Netflix's Love On the Spectrum makes viewers aware of the social difficulties autistic people face while getting into the dating game. Fortunately, the series also introduces relationship coach Jodi Rodgers, who helps and guides these young adults in navigating their emotions and feelings. So, who exactly is Jodi, and what does she do?
In this new reality dating series, viewers follow the successful and unsuccessful dating experiences of a group of autistic people living in Australia. The series is an attempt to encourage more conversations about the romantic lives of people on the spectrum. The five episodic series busts the myth that people on the spectrum have no romantic desires. In reality, they want to have a partner and start a family of their own. One member of the cast, Olivia, states that 95% of autistic people don't get to fall in love and find a partner for themselves throughout their lives. The main reason people on the spectrum struggle to date is the lack of dating platforms and resources for autistic people.
To make the daters a little more comfortable, Love on the Spectrum introduces Jodi Rodgers, who familiarizes autistic people like Michael and Kelvin with the unknown world of dating and intimacy. The Australia-based mentor is creative in her approaches and teaches with the help of a step-by-step process. Thanks to Jodi, Kelvin is quick to learn how to initiate conversations on dates and keep them going for a while. Jodi's assistance is backed by years of working with people on the spectrum. She has a master's degree in sexual health and possesses extensive experience in working with people with disabilities.
In 2005, Jodi became part of Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) and worked with them for about 12 years. In 2015, she established her own organization called Birds and Bees that primarily focusses on topics like sexual education and therapy. Jodi now calls herself a Sexologist and Counselor on her LinkedIn profile. She details her main areas of work as helping specially-abled people with developing social skills and understanding their emotions and feelings. She believes everyone, whether they are on the spectrum or not, have a basic human need for connection and love. Jodi was an excellent addition to the show, as her work experience and a pleasant personality helped singletons understand their needs in a partner.
Love On the Spectrum is not only an engaging show, but it's also a groundbreaking dating series that showcases various dating challenges faced by different people across the autism spectrum. Perhaps that's why its season 2 is already in works and ready to tell many more stories!
All episodes of Love on the Spectrum are available to stream on Netflix.
Source: Jodi Rogers