Visionary Solutions Newsletter #16
- michaelbeattie8
- Aug 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 18
Why disabled people are turning to specialist dating apps (BBC, August 16th 2026)
Online dating has certainly been on the rise in recent years, serving as a quick and easy way to potentially meet your soulmate. Unfortunately, disabled people have reported to have a harder time with dating apps like Tinder or Hinge, especially since most swipes and judgements are dependent on how a person looks on their profile. Because of this reoccurring issue, many disabled people are turning to a new dating app for them called "Dateability." While not the first dating app to be made for disabled users, its creators --sisters Jacqueline and Alexa Child-- states that they hope the app can help disprove the idea that disabled people cannot form a proper relationship and/or engage in intimacy.
Many users report feeling finally safe to express themselves honestly without fear of judgement on the app. Colin and Kaci LeFon, a disabled married couple who met on "Dateability," stated the app quote ""flipped the awkward health condition conversation to one of listening and understanding," and that it quote unlocked a deeper connection from the start." Inspired by the app's impact, a spokesperson for Match Group further discussed the issue of ableism in popular dating apps, saying that "We know that broader societal biases can surface in any social environment...and we continue to be committed to addressing it."
Read full story here: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8e2n6w3y2po
Baltimore-area program aims to prevent deadly police encounters with disabled people (MSN, Baltimore Sun, August 17th 2026)
In Baltimore, a new program for police officers called "Badges and Bridges" is dedicated to preventing escalation by training officers on how to deal with those with intellectual and/or invisible disabilities. This comes after a series of incidents in Maryland that resulted in the death of autistic adults, one involving 25-year old Alexander LaMorie in March, and another two months later during a mental-wellness check for 46-year old Louis Jackson. These kinds of incidents are not new; a study from Disability Rights Ohio found that 30-50% of people subjected to police brutality had disabilities, and 33-50% of people killed by police were disabled.
"Badges and Bridges" is presented by Sgt. Kevin Moody and disability advocate Mack Dawson, training officers to decipher legitimate threats from behaviors/reactions commonly found in those with disabilities (panicking, lack of understanding, et cetera). Alongside that, disabled individuals were invited to learn why officers are trained to react in certain ways so that they are able to understand an officer on duty. That way, communication and balance is found on both grounds.
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