So during some research for a Scott/Kip fic, I ran across this old UPI article from Sochi 2014 about the fact that Grindr use in Sochi more than doubled/nearly tripled during the 2014 Sochi Olympics:
I'll get to the relevance of what Carter Vaughn says to Scott and Shane in the ice cream shop in a minute.
But first let us revel in the fact that the Russian version of Grindr was called Hunters (tho it was subsequently shut down by the Russian government):
So if we posit that Kip broke up with Scott after the St. Thomas fundraiser at the end of S1E03 - which is one interpretation of TV canon...
...then the near tripling of Grindr users in Sochi during the 2014 Olympics would've given Scott plenty of opportunities to have forlorn, empty sex (while picturing and pining for Kip with every meaningless encounter) - facilitated by Grindr, if not by the Russian gay/bi hookup app with his own name.
(Here, plot bunny, have some carrots - go forth and multiply! You're welcome!)
The rest of the article, though, explains the sobering reality of what Carter points out to Scott and Shane.
72,000 Hunters (Russian Grindr) profiles were deleted.
You could be arrested and jailed for "gay propaganda" by simply having a profile on Hunters.
"Hell yeah, man. Show up for any dude
who's that brave. Fucking brave for a dude to show up to this place and be like: "Hey, here's me." Russia is not safe for folks like that. Fucking balls of steel, man."
- he's being an ally. An imperfect ally, yes, but an ally all the same. Any other interpretation is just flat wrong.
Fucking balls of steel indeed, Carter.