Embark on a captivating journey with Val as Dating Unlocked delves into her dating world, exploring red flags, wild date ideas, and the unfiltered pursuit of authentic connections.
What are three red flags on a date?
a) If my date spends any amount of time talking crap about their ex, I get that some relationships have messy breakups, but like it or not, when things were going well, your partner was a reflection of yourself and an important part of your life. What does that say about you if you're so quick to spite a relationship you willingly agreed to, every day, for an extended period of time? Bonus red flags if you call your ex "crazy", because that's such a lazy way to explain someone's behavior and a sign of a lack of accountability.
b) If my date struggles to look me in the eyes.
c) If my date shows any signs whatsoever of insecurity about the fact that they're in public with a trans woman. I need someone on my level: confident enough that they couldn't care less what other people think.
What motivated you to join Dating Unlocked, and what are you hoping to gain from this experience?
I'm trying to be proactive in every way to find a partner and cultivate a relationship built on a foundation of honesty and transparency because I've never experienced that before in my life, and I want to open myself to every possible opportunity I can to realize that possibility. I've spent my whole life closeted and ashamed, and I'm determined to finally experience a relationship without shame, so I'm pulling out all the stops and making an honest effort with any opportunity to meet interesting and fun people. Also, I like to be on TV. Hah.
How would you describe your dating style and approach to forming connections with others?
As a comedian, I tend to keep things super light, playful, and fun, but I don't waste time in at some point subtly making my fundamental principles and intentions clear. We can have a fun time and laugh lots but I need my date to know exactly where I stand, which is why somewhere in the date I will gently open up with something deeply personal to establish an emotional intimacy and transparency that hopefully mutually lasts :)
In what ways has participating in Dating Unlocked changed or influenced your perspective on love and relationships?
I'm going to be completely honest here: it has been a harsh reminder not to be so naive and not to so blindly take people at their word.
If you were to create a perfect date that doesn't involve a traditional dinner or a movie, what would it look like?
Screw movies as a date idea! Movies are for later. If it's early in the dating phase between myself and a partner, I want to TALK! I want to find out who this person is, but I want to be able to do it in a playful atmosphere. I tend to like a little healthy competition because banter and trash talk can be flirty and fun, so something wild like axe-throwing, bowling, billiards, or an arcade is, in my opinion, an excellent icebreaker. I also mean this when I say that I would totally skydive or swim with sharks with someone on a first date. If someone asked, I wouldn't hesitate to say 'yes'. Let's bond over something TRULY WILD!