This is a fun concept and is great for people with lots of friends, but it may not appeal to everyone.

Pro tip: Ship is pretty new, so you may need to give it some time before it takes off. It’s got a promising concept, though, so we won’t be surprised if it does sooner rather than later.

Pros:

Emphasizes the social aspect of dating
Nice change of pace from most apps

Cons:

Small user base (because new)
Concept won’t be for everyone

Pricing:

100 credits = $0.99500 credits = $3.991,000 credits = $6.992,000 credits = $9.99

23.  Blendr – Best for young professionals

Blendr depends on Facebook and is primarily for iPhone users, so you’ll need those two things if you would like to use it. The focus with Blendr is on young professionals, so this is great if you fall into that kind of group. If not, you may want to look elsewhere.

The people on Blendr tend to be pretty open (and up for) no strings-attached sex, making it a nice option for people looking for casual hookups.

Pro tip: Ensure your Facebook is up to date (with information you want to be shared) so that when Blendr pulls your info from Facebook it gives you the kind of profile you want.

Pros:

Relatively simple process to get started
Free for iPhone users

Cons:

Mainly compatible with iPhone
Requires Facebook to get set up

Pricing:

Free: limited featuresPremium: price per feature varies

24.  HUD – Best for sex positivity

HUD has a motto that gives you a pretty solid idea of what they’re about: “Why be limited to one option at a time?”

In other words, HUD operates in the same vein as Ashley Madison or AdultFriendFinder, aiming to find users that are looking for discreet sex (and who may be in relationships already).

If you’re after purely casual hookups, then HUD is a solid option seeing as they have a large user base (roughly 9 million members).

Pros:

Large userbase
Designed for casual hookups
Video chat has safety features
Prioritizes discretion

Cons:

Anonymous sign-ups can detract from quality and safety

Pricing:

1 month: $24.993 months: $49.996 months: $69.9912 months: $199.99

25.  3Fun – Best for threesomes

3Fun is all about having fun—3-person style. Yes, we’re talking about threesomes. While this is fairly niche, it’s nice to have a site dedicated entirely to what you’re looking for (assuming that’s the case). This makes it way easier to be on the same page from the get-go.

3Fun has a pretty straightforward concept. You simply press “X” if you’re not interested in a profile, while tapping the heart button if you are. From there, you’re matched and can start chatting (just like Tinder and many other dating/hookup apps).

One cool feature is that you can sign up as a “couple,” which means your account can be used from two different phones at the same time, helping to facilitate finding a third person for your threesome.

Pros:

All about threesomes
Innovative features
Intuitive UI

Cons:

Very niche
Messaging feature could use improvement

Pricing:

1 month: $29.996 months: $79.9912 months: $99.99

26.  Wingman – Best for people who trust their friends

No, wingman isn’t about finding someone to hook up with on your flight. And it has nothing to do with Top Gun. Like the app Ship, it’s all about having your friends help you out with your dating by playing matchmakers.

In fact, it’s basically the exact same idea as Ship, although it doesn’t seem to be quite as popular yet. If you’re interested in this kind of app, you may want to go with Ship for now, though there’s nothing stopping you from trying both out and seeing which you prefer.

Pros:

Facebook log-in is convenient
Fun concept that involves your friends

Cons:

Not great if you don’t want to involve your friends
Relatively new = small-ish user base

Pricing:

Free

27.  Her – Best  for LGBTQ+ women

Billing itself as the “world’s most loved LGBTQIA2S+ dating and community app,” HER is the perfect app for lesbian, bi, and queer dating. You can kind of think of this as the more feminine version of Grindr.

While there aren’t a whole lot of apps to compare this to, that works in HER’s favor as it has attracted a large number of its target audience. Many people have found love or just a casual hookup through Her, and the site allows you to specify what you’re looking for, which is always ideal in our opinion.

Pros:

Great for the LGBTQ+ community
Sleek and intuitive UI

Cons:

Not for everyone
Not exclusively for hookups

Pricing:

Monthly: $14.99 per monthAnnual: $89.99 per year

28.  Happn – Best for urban dwellers

Happn revolves around a neat concept—it uses location tracking to find people that you might have crossed paths with (and how many times). For example, it might let you find someone who’s always at the same coffee shop as you. If you both like that coffee shop, why not get coffee there and see if there’s a spark?

That’s the whole concept behind Happn, and it’s a pretty cool one ngl. The only problem is this will definitely not appeal to people who are more discreet and have privacy concerns (like letting an app track them 24/7).

