SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – “Government, society, and religion have oppressed human sexuality in the past and continue to do so today. It’s time to make a radical change and give people back the freedom to enjoy a regular and diverse sex life. We are certain that gender, the type of sexual activity, or the number of participants in sexual relations should not be externally regulated.”
So says the Pure Manifesto, defining the reason a small group of clever Russian developers backed by a Russian investor and entrepreneur designed a radical new mobile application that hopes to revolutionize the way everyday people find sexual partners.
The app, also called Pure, was developed by startup GetPure Inc. in consultation with respected U.S. author, sexologist and sex-positive activist Carol Queen, PhD. In addition to founding the Center for Sex & Culture in San Francisco, Queen also serves as the staff sexologist, sexual historian and chief of educational outreach at female-focused adult novelty retailer Good Vibrations.
It’s no surprise, then, that GetPure’s vision supports the principles of the sex-positive movement, promoting and embracing open sexuality with few limits beyond an emphasis on safe sex and the importance of informed consent. The sex-positive movement regards all consensual adult sexual activities as fundamentally healthy and pleasurable, and encourages sexual pleasure and experimentation. The Pure app differs from similar, earlier-to-market mobile software in that it embraces and encourages respectful, sex-positive attitudes instead of raw hedonism.
According to the developers, “Pure is about giving men and women freedom and choice. It can be as romantic or as practical as its users choose to make it. Pure is the application that people have dreamed of, but never dared ask for. Pure lets users decide whether to reveal themselves to interested partners, or move on to the next person. Pure is anonymous, nonjudgmental and liberating.”
Designed to be used by anyone, regardless of sexual orientation or preferences, Pure is morally neutral, the developers said, allowing users to determine for themselves the boundaries of committed relationships.
Elegantly presented and simple to use, Pure includes several uncommon features, among them self-destroying, time-limited requests and moderation through confidential, mandatory user feedback. Pure users only “see” other users who want the same things they want, are nearby and are looking to meet right then.
Developers expect the app to launch soon in both the iTunes store on Google Play. Initial downloads will be by invitation only as the app gradually rolls out across all major U.S. cities. Potential early adopters may request an invitation by visiting GetPure.org.
