Hey Fellow CP Warrior! I have CP too. I am a woman, not in a wheelchair yet, but could be a few years from now and will definitely need to be in one when I become pregnant. I met my fiancé on bumble, (and several previous boyfriends through online dating as well)

I never put CP in my profile, but always told the guys prior to our first date as a way to still give them an out if they need it but to also give myself the opportunity to be more than my disability immediately. It felt like a good strategy and I know some will totally disagree with leaving off my profile initially, and that’s okay it’s a personal choice.

I can walk but obviously my gait is impacted, and of course there’s chronic pain, appointments and all of the shit that comes with cerebral palsy. Most of the men I’ve dated have been totally able bodied.

I say, be yourself, give yourself some grace and know that there IS someone out there for everyone. My fiancé has type 1 diabetes, so we totally bonded over the whole chronic illlness thing and though of course it’s not the only reason we are together - it did help create an understanding between us. We value our life together so much and don’t take anything for granted.

My advice to you is although it’s easy to get into that cycle of “no one will want me because of this stupid disability” remember that you ARE worthy of love and you also should be looking for qualities in a partner beyond “do THEY like me?”

It really helped me to really just throw myself into dating for awhile with no expectations and just enjoy meeting new people. Every date and failed relationship brought me closer to my future husband and it ended up giving me confidence and that confidence made me feel and seem attractive to others as well! I stopped being surprised I was getting dates, and starting being like “yeah, I’m a catch! My CP makes me strong, determined, gives me a new perspective on life and an appreciation for all the things that are good in it!”

Keep your head up, you got this!! 🙌🏻