Internet dating and players
He found a Groupon and I researched a location, picking out a restaurant in New York City that was supposed to be wheelchair accessible.
As it turned out, the restaurant was accessible, but the painting class was happening in a room upstairs.
There have been plenty of matches that haven’t worked out, and whether that’s actually because of my disability, I’ll never know.
But I had a nearly yearlong relationship with a man I met through OKCupid, so I know it’s possible for lightning to strike again.
Finally, I took the leap I’d been so afraid to make, opening up about disability to strangers whom I hoped would appreciate my honesty and perhaps send me a message.
Not one to be deterred, I persevered, downloading every possible dating app and creating accounts on various dating sites. I kept up with this facade for a while, messaging matches who were none the wiser.
But I wasn’t helping the situation by keeping the existence of my disability concealed, springing it upon people only when I thought it felt right.
In retrospect, this served only to contribute to the stigma I usually work so hard to fight. In every other area of my life, my disability is front and center.
A few months before my initial swipes, I’d gone through a messy breakup with a man I dated for over two years.
I truly believed he was the person I’d marry, and that I’d never have to worry about rejection again.