Grindr Pushes Congress to Lower Fertility and Surrogacy Costs
Grindr's CEO George Arison is urging lawmakers to reduce the expense of IVF and surrogacy. The company has partnered with Sen. John Hickenlooper on an op-ed that calls for full tax deductions for fertility costs, updated insurance coverage rules, and a broader infertility definition for same-sex couples. Hickenlooper noted he has never used Grindr but said the app's nature is not relevant to the policy push.
Grindr has increased its Washington lobbying presence this year and is now focusing on family-building policy. CEO George Arison argues that lowering costs for IVF and surrogacy would help the app’s users and Americans generally. He and Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, co-wrote an op-ed urging Congress and the White House to act.
Both men have personal experience with surrogacy: Hickenlooper welcomed a child that way in 2022, and Arison in 2019. Their proposal includes full tax deductions for fertility expenses, revised federal insurance rules covering surrogacy, and a wider infertility definition that would include same-sex couples. Hickenlooper said he has not used Grindr but called that irrelevant.
If lawmakers act, prospective parents—especially LGBTQ+ couples and those needing surrogacy—could face lower financial barriers to family formation. Insurance and tax changes may shift costs among taxpayers, employers, and insurers, and could prompt broader debate over definitions of infertility. The effort may also signal growing corporate lobbying on social policy, potentially influencing how Congress treats fertility care.