Nonetheless, many people might find it nice that technology can allow us to rectify what otherwise might have been a narrowly missed opportunity.

Pros:

Unique and innovative concept
Growing user base

Cons:

Requires location tracking
Poorly rated app on Google Play (better rated on Apple)

Pricing:

Monthly: $24.99 per monthAnnual: $79.99 per year

29.  Casualx – Best for casual hookups

The idea behind CasualX is that it’s another Tinder-style dating app but with a focus that should be obvious from its name—casual hookups.

If this is what you’re after, then you’ll be in good shape. If not, then you should probably look elsewhere (but we’d also be kinda confused why you’re reading a “sex apps” article tbh).

One downside to this is that it’s a relatively small userbase compared to many of the apps reviewed here.

Pros:

Perfect for casual hookups
Simple interface

Cons:

Small-ish user community at the moment
Limited to 45 swipes per day

Pricing:

1 month: $15.993 months: $36.996 months: $55.99Free: Promote it on social media (1 day per every 10 followers)

30.  String – Best for the bold

String is another app that’s all about one specific concept. In this case, it’s voice memos. This is a popular trend among younger generations—i.e. communicating by sharing voice memos rather than texting. So, as you might expect, the community on String skews rather young. This might be a positive or a negative depending on your perspective.

It’s undeniable that there’s a greater level of intimacy and connection in communicating by voice rather than text. Texting has always been rather sterile, after all.

Unfortunately, some people have complained about the glitchiness of this app, so it would appear that they have some kinks to work out (and not the fun kind!).

Pros:

Perfect for people who like voice memos

Cons:

Fair number of glitches
Niche concept won’t appeal to everyone

31.  Established Men – Best for finding a sugar daddy

We started with a sugar site (Seeking) and we’re ending with one as well. Established Men is all about pairing successful, i.e. “established,” men with young and beautiful women. This is the classic “sugar baby-sugar daddy” relationship.

If you fit into either one of these molds and are looking for a sugar relationship, then Established Men is a top option for you (along with Seeking). If not, then it doesn’t really make sense for you.

Pros:

Top option for sugar relationships
Free for women

Cons:

Lots of scammers and bots
Gets costly for men

Pricing:

Free: limited features1 month: $793 months: $14712 months: $300

FAQs About Sex Apps

Is it safe to use sex apps?

Generally speaking, yes, it is safe to use sex apps. Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and dating apps in general are used safely everyday by millions of people. That said, you should always use common sense and basic safety tips. It’s important, for example, to watch out for scammers and phishing attempts.

How do you stay safe using sex apps?

Always trust your gut instincts and be cautious. It’s also super important to meet someone for the first time in a public place where other people are around (like a coffee shop, for example). It also doesn’t hurt to inform someone close to you where you’re going to be and that you’re meeting someone for the first time. You should also be wary of giving away more than very basic personal information to anyone you don’t know well.

Are there any free sex apps?

Yes and no, at least if you’re a guy. You can try platforms such as Reddit r/R4R or Craigslist, but don’t hold your breath. As for the other sex apps reviewed above, some of them offer free trials. Unfortunately, some of these free trials or free memberships are super limited. For the most part, you’ll have more success if you shell out for a membership.

Can women use sex apps for free?

Yes, many women can use sex apps for free. Some of the major ones that offer free memberships include Bumble, Hinge, OkCupid, Happn, and Plenty of Fish.

Final Thoughts

You know what, sometimes relationships can flat out suck. And if you’re in a bad one or just got out of one, then the best thing for you may be some good old-fashioned casual hookups.

Nowadays, the power of the internet has made it easier than ever to find no-strings-attached sex. It can be as anonymous, open, kinky, or vanilla as you like. There are millions of people out there looking to hook up, and these sex apps we’ve reviewed will enable you to find them.

If you’re still unsure what’s right for you, you probably can’t go too wrong with some of the biggest names in the sex app world, like Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, etc. But if you’re after something more niche, then use our guide above to find the one that makes most sense for you.

Whatever you choose, stay safe, have fun, and good luck!

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Never miss a copy! Paid print subscriptions are available for 12 issues, 26 issues, and for 52 issues from the Reader Store.

Chicago Reader 2022 print issue dates

The Chicago Reader is published in print every other week. Issues are dated Thursday. Distribution usually happens Wednesday morning through Thursday night of the issue date. Upcoming print issue dates through December 2022 are:

12/8/2022
12/22/2022

See our information page for advertising opportunities and editorial calendars of upcoming issues.

