Dating for disabled people – I am all about equality and in my heart and mind and with every fibre of my being I know dating for single disabled people should be as easily accessible as for people without disabilities of course it should. But it isn’t – and this is something that is really important to address.
Dating Confidence
Having positive body image when you are a person with a disability is not easy when we are confronted constantly through social media, TV and print with ‘perfect ‘ body images ( usually white, skinny, non disabled classically featured young men or women.)
No matter how much we know these photos are staged, photo-shopped even, their constantly lauded, glossy presence can impact on people who do not look like that very negatively. Being body confident as a disabled person in the face of this constant onslaught of ‘sameness’ is hard.
If you head on over to YouTube you can find a video on the Single Disabled YouTube channel called Chronic Illness and Body Image with Jenna Farmer – so worth a watch.
The challenge of dating for disabled people
Despite the challenge People with disabilities might have self confidence and a desire to date and the courage to put themselves out there but that doesn’t mean society is going to make it easy for them.
The challenges of dating for disabled people include the following –
Stereotypes
Stereotypes abound that somehow disabled people are undateable (there is even a TV show called the Undateables a British TV documentary about disabled people and the quest for romance, that is both heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure – do try and watch an episode.)
Because of stereotypes and a general lack of understanding it may be that people with disabilities prefer to use niche dating sites such as amputee dating sites So they know, before they even begin to get to the getting to know you phase, that their disability is not going to be an issue. I would think this might make life a whole lot easier in some ways – it would certainly be more upfront and reduce possible rejection.
Access issues
As well as the barriers of societal attitudes, physical barriers can also be problematic to disabled people dating and dates need to be carefully considered with this in mind. The very last thing a disabled people needs is to be all dressed up , heart in hand out on he first date and blocked by an access issue. Who needs that stress when you are dating!
Dating for disabled people is important and complex
Dating is a complicated issue for disabled people but so important – everyone needs love and affection and everyone deserves it
Dating for Disabled People is a feature post
