Online dating gets niche-y
Paraplegics need love too. So do cross-dressers, dwarfs, tall people and truckers.
Oh and we can't forget the impotent, diabetic and irritable bowel sufferers.
How do they find true love on Match.com, eHarmony and Yahoo! Personals?
Dating went digital a long time ago, but the options these days are dizzying -- Web sites catering to people with HIV and herpes, people who are tall or short, who are "married but looking," who love pets, wine, tennis, scuba diving and golf.
There are niche dating sites for every political affiliation, religion and ethnic group. There are even ones for Trekkies (TrekPassions.com) and lonely Ayn Rand fans (atlasphere.com).
Of course, none of these niche dating sites can boast the huge memberships of a Match.com. But some people find them more appealing than sifting through thousands of profiles. If a quadriplegic wants to date another quadriplegic, why waste time on eHarmony?
What are some of the most specialized sites? We scoured the Internet to come up with this list:
18wheelsingles.com
"Where single truckers meet significant others." SWF looking for a truck driver for companionship and to ride the open road. Also check: truckerpassions.com.
Airtroductions.com
Who hasn't dreamed of meeting someone on a plane? Create a profile, enter your flight information (flight number, airports, date and time) and select a match.
Cisforcupid.com
Breast cancer survivor searching for prostate cancer survivor for companionship and emotional support? Cancer survivors founded this site earlier this year.
DateALittle.com
This dating site caters to people with dwarfism and others of short stature -- men under 5-feet, 6-inches tall and women under 5-feet tall. Also check out LittlePeopleMeet.com.
Datingpro.com
For those with no luck finding a perfect match. Design your own professional dating site. Price ranges from $400 to $1,380.
Deafs.com
"Where deaf friends and singles feel at home!" Also check out: deafpassions.com, deafsinglesconnection.com and soulmatesource.com/deafpeoplemeet.html.
Disabledpassions.com
For the quadriplegic searching for that special someone. This site caters to people with disabilities, ranging from visual impairment and deafness to people who use wheelchairs. Some others: disabled-world.com, whispers4u.com.
Hairfetishpersonals.com
Men, get rid of that toupee. Women stop hiding that bald head under a wig. The singles on this site love the bald look, whether it's on a man or a woman.
IrritatedBeingSingle.com
This site is for sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease because, "there is no better feeling than being with someone who understands exactly what you are going through."
Kizmeet.com
Helps you find those missed connections. (You danced with a hottie at the club last night but never got his name.) Search postings within specific locations, such as bar, club, coffee shop, in 17 cities.
Marry-an-ugly-millionaire-online-dating-agency.com
Beautiful woman searching for ugly millionaire to shower her with diamonds. This dating site matches the poor with the filthy rich.
MeetAnOstoMate.com
Wearing a colostomy bag? A dating site designed for ostomates.
NoLongerLonely.com
A dating site for people with mental illness. Also check out: bipolarparty.com.
Poormatch.com
Bills itself as the worst dating site in the world. "Over one million people have had lukewarm romantic encounters since joining Poormatch.com."
Prescription4Love.com
P4L is for singles who suffer from an array of health conditions, including burn victims, arthritis, infertility or impotence, deafness, HIV and lupus.
Recoveringmates.com
For people recovering from an addiction, such as alcohol or drugs. This dating site boasts the largest database of sober singles.
Sugardaddie.com
Boasts that it has the "most attractive, wealthy and desirable people in online dating."
Talldates.com
M4M (men for men) dating site because "ordinary gay sites seem to exclude guys who get off on height differences." Also check out: Tallmentogether.com.
Transpassions.com
MTF pre-op searching for FTM pre-op for a real relationship. NO GAMES. A dating Web site for cross dressers, transgenders and transsexual singles. Some others: tgconnect.com and tg.matchopolis.com.