2023 print issue dates

The first print issue in 2023 will be published three weeks after the 12/22/2022 issue, the final issue of 2022. The print issue dates through June 2023 are:

1/12/2023
1/26/2023
2/9/2023
2/23/2023
3/9/2023
3/23/2023
4/6/2023
4/20/2023
5/4/2023
5/18/2023
6/1/2023
6/15/2023
6/29/2023

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Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for nonprofit theater, is about to release its latest annual report on the fiscal health of the field, Theatre Facts 2021. (Yes, it’s almost 2023, but this stuff takes time to collect.)

The news is not great.

The report, which compares results over a five-year period, tracks the startling COVID-era jolts the theaters experienced. Average income from single ticket sales, for example, was 93 percent lower in fiscal 2021 than in 2017. And subscription income took an 83 percent dive.  

It was a crash. But, says TCG communications director Corinna Schulenburg, there was a financial upside: expenses were down during that period when theaters were shuttered, while government aid kicked in. The result was a frothy blip of budget surpluses.

“Because of federal funding, and because theaters were producing less, they actually had some liquidity,” Schulenburg says. In fact, “what we call their working capital, which essentially is cash flow,” hit a peak in 2021.

It was so good that, according to a “snapshot survey” TCG conducted earlier this year, only 10 percent of reporting nonprofit theaters had a deficit budget in 2021, and over 70 percent reported an operating surplus that year.

Now, Schulenburg says, the challenge is that the federal funding has gone away, and the cash cushion is disappearing. By 2022, according to the same survey, 30 percent of responding theaters were projecting deficit operating budgets, and there’s a huge increase in that cohort on the horizon: 62 percent are projecting budget deficits in 2023.  

Meanwhile, audiences have not been fully returning. (Arts Alliance Illinois says, anecdotally, that members are seeing a  30-to-50 percent drop in performing arts audiences.)  And Schulenberg notes that board member and individual giving has also declined.

“This was a big surprise for us,” Schulenburg says. “We’ve seen individual giving continue to rise, annually. Theaters have been able to count on that kind of community support.” But from 2020 to 2021, trustee giving declined 26 percent, while individual giving was down 7 percent. “The pandemic is still active, shows are being canceled, and audiences are not totally returning. From our perspective, we know how resilient our field is, but we’re deeply concerned.”

The bright spot in all this, Schulenburg says, is the success of advocacy for federal funding at the height of the pandemic. It was “really remarkable; the investment from the shuttered venues operators grant and especially the PPP, as well as the ERTC [Employee Retention Tax Credit].” Over 97 percent of surveyed theaters received some form of federal relief funding, a level of investment not seen since the Federal Theatre Project during the Great Depression.

Goodman Theatre executive director Roche Schulfer Courtesy Goodman Theatre

Schulenburg mentions a presentation on nonprofit theater economics (“Why Not-for-Profit Theatre?”) that Goodman Theatre executive director Roche Schulfer delivered at a TCG forum in 2017. It was “prescient,” she says.

I went to the source for an update.

“In 1966, two economists, William Baumol and William Bowen, wrote a book [Performing Arts: The Economic Dilemma] illustrating the basic economic challenge of the performing arts, which is that you can’t take advantage of gains in productivity or technology like other sectors of the economy. It takes the same number of musicians the same amount of time to play Beethoven’s symphonies, or actors to do Shakespeare’s plays, as it did when they were written,” Schulfer says. “So, as the cost of labor goes up, unless there’s a significant gain in fundraising, there’s a gap that’s filled by increased ticket prices.”

“Over the last 50 years or so, ticket prices have risen by far more than the cost of living. At the Goodman, for example, our top ticket is around $90 now. If it had followed the cost of living, it would be in the range of $33. We’ve been raising prices to make up for the gap in fundraising.”

“Our mission is to provide new and engaging work, and not to just respond to what the marketplace wants,” he told me. “But consumers will pay more for something they’re familiar with than for something unknown to them.”  

Schulfer says this disconnect, amid a shift in institutional funding, means tough times ahead:

“I think there are going to be major performing arts organizations around the country that are going to face real crises in the next 48 months. Groups like Arts Alliance Illinois and TCG are trying to build on what happened during the pandemic, which was an awareness of the importance of the arts to the overall economy. There’s an effort to build on that through the National Endowment for the Arts or other federal programs. We’ll see if that happens.” 

