This unique cyberspace community facilitates an embarrassment- free opportunity for people with disabilities to express themselves, make friends, and hopefully find a partner for life, without the pressure of uncertain face-to-face meetings.
People with limited mobility cope with a variety of obstacles in their daily lives. Some are visible and relatively obvious, such as physical and structural barriers like uneven sidewalks or entrances without ramps. But they must also deal with invisible and sometimes less obvious challenges. Social and psychological barriers, such as discrimination and attitudes, can limit a person's desire or ability to do the things they want to do. Sometimes these barriers are even self-imposed by people who don't yet feel ready to face the outside world following an amputation.
The Internet can provide a bridge or means of transition between feeling cut off from society and preparing to return to interacting with others. There are many Web sites that are designed to serve as safe, fun and useful dating resources or even virtual communities. But most of these are intended for anyone to join, which is fine, but makes it more difficult for people with disabilities to connect with people with similar backgrounds and experiences – people who understand.
A small but growing number of Web sites are designed to do just that. And they're not just for dating. Many people actually form friendships and even support groups as they connect with others with similar backgrounds and disabilities. For example, Dating4Disabled was developed by a group of volunteers who wanted to provide more social, intellectual and romantic outlets for people with disabilities. This growing community has become an international gathering place for people with disabilities from over 15 countries. It is a place for people of all nationalities and backgrounds to share, connect and just be heard.
Among the 6,000 members on
the Web site, approximately
half of which are in the United
States, are people with a diverse range of
disabilities including anxiety and bipolar
disorder, amputation, arthritis, brain
injuries, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis,
depression, epilepsy, hearing and sight
impairment, learning disabilities, multiple
sclerosis, paralysis, polio, spina bifida and
stroke recovery.
The Dating4Disabled environment
is welcoming and
user-friendly. Advanced Internet
tools make communication easy, and facilitate
a convenient and fun way to create
connections within the disabled community.
Members can come together through
forums, a dating service, private chats, and blogs, among other features, providing
people with mobility issues the opportunity
to fulfill their social needs, sharing
resources and giving or receiving support
from the convenience of their own home.
The site has also incorporated large font
options and supporting icon comments to
assist people with visual impairments.
The members of Dating4Disabled
can network internationally
in an understanding,
safe and noncommittal atmosphere. This
unique cyberspace community facilitates
an embarrassment-free opportunity for
people with disabilities to express themselves,
make friends, and hopefully find
a partner for life, without the pressure
of uncertain face-to-face meetings. The
support and understanding available in the
Dating4Disabled community makes for an
exciting new “home away from home.”
Membership is simple and
quick – and free. In the few,
short minute it takes to sign up, people can
create a profile that's tailored to their online
preferences and enables other members
to know more about them and what they
are looking for. You can further customize your interactions by type of relationship,
disability, location, interests and more.
All these tools and features provide an
enjoyable and valuable online experience.
The potential for networking, meeting
new people and creating relationships is
unlimited. Sites likeDating4Disabled provide
their members with the 
opportunity to
use the Web for their own unique needs,
and to open windows of possibility to the
global disabled community.
Related Resources
Dating4Disabled
www.dating4disabled.com
Lovebyrd.com
www.lovebyrd.com
Soulful Encounters
www.soulfulencounters.com
Special Singles Online
www.specialsinglesonline.com
