Podcast Summary
The Bobby Bones Show: "MORGAN: How Two Sisters Are Redefining Dating for the Disability Community"
Date: October 19, 2025
Guests: Jaclyn Child & Alexa Child, Founders of Dateability
Host: Morgan & guest interviewer
Episode Overview
This episode spotlights Jaclyn and Alexa Child, sisters and co-founders of Dateability—a groundbreaking dating app designed to create an equitable, inclusive space for the disability and chronic illness community. Through candid conversation, the sisters share their personal journeys, motivations behind the app, the challenges faced in both dating and entrepreneurship, and their vision for fostering acceptance, belonging, and community.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Personal Inspiration for Dateability
[03:39] Jaclyn shares her story:
- Became disabled at age 14 due to chronic illness.
- Dating was fraught with rejection, discomfort, and difficulty disclosing her disability.
- Support groups or clinical settings felt unwelcoming as social spaces.
- Sought to create a safe, equitable place for others like her.
"I couldn't believe that there wasn't a place to meet people like me... We really wanted to create a place where people could meet others and connect and just really make dating an equitable experience for our community."
— Jaclyn Child [03:39]
2. Experiences with Stigma and Disclosure
[04:49] Jaclyn's dating realities:
- Having an invisible disability led to complex questions about when and how to disclose.
- Both honesty and casual disclosure often resulted in rejection.
- Familial prejudices affected relationships.
"...when he told his mom that I was disabled, she was not accepting, and she convinced him to break up with me..."
— Jaclyn Child [05:10]
[06:24] Emotional toll:
- Loss of self-esteem, feelings of being “put in a box,” and a period of deep withdrawal.
- Finding curiosity and purpose again, propelled by the pandemic.
3. Sisterly Support & Co-Founding the App
[07:10] Alexa's perspective:
- No personal disability, but close as Jaclyn’s older sister and protector.
- Noticed just how vastly different dating experiences were for Jaclyn.
- Pandemic job loss coincided with Jaclyn’s major surgery, leading to the app idea.
"We can either create or solve problems, and I'm the latter. And so that's what we did... We planned it when she was in the hospital recovering from her feeding tube surgery."
— Alexa Child [08:29]
[09:00] How they got started:
- Literally began with a Google search on how to create an app.
- Saw it as a needed solution and a distraction during recovery.
"It gave me this sense of purpose. And, you know, we really didn't know what we were getting into, but that was the start."
— Jaclyn Child [09:16]
4. Shifting Mindsets: Self-Worth and Dating Standards
[09:45] Jaclyn's transformation:
- Now dates on her own terms; self-worth is central.
"Because now, I'm...single by choice, and I'm dating on my terms...I can be picky. And that's really important to me. And it's important for the community to have standards and to really just realize that they deserve the love that everyone else is looking for too."
— Jaclyn Child [09:45]
[11:23] Challenging societal pressures:
- Alexa highlights the pressure for women to settle in relationships.
- Both push back against the narrative that having a disability means you must compromise.
"I decided that, like, I am not gonna settle for anything that I deem less than."
— Jaclyn Child [12:04]
5. What Makes Dateability Unique
[15:14] App philosophy & mechanics:
- Open to everyone, with a light vetting process to deter scammers, not exclusive to the disabled community.
- Dedicated section for users to disclose disabilities/conditions (“Dateability Deets”)—intended to normalize, not medicalize, this aspect of identity.
"We wanted to solve that problem...with disclosure and how to tell and when to tell someone about your chronic illnesses. So we created the Dateability Deets section...We want it to be just a part of who you are and not necessarily like a medical chart."
— Jaclyn Child [16:29]
- Empathy, sensitivity, and a smaller, more intentional community compared to mainstream apps like Hinge or Bumble.
[18:38] The community feel:
- The app mirrors how people met in the past: smaller, more meaningful circles.
- Alexa draws parallels to overwhelming options on other apps ("like walking into a Forever 21"), whereas Dateability feels more intentional and less overwhelming.