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Sonny had spent years making music for an audience of himself when he began to understand that other people liked it too. The Chicago rapper can pinpoint a few key moments: At a party he went to in 2019, the crowd was dead, and his manager at the time commandeered the sound system to throw on some songs. When he played Sonny’s unreleased track “.Shollam,” the temperature changed in a hurry. Sonny’s funky flow shimmies over a sly, chintzy piano loop and minimalist percussion reminiscent of blog-era Cool Kids. “The whole room got up and started turning up when the song came on,” Sonny says. He remembers getting a similar response in September 2021, when he opened for Chicago pop chameleon Dreamer Isioma at Lincoln Hall. 

But nothing compared to the surprise Sonny got in April 2021. “I’m getting, like, hella notifications on my phone, talking about, ‘Your song’s blowing up on TikTok,’” he says. “But I can’t find it.” 

The song was “Kill Bill,” and Sonny couldn’t find it because it had gone viral in an unauthorized remix. It had first appeared on his project Golden Child, released in 2020 under the name HateSonny. Foreboding church bells set a chilly mood, given a serrated edge by Sonny’s growled vocals and clipped, efficient lines. 

Once friends started forwarding Sonny videos from TikTok, he noticed that they all used a version of “Kill Bill” that sounded off to him. It was a sped-up edit that smeared his vocals and distorted the bass—this “Kill Bill” sounded as jittery and disorienting as lotto balls in a raffle drum, as though it were shaking itself apart.

The huge number of people hearing Sonny’s music this way presented an unusual problem. “We hadn’t released a fast version,” says Erich Siebert, Sonny’s manager. “So there was no metadata in the sound that pointed it back to us. Nobody knew it was his song.” Classick Studios founder Chris Classick helped connect Siebert to a TikTok employee who updated the audio file on the platform. Siebert also reached out to the creator of the viral edit to get the stems, so that Sonny could release “Kill Bill (Fast)” as an official track.

“I never really expected to make any money off music,” he says. “So the fact that I was able to make that a reality for myself, it’s really fulfilling for me.”

Sonny, 22, grew up in Greater Grand Crossing. In his teenage years, in the late 2010s, he spent a lot of time hanging out in and around the Loop, where he met some of his closest friends. Rapper NombreKari says he met Sonny at a pizza place near Jones College Prep. Kari basically introduced himself by asking to borrow Sonny’s phone, as Sonny remembers it—though he didn’t know at the time what Kari wanted it for. 

“He go on my phone and like and repost this song that him and some of the other guys had,” Sonny says. “He gave me my phone back, and later on I peeped and I was like, ‘Who is this little motherfucker that liked and reposted and pasted on my Soundcloud and my Twitter?’ But then I listened to it and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is hard.’” Kari and Sonny both spent time making music after school at Harold Washington Library’s YouMedia youth arts lab, where their friendship blossomed.

FortuneHouse has coproduced a youth fashion show at the MCA, hosted visual art exhibits and musical performances, and organized free community activities at Cornell Field in Kenwood. “FortuneHouse is like an engine to a lot of the values that myself and my peers hold,” Searcy says, “when it comes to what a collective future looks like for not only us as peers, family, and friends but as people who have grown up in the city that want to give back to the city.”

Searcy’s aspirations for FortuneHouse are rooted in the friendships he’s forged with Kari, Sonny, and the rest of their collective. 

“I wanted you to be able to find me and my music, and I thought it was a bunch of Sonnys [out there], so I just threw the ‘hate’ in front of it,” he says. “I was very young, and I was going through a really depressed era. And it was really some self shit I was dealing with.”

In 2019, he and Kari spent a lot of time at MyFriendNate’s north-side home studio. They had both graduated high school by that point, and Kari noticed that the more Sonny could focus on music, the more he flourished creatively. “In high school, we didn’t have that much freedom to go to Nate’s house and make music for days on end,” Kari says. “Once we did have that freedom, that allowed him to cultivate a more distinct sound—it allowed him to find his voice.”

Searcy began envisioning plans for a physical FortuneHouse space where he could hold events and nurture community; he’d been helping host art shows at Airbnbs, but he wanted something stable. Searcy, his mother, and longtime collaborator Ryel Williams opened FortuneHouse Art Center in June 2022 at 4410 S. Cottage Grove. Sonny provided input and support the whole way through. “His words have definitely inspired FortuneHouse’s mission and direction,” Searcy says.

