Valentine’s Day and I/DD: Representations of Love on Screen

Valentine’s Day gives us a chance to pause and think about the many forms love can take. At Boundless, we see every day that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) experience love in all its richness. They form friendships, build relationships, navigate dating, and find connections in ways that reflect who they are as individuals. Their lives are full and meaningful, and love is already woven into the everyday moments we share with them. 

Pop culture plays a role in how society understands that truth. Some shows and films finally highlight people with disabilities as real people with real emotions, hopes, and relationships. Others still fall short. But each one adds to the larger conversation about what love looks like for people with I/DD, not just on Valentine’s Day, but all year long. 

Below are some shows and films that help bring those stories to life. 

Love on the Spectrum 

This is one of the most widely recognized portrayals of dating and love among adults on the autism spectrum. It follows people as they explore first dates, long term dreams, social challenges, and personal growth. The series focuses on honesty and individuality rather than stereotypes, which is why it resonates with so many viewers. It gives space for excitement, connection, and vulnerability, all of which mirror the real experiences we see at Boundless. 

Atypical 
 
Atypical centers on Sam, an autistic teen who wants to start dating and build more independence. The show explores communication differences, family dynamics, emotional growth, and the universal desire to be seen and understood. It often appears in discussions of more authentic disability representation. 

Children's Shows like Bluey, Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood 

Several children’s programs have made meaningful strides in everyday representation of disability. Bluey features Dougie, who is deaf and communicates in Australian Sign Language, and Jack, a classmate widely recognized by viewers as showing ADHD traits. Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go introduces Bruno the Brake Car, an officially autistic character developed with disability organizations and voiced by autistic actors, who models routines and navigates sensory challenges. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood includes Chrissie, who has cerebral palsy and uses leg braces and forearm crutches, and Max, an autistic boy voiced by an autistic actor; both are shown taking part in school, play, and neighborhood life. Together, these shows help children see disability as a natural part of everyday friendships and community. 

Valentine’s Day is usually framed around romantic love, but the stories above remind us that love shows up in many forms. At Boundless, love looks like: 

• Friends cheering each other on 
• Individuals learning how to advocate for themselves 
• Staff supporting healthy relationships 
• Families celebrating milestones 
• Individuals building the connections that matter to them 

Pop culture is slowly catching up to represent this truth. Some shows are beginning to portray people with I/DD as fully realized individuals who laugh, grow, try new things, and seek loving relationships of their own choosing. When the world sees that, it reflects what we have always known here. 

Valentine’s Day gives us a chance to honor that reality. Love belongs to everyone, and the people we support show us new ways to understand it every single day.