大象传媒 Scotland - 大象传媒 Scotland - Hiding the real you: is masking a disability just another of online dating鈥檚 little white lies or a failure of today鈥檚鈥榮wipe right鈥� culture?

Hiding the real you: is masking a disability just another of online dating鈥檚 little white lies or a failure of today鈥檚鈥榮wipe right鈥� culture?

8 August 2018

Online dating can be a frustrating experience. Despite its potential for awkwardness, however, it has become the main way for young, single people to look for love.

Ross is one such dater and, for him, the process has been particularly difficult. He’s registered blind and has mobility issues requiring the use of a crutch, so has to deal with people’s stigmas around disability as well as all the other vagaries finding love online.

“Online dating is tough for anyone, but when you have a disability and quite low self-esteem it can be really difficult.”

Online Dating With A Disability

This is Ross's experience of online dating with a disability.

“Sometimes I feel like it is easier to tell them [up front],” says Ross, “then the rejection’s quick and easy and you’ve not actually met the person.”

On other occasions, however, Ross decided to see how the conversation went before telling the person he had a disability.

“I’ve had experiences where people have been fine about it, but then the conversation kinda fizzles out. Then I’ve had other experiences where I tell them maybe a little bit later on and they’ve hit the unmatch button very quickly.”

Online dating: Should you reveal your disability

Comedian with muscular dystrophy asks 'should I show my disability when online dating?'

Ross doesn’t believe that having a disability should necessarily have to impact on his dating life.

“I’m a human like everyone else. Everybody has something different about them.”

He remain undeterred by those who choose not to get to know Ross beyond his disability.

“I just hope that, in future, people won’t be so quick to hit that unmatch button — I could be that someone they’ve been waiting for!”

Emily Yates, presenter of 大象传媒 Three’s Meet the Devotees – a candid programme that meets those who are sexually attracted to people with disabilities – shared her tips on how to nail online dating when you’re disabled.