Those months at the Bronzeville Airbnb in summer 2020 proved pivotal for Sonny too. “We was in there brainstorming and plotting on all the stuff that’s came to fruition since then,” he says. It’s also when he first heard the remix that he didn’t know would change his career. “I looked myself up on Soundcloud, and I saw a remix of ‘Kill Bill’—it was a fast version,” he says. “It had, like, 10,000 plays of the song. I was like, ‘This is cool.’ I didn’t really think much of it.”

Sonny’s manager also picked up on a shift in the rapper’s approach around the release of Golden Child in 2020. “He started making his transition—thinking more long-term and being more methodical,” Siebert says. “That was when he started to really find himself. He was more in touch with his identity and had a better understanding of where he wanted to go with his music.”

Sonny is focused on putting in the work—recording more music, making traditional music videos—and he isn’t counting on lightning striking twice. He’s got an EP in the works called All Gas No Brakes, according to Siebert, and if all goes well we’ll see it in the first quarter of 2023.

Read More

Never miss a copy! Paid print subscriptions are available for 12 issues, 26 issues, and for 52 issues from the Reader Store.

Chicago Reader 2022 print issue dates

The Chicago Reader is published in print every other week. Issues are dated Thursday. Distribution usually happens Wednesday morning through Thursday night of the issue date. Upcoming print issue dates through December 2022 are:

12/8/2022
12/22/2022

See our information page for advertising opportunities and editorial calendars of upcoming issues.

2023 print issue dates

The first print issue in 2023 will be published three weeks after the 12/22/2022 issue, the final issue of 2022. The print issue dates through June 2023 are:

1/12/2023
1/26/2023
2/9/2023
2/23/2023
3/9/2023
3/23/2023
4/6/2023
4/20/2023
5/4/2023
5/18/2023
6/1/2023
6/15/2023
6/29/2023

Read More

Sonny had spent years making music for an audience of himself when he began to understand that other people liked it too. The Chicago rapper can pinpoint a few key moments: At a party he went to in 2019, the crowd was dead, and his manager at the time commandeered the sound system to throw on some songs. When he played Sonny’s unreleased track “.Shollam,” the temperature changed in a hurry. Sonny’s funky flow shimmies over a sly, chintzy piano loop and minimalist percussion reminiscent of blog-era Cool Kids. “The whole room got up and started turning up when the song came on,” Sonny says. He remembers getting a similar response in September 2021, when he opened for Chicago pop chameleon Dreamer Isioma at Lincoln Hall. 

But nothing compared to the surprise Sonny got in April 2021. “I’m getting, like, hella notifications on my phone, talking about, ‘Your song’s blowing up on TikTok,’” he says. “But I can’t find it.” 

The song was “Kill Bill,” and Sonny couldn’t find it because it had gone viral in an unauthorized remix. It had first appeared on his project Golden Child, released in 2020 under the name HateSonny. Foreboding church bells set a chilly mood, given a serrated edge by Sonny’s growled vocals and clipped, efficient lines. 

Once friends started forwarding Sonny videos from TikTok, he noticed that they all used a version of “Kill Bill” that sounded off to him. It was a sped-up edit that smeared his vocals and distorted the bass—this “Kill Bill” sounded as jittery and disorienting as lotto balls in a raffle drum, as though it were shaking itself apart.

The huge number of people hearing Sonny’s music this way presented an unusual problem. “We hadn’t released a fast version,” says Erich Siebert, Sonny’s manager. “So there was no metadata in the sound that pointed it back to us. Nobody knew it was his song.” Classick Studios founder Chris Classick helped connect Siebert to a TikTok employee who updated the audio file on the platform. Siebert also reached out to the creator of the viral edit to get the stems, so that Sonny could release “Kill Bill (Fast)” as an official track.

“I never really expected to make any money off music,” he says. “So the fact that I was able to make that a reality for myself, it’s really fulfilling for me.”

Sonny, 22, grew up in Greater Grand Crossing. In his teenage years, in the late 2010s, he spent a lot of time hanging out in and around the Loop, where he met some of his closest friends. Rapper NombreKari says he met Sonny at a pizza place near Jones College Prep. Kari basically introduced himself by asking to borrow Sonny’s phone, as Sonny remembers it—though he didn’t know at the time what Kari wanted it for. 