6. Supporting Each Other & Communication
[23:17] Alexa on allyship and support:
- Open communication is key; letting Jaclyn set her own boundaries.
- Encourages people not to assume, but to ask politely and communicate needs.
- Importance of recognizing that people can have fun and adapt, even with limitations.
"Communication, whether it’s your friend or your sibling, is, I think, definitely the best. And the key part to a relationship that's healthy..."
— Alexa Child [24:06]
[25:25] Jaclyn on the joy of life:
- Disabled people are often judged for enjoying themselves ("if you're so sick, you shouldn't be doing that"), but adaptability and fulfillment are possible.
7. Community Events & Bridging Social Gaps
[28:42] Hosting accessible events:
- The sisters organize social events like bar crawls, which visibly challenge stereotypes about disabled people.
"Watching other people's faces at the bar look at, you know, this group of like 20 wheelchair users...it's pretty incredible...Seeing that disabled people party can make people uncomfortable. And I'm like, I truly do not understand...it's just so, so short sighted."
— Alexa & Jaclyn Child [28:42]
8. Working as Sisters: Challenges and Growth
[31:27] Navigating sibling & business dynamics:
- They've had plenty of arguments—normal for siblings, especially living and working together.
- Learning to communicate, make up quickly, and appreciate the strengths each brings.
"We always get through it pretty quickly. A simple sorry fixes things."
— Jaclyn Child [32:30]
- Complementary approaches: Alexa dreams big; Jaclyn excels at executing plans and logistics.
9. Impact, Growth, and Future Plans
[36:10] Jaclyn's first professional experience:
- After years as a "professional patient" with chronic illness, working on Dateability provided renewed purpose and self-worth.
- Addresses the societal misconception that disabled people cannot be “dependable” employees.
[38:57] Vision for the future:
- Aspires to hire and empower more disabled/chronic illness community members as the app grows.
"We really want to contribute to the disabled workforce, and we know that people with disabilities are less likely to be hired, and there's still some really nasty policies out there that allow disabled people to earn less than minimum wage, and we just want to change that..."
— Jaclyn Child [38:57]
- Making Dateability as recognizable as Tinder or Bumble in pop culture.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
"If you set the bar low, you’re most likely gonna be pleasantly surprised, or at least you won’t be disappointed."
— Alexa Child [09:29] -
"Chronically ill people have a lot of fun. And there is that paradox of, like, well, if you're so sick...you shouldn't be doing that...but it couldn't be further from the truth."
— Jaclyn Child [25:25] -
"Choose your own joy. There is joy in everything and it's out there."
— Jaclyn Child [41:28] -
“I want to let everyone know... we created Dateability and it's working. We...have several success stories. Our first Dateability wedding is in February 2026.”
— Alexa Child [41:46]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 03:39 — Jaclyn's personal journey and inspiration for the app
- 07:10 — Alexa’s perspective as a sibling, support system, and co-founder
- 09:00 — How Dateability was conceived and built from scratch
- 11:23 — On rejecting the societal pressure to settle in relationships
- 15:14 — What sets Dateability apart from other dating apps
- 23:17 — Advice on supporting loved ones with disabilities
- 28:42 — Reflections on hosting community events and challenging stereotypes
- 31:27 — Navigating family dynamics and business tensions as sisters
- 36:10 — Jaclyn’s return to work and sense of purpose
- 38:57 — Hiring plans and future impact for Dateability
- 41:28 — Parting advice: joy, perspective, and sharing app successes
Tone and Style
The episode is warm, candid, supportive, and often humorous, blending personal vulnerability with determined optimism. Both sisters use relatable, conversational language, and the host creates an empathetic, positive environment.
Final Thoughts
This episode educates listeners on the challenges faced by disabled and chronically ill individuals in dating, highlights the disparities in mainstream dating platforms, and celebrates proactive solutions rooted in empathy and lived experience. Through Dateability, Jaclyn and Alexa aim not just to change dating, but to foster greater societal understanding and belonging.