The most amazing and heartwarming series on Netflix is “Love on the Spectrum”. After mentioning this original reality show with my co-workers on one of our recent daily staff meetings, everyone agreed this would be a wonderful article to write and share with my readers. I had several thoughts on how to present this show that has aired for two seasons and decided to explain the show, how several of the individuals succeeded with finding love, and compared it to my personal recent experiences.
Love on the Spectrum is an Australian based documentary reality show that was created primarily on young adults on the Autism Spectrum trying to find love, learning how to date, and how to build strong relationships. Several of the individuals have high functioning capabilities as well as those with low functioning. The show details the significant similarities of either social awkwardness, the inability to express themselves, and the loneliness they have all experienced. Some of the featured individuals that are in their late twenties still live with their parents and it is wonderful to see how much their parents support their need to find happiness and to also help them with their social challenges. Watching the show both season one and season two, all of the individuals have expressed their need to find someone special, fall in love, have a family, and to someday have a home of their own.
The show is very tastefully done and does not display any judgement, exhibits empathy toward featured players without being condescending towards them including any cultural barriers, and personal sexual preferences. It was surprising and wonderful to see how much Australia supports the needs of their citizens that have Autism by offering assistance with supporting “Relationship Coaches” to help those needing assistance with social skills to help in the dating process. One of the other wonderful programs available is “Speed Dating” for both on the spectrum, those who are not, and mixers putting both types together. “Speed Dating” allows several individuals to get together and spend just a few minutes introducing themselves and exchange their likes, dislikes, and interests. Each person submits their desire to meet others they spent time with and the Speed Dating organizers present their matches from the event. Once the matches are done the organizers provide and exchange contact information so that the individuals can make arrangements to meet for a date.
Many of the featured individuals after receiving “Relationship Coaching” waste no time in conveying their experiences and desires of either furthering their relationships or being adults and showing politeness in not moving forward with their relationship, or just remaining as friends. It was a pleasure and heartwarming to see even on the first or second date some of the individuals presented a small gift when they met in person. So far, one of the couples got married on the last episode and it was so wonderful to see how much in love they are and their total relief of finally finding someone to love.
If some of you have read my past articles, you would had read that I am not Autistic, I have a learning and processing disability but I can definitely relate to what the featured individuals on this show are going through. As for my experience, as of now, I have not had much luck with dating. In mid-September, I joined a dating app and have corresponded with 12 men between the ages of 23 and 26 years old. Some of my texting conversations have been somewhat successful. Either the men wanted my phone number as well as my other social media information so that we can additionally connect and stay in touch on those platforms. Others have been very blunt by wanting to use the app for just hookups. Within just a few replies most of the men I’ve connected with ghost me and either never reply back or end the conversations by hitting the “Un-match Button”. This button will gray out their photo and delete all messages received and sent. It hurts when I see this because I have no control to even just say, “Can We Just Remain Friends”? To date, I have only met two men in person and only one of them had the decency to say “Let’s be friends and not try to continue dating”. I was actually thrilled when he said this to me because I did not feel any sparks to date him, but to be friends, yes for sure! I have researched online for “Speed Dating” and found only two services in New Jersey and they are mostly in North Jersey. I feel that the initial text messaging back and forth is the online version of speed dating. Unfortunately, for myself, I just can’t make a determination if a person would be a good match for me to date with just texting. Also, it is extremely unfortunate that both men and women on online dating apps and social media platforms are totally rude and immature by just ghosting someone or blocking the other person. Instead of being polite and mature by letting the other person know that they do not want to continue corresponding or want to proceed with a possible relationship, dating, or a friendship is just so wrong to do to someone.
Source of Information – Watching Season One and Two on Netflix and my Personal Experiences
Until next week, stay safe and well!
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