“He go on my phone and like and repost this song that him and some of the other guys had,” Sonny says. “He gave me my phone back, and later on I peeped and I was like, ‘Who is this little motherfucker that liked and reposted and pasted on my Soundcloud and my Twitter?’ But then I listened to it and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is hard.’” Kari and Sonny both spent time making music after school at Harold Washington Library’s YouMedia youth arts lab, where their friendship blossomed.

FortuneHouse has coproduced a youth fashion show at the MCA, hosted visual art exhibits and musical performances, and organized free community activities at Cornell Field in Kenwood. “FortuneHouse is like an engine to a lot of the values that myself and my peers hold,” Searcy says, “when it comes to what a collective future looks like for not only us as peers, family, and friends but as people who have grown up in the city that want to give back to the city.”

Searcy’s aspirations for FortuneHouse are rooted in the friendships he’s forged with Kari, Sonny, and the rest of their collective. 

“I wanted you to be able to find me and my music, and I thought it was a bunch of Sonnys [out there], so I just threw the ‘hate’ in front of it,” he says. “I was very young, and I was going through a really depressed era. And it was really some self shit I was dealing with.”

In 2019, he and Kari spent a lot of time at MyFriendNate’s north-side home studio. They had both graduated high school by that point, and Kari noticed that the more Sonny could focus on music, the more he flourished creatively. “In high school, we didn’t have that much freedom to go to Nate’s house and make music for days on end,” Kari says. “Once we did have that freedom, that allowed him to cultivate a more distinct sound—it allowed him to find his voice.”

Searcy began envisioning plans for a physical FortuneHouse space where he could hold events and nurture community; he’d been helping host art shows at Airbnbs, but he wanted something stable. Searcy, his mother, and longtime collaborator Ryel Williams opened FortuneHouse Art Center in June 2022 at 4410 S. Cottage Grove. Sonny provided input and support the whole way through. “His words have definitely inspired FortuneHouse’s mission and direction,” Searcy says.

Those months at the Bronzeville Airbnb in summer 2020 proved pivotal for Sonny too. “We was in there brainstorming and plotting on all the stuff that’s came to fruition since then,” he says. It’s also when he first heard the remix that he didn’t know would change his career. “I looked myself up on Soundcloud, and I saw a remix of ‘Kill Bill’—it was a fast version,” he says. “It had, like, 10,000 plays of the song. I was like, ‘This is cool.’ I didn’t really think much of it.”

Sonny’s manager also picked up on a shift in the rapper’s approach around the release of Golden Child in 2020. “He started making his transition—thinking more long-term and being more methodical,” Siebert says. “That was when he started to really find himself. He was more in touch with his identity and had a better understanding of where he wanted to go with his music.”

Sonny is focused on putting in the work—recording more music, making traditional music videos—and he isn’t counting on lightning striking twice. He’s got an EP in the works called All Gas No Brakes, according to Siebert, and if all goes well we’ll see it in the first quarter of 2023.

Read More

Never miss a copy! Paid print subscriptions are available for 12 issues, 26 issues, and for 52 issues from the Reader Store.

Chicago Reader 2022 print issue dates

The Chicago Reader is published in print every other week. Issues are dated Thursday. Distribution usually happens Wednesday morning through Thursday night of the issue date. Upcoming print issue dates through December 2022 are:

12/8/2022
12/22/2022

See our information page for advertising opportunities and editorial calendars of upcoming issues.

2023 print issue dates

The first print issue in 2023 will be published three weeks after the 12/22/2022 issue, the final issue of 2022. The print issue dates through June 2023 are:

1/12/2023
1/26/2023
2/9/2023
2/23/2023
3/9/2023
3/23/2023
4/6/2023
4/20/2023
5/4/2023
5/18/2023
6/1/2023
6/15/2023
6/29/2023

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Mosque4Mosque is not a monolithic representation of the Arab American Muslim experience, and perhaps that’s exactly the point. 

Written by Omer Abbas Salem and directed by Sophiyaa Nayar, this charming production challenges all preconceived notions of a play about an Arab American Muslim family. 

In this sitcom-esque dramedy, Ibrahim (played by Salem) and his family navigate their lives in Chicago prior to and after Trump’s inauguration. Ibrahim is a queer Syrian American millennial working through his first relationship ever, with his white boyfriend James (Jordan Dell Harris). Having helped raise his 18-year-old sister Lena (Gloria Imseih Petrelli) after his father died from cancer, Ibrahim is accustomed to taking care of his family first, even if that means living a hushed life. His mother Sara—“Sa like sorry, Ra like ramen”—(Rula Gardenier) on the other hand, has other plans; she is determined to find him the perfect Muslim man to marry. 

