2021 Nominees

Love on the Spectrum

Northern Pictures

AUSTRALIA

- Lifestyle

When asked the question, ‘What is the most important thing in life?’, many people would answer: Love. One of the more common misconceptions about autism is that people on the spectrum are not interested in relationships or romance. From our experience, this simply isn’t true. We found there was very little support for people on the spectrum when it comes to dating and relationships. The majority of autism resources are devoted to early intervention and childhood programs, and the services for young adults are mainly focused on developing work skills and trying to find employment. There are places providing social skills training to help people develop and maintain friendships, but dating – close to nothing. As storytellers we felt we had an opportunity to explore this issue by shining a light on the struggles some people on the spectrum face in seeking out meaningful relationships. We hope this series will start conversations, and ultimately inspire people with autism. Cian O'Clery