Accessibility For All Magazine Feature: What Interabled Relationships Teach Us About Communication

Back in 2021, my boyfriend and I had our first date in a park, just as a pandemic lockdown ended. I hadn't been out in awhile.

I hadn't been out in so long, in fact, that I completely forgot I struggle with getting up from the ground, until we were about an hour into sitting on a picnic blanket on a grassy incline, and it suddenly dawned on me that I'd eventually have to get up in front of him.

I was horrified at this realization and sure that if he saw me struggle to get up, or noticed I needed more support than the average person, it could elicit questions I wasn't prepared to answer yet, since I hadn't yet told him about the muscle disability I was born with.

So what did I do to avoid this awkward situation?

I made him LOOK AWAY WHILE I GOT UP. 😩😂

Literally pulled a "look over there" and then ignored that this new situation was far more awkward than the original probably would've been LOL. 🙃

Very happy to say our communication has improved since then, which was why it was so fun speaking to Accessibility For All magazine about dating with a disability and what interabled relationships teach us about communication!

Thank you Mélange Media for including me in the Accessibility For All magazine February issue, and thanks to the best publicist and first-date-turned-boyfriend, Dan!