Mosque4Mosque Through 12/17: Thu-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 3 and 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM; also Wed 12/14, 7:30 PM, no shows Thu-Fri 11/24-11/25; Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee, aboutfacetheatre.com, pay what you can ($5-$35 suggested)

Salem, who is also Syrian American, first wrote Mosque4Mosque in 2019 through Jackalope Theatre’s Playwrights Lab. In July 2020, the play was workshopped and performed virtually through the Criminal Queerness Festival and Dixon Place, directed by Sharifa Elkady. Steppenwolf Theatre Company then selected the play, under the direction of community advocate Arti Ishak, for its SCOUT New Play Development Initiative, a groundbreaking accomplishment for MENA artists like Salem and Ishak. But a seat at the table is not enough. “They have made it very clear to us they are ill-equipped to predict what our needs may be because they’ve never worked with a group of Arab actors and they don’t have any Arab actors in their ensemble,” Salem said in an interview with the Reader. 

Now produced at About Face Theatre and supported by Silk Road Rising, Mosque4Mosque deconstructs stereotypical and harmful media portrayals of MENA communities and Muslims. The Den’s Bookspan Theatre becomes Ibrahim’s family kitchen—the heart of an Arab home. The subtle details can be easy to miss but are indispensable. In front of the shoe rack, a pair of cream balgha—traditional heelless slippers from the Maghreb region—sit next to a pair of hot-pink fluffy sandals. Vibrant oriental rugs cover the wooden floors and complement the Arabian vermilion armchair.  A hookah and a massive jar of pickled green olives rest on their white refrigerator, which is decorated with family photos and receipts. Some props almost feel ironic, like the ceramic camel by the kitchen sink. (Steven Abbott designed the set, with props by Lonnae Hickman.)

But it is Salem’s witty writing style that shines throughout this production. Through his use of comedic relief, Salem drives sensitive topics forward in a way that allows the audience to lean into the conversation. We first meet Ibrahim in a church. Ibrahim’s holy confession is amusing, but it is a monumental scene because it instantly forms a reverent connection between religions and dissects the contrasts between Catholic and Muslim guilt. 

In his depiction of an Arab American family, Salem avoids creating unrealistic portrayals by poking fun at the family’s eccentricities. Gardenier’s heartwarming performance as Sara is an enjoyable representation of the hospitable, lovable, and sometimes quirky nature of Arab, Muslim, and immigrant mothers. She immediately wins our hearts, and we recognize her controlling behavior as a form of love. Sara’s naiveté is hyperbolized to reflect her desire to be a part of Ibrahim’s life. Who else would google “famous Muslim gay men” to better understand her son?

In just two hours (including an intermission), Salem even manages to weave in subplots to highlight the multifaceted complexities of these characters. Lena, for example, is a walking paradox. We first see Lena coming home late, fumbling to put her hijab back on, which she occasionally wears, mainly for her mother. As she struggles to tell her mother that she quit the Scholastic Bowl to join the cheerleading team, she reflects the internal pressures children of immigrants experience to please their parents.

In between two cultures, young Arab Americans often struggle with the fear of disappointing their parents and their aspiration to live shamelessly. This message really resonates when Ibrahim says, “There’s a little bit of a lie in every truth I tell her,” referring to his mother. Still, this is a play about identity and belonging, highlighting universal struggles that everyone can relate to. 

Even with all the hardships, Salem never forgets what makes these families so special. It’s the chaotic family dinners. It’s the unbreakable sibling bond between Lena and Ibrahim. It’s Sara’s willingness to create a dating profile for her son on a queer Muslim “rearranged arranged marriage” website. This play also addresses the immigration issues caused by Trump’s Muslim ban, but it skims the surface. In the end, Sara returns home after her trip to Damascus but is stopped by immigration. While this story line felt rushed, its call to action couldn’t be clearer. In an era where Arabs and Muslims are either invisible or perceived as problems, Mosque4Mosque demands for us to be seen as whole. At the same time, it sends a message to MENA and Muslim communities that they are seen.

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Taylor Hanna taught herself to cook on the job. “I don’t have formal training,” says the 17-year veteran of nine restaurant kitchen lines, and one half of the pickling power duo Vargo Brother Ferments. “Chefs would give me tasks to do and I wouldn’t know what they were talking about. I’d go into the walk-in and google on my phone, ‘What is soubise?’ And you’d just have to be quick on the fly with it. It’s a luxury if your chefs and managers are willing to teach you. Oftentimes, there’s no time in the shift to go, ‘Hey, can you spend 15 minutes with me to teach me how to sharpen my knife?’”

