Meet Wable: The neurodivergent dating app for Kiwis endorsed by Love on the Spectrum star Michael Theo

A Love on the Spectrum-inspired dating app is about to be made available for Kiwis. Photo / Getty Images

Looking for love? Kiwis now have access to a new dating app tailored to neurodivergent people.

Neurodivergence is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological differences that occur in the human brain - including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tourette Syndrome, dyspraxia - and often influence communication, expression, skills and capabilities.

The University of Auckland reports that as many as one in 10 New Zealanders are estimated to live with some form of neurodivergent thinking and behaviour, according to Professor Karen Waldie, neuroscientist at the School of Psychology and the Centre for Brain Research.

“We are all wired differently, and our natural differences can have a direct impact on how we think and learn,” explains university resources on neurodivergence. “While neurological variations can sometimes make it challenging to communicate, express ourselves and interact with others, they also enable strengths and capabilities such as being creative and innovative and having exceptional conceptual and analytical skills.”

Connecting with others as a neurodivergent person was the subject of docuseries Love on the Spectrum, which first won over hearts in 2019. Based in Australia and following people on the autism spectrum as they embarked on their journey for love, the show quickly became a global phenomenon, spawning an American version of the series.

Earning a 100 per cent rating on the rating website Rotten Tomatoes and becoming a top-performing Netflix show, the series highlighted just how intricate the dating world for neurodivergent people is.

Now, with the upcoming release of a new dating app, it’s about to get a little bit easier.

It was announced this morning that Wable, a dating app for neurodivergent people, will be available in New Zealand from July 31 and it’s been endorsed by a rather familiar face: Love on the Spectrum’s very own Michael Theo.

Love on the Spectrum star Michael Theo. Photo / Netflix

Starring on the Australian version of the show, Theo quickly became a breakout star due to his passion for sharing his story about living with Asperger’s syndrome and encouraging others to not only do the same but to embrace their differences while doing it.

In a press release issued to the Herald, Theo spoke about why he supports the app.

“I believe this app will be an important and useful tool for people on the autism spectrum,” he said. “I think Wable is the way to go.”

Designed to be a first-of-its-kind, Wable, made from the combination of the words “willing and able”, includes psychological support and resources specific to neurodivergent people that may help them in trying to form connections.

That includes offering a range of colour schemes designed to suit sensory preferences, a chat wheel with conversation prompts that users can virtually spin and also safety options such as an 18+ restriction and mandatory selfie verification for every user.

The app also prevents any private photos or video messages from being sent within the app.

As for any questions users may have during their quest for love, Wable has worked with a team of psychologists who have answers at the ready and cover all sorts of topics from what daters can expect on a first date, or how to handle rejection and many other common queries they may have.

The app joins an increasingly crowded digital dating landscape. New Zealand counts apps like Bumble, Tinder, Grindr and Hinge among those available to Kiwis.

“The stigma around mobile dating is far less than it was when dating websites were first introduced in the 1990s,” Ally Gibson, an academic at Victoria University of Wellington who researches online dating, told The Listener last November. “Digital technology offers many things in terms of being able to ask someone out on a date and not having to deal with face-to-face rejection.”

Dating apps have made finding partners easier, expanding the options available, making communication less daunting and more convenient, helping users control how they present themselves. It’s estimated that 10% of heterosexual people and 24% of LGBTQI people have found long-term partners online.

Criticism of the apps includes the gamification of user experience on the platforms, gender disparity and discrimination from users themselves. Some young women have reported experiencing “burnout” from dating apps like Tinder and Bumble.

And as the established apps suffer from falling values - shares in Match Group and Bumble have fallen over 80% from their 2021 high - new entrants are joining the sector.

Wable aims to fill a gap in the market and service a specific audience. Created by Holly Fowler, the businesswoman said her end goal is to help neurodivergent people have meaningful relationships in a world where dating and making social connections can be “overwhelming and draughting”. Ultimately, she hopes the app is “a helping hand along the way”.

Theo agreed with the CEO and added his own guidance for neurodivergent daters: “My advice to anyone using the app or going on a first date is that the one golden rule, above all else, is just to be yourself. If I can strive to be an A+ partner, so can you.”