Jennifer Kim learned the fundamentals in culinary school, and sharpened them in kitchens such as Blackbird and Avec, but when it came time to open her first solo brick-and-mortar Passerotto, she was flying blind with respect to financial operations. (She sought help from industry friends.)

During the pandemic both Hanna and Kim emerged as ardent participants and organizers in the semiunderground microbusiness economy that flourished in its first 18 months. They didn’t just rely on skills learned on the fly to further their own ends, but shared them with the loose collaborative community that grew up within this alternative economy. Through pop-ups, workshops, and a barnstorming cross-country tour in the summer of ’21, Alt Economy—the open-source mutual aid platform Kimstarted—provided hospitality workers with educational resources to survive and thrive outside the established restaurant industry.

“You could kind of fly under the radar with certain things,” says Kim. “We were working at homes, working without licensing. There was flexibility with creativity on how you got to operate your microbusiness.”

But ask any number of cooks, bartenders, and servers who supported themselves within this decentralized labor movement how it’s going now, and the thrilling autonomy that came along with it has lost some of its shine. The reopening of brick-and-mortars drained blood from the microbusiness model, while a shift in algorithms withered the robust Instagram engagement many of these businesses depended on to get their food in front of eyeballs. Burnout and/or the need to make rent sent many workers back to brick-and-mortars—or out of the industry altogether.

“The pop-up scene was on fire,” says Hanna. “It was very trendy and cool. But you can’t rely on something to be cool to sustain you. It has to be deeper than that.”

“A lot of people are trying to figure out, ‘How do I keep this a viable business?’” says Kim, who’s currently teaching a fine dining course at her alma mater, Kendall College. “’How do I work within these rigid systems again? How do you compete with these giant businesses?’”

That’s why the pair, building from an informal fish butchery class Kim led in her home last winter, are launching a series of free industry worker skill-share classes, entirely funded by the community. “It was just, ‘Bring over some fish, and we’ll learn how to break it down from whole into filets,’” says Kim.“Participants felt empowered to continue building butchering skills. A few felt more confident to order whole fish versus filets, which has a financial impact on their food cost.”

Kim also posted a series of free financial worksheets that give “workers and biz owners a road map on how costs, cash flow, and profits work within whatever ecosystem they are currently participating.” In the meantime, she and Hanna began imagining how to go bigger: “Is there something that we can build out that people can come and share information, share skills, share resources in an environment that’s driven by the community and taught by the community?”

Earlier this month they put out a call for resources to support a series of three classes, the first beginning December 12 and featuring hands-on sessions on pickling, canning, curing, and fermentation (taught by Hanna and partner Sebastian Vargo); knife sharpening (Kevin Silverman of Northside Cutlery); whole fish butchery (Hatchery instructor Matt Miller); and fish curing and fermentation (Kim). They’re working on adding a pastry class. This first set of classes will be held at Impact Kitchen at the Hatchery, a space they’re renting out through donations. Others have offered drinks, snacks, or their own bar and kitchen spaces for future classes, but Kim and Hanna haven’t yet hit their goals to finance the next two sessions yet.

They’re still looking for support for December’s microbusiness courses on financial acumen and cash flow; business plan development, graphics, and design; and food photography. In early 2023 the plan is a series of introductory courses for BIPOC and undocumented workers interested in food photography and styling; bartending; coffee and barista work; and wine 101.

“We heard a lot from industry workers who are interested in entering the specific positions within hospitality that are typically gatekept from BIPOC or undocumented workers,” says Kim. “A lot of those positions, you need prior experience. We can at least jump-start the process of, ‘Here are the basics of behind the bar; all the tools that you’ll see; the language that they use.’”

Networking is a natural outgrowth of these classes, both for potential job leads and brainstorming on larger systemic issues within the industry. “It gives us a chance to almost have a town hall,” says Hanna. “We’re all gathered. Let’s start talking about the realities of what’s happening. For people who do want to keep doing this, what are the changes that we need to make? It’s a part of a conversation that needs to be had collectively.”

Donations of money, food, time, space, or equipment to support future classes can be made via Venmo @itsforpickles or Zelle at [email protected]. Kim and Hanna pledge to publish transparent financials on how all dollars are allocated.

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