90 Day: Cleo Wonders How Boyfriend Christian Will Fare His First Time Dating a Transgender Woman with Autism
In Sunday's episode of '90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days,' Cleo worries that the differences between them could cause "friction" when they meet in person
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Cleo and Christian on "90 Day Fiancé"Although Cleo is excited to spend time with her boyfriend Christian on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, she does have some concerns about how he’ll handle dating a transgender woman with autism.
The 32-year-old Italian model, who resides in London, met the 30-year-old on social media a year ago. In Sunday’s episode, Christian was getting ready to travel to England to meet his girlfriend in person for the first time.
One of Cleo’s major worries was how her boyfriend — the self-described “life of the party" — will fare dating someone with autism. She described Christian as “extroverted and goofy.” In contrast, she said she gets “very easily overstimulated” in social settings.
“Me being autistic, I’m very introverted and kind of worried that this could cause some friction,” she confided in her friend. “I feel [he’s] probably the most extroverted person that I've ever dated. So that kind of scares me a little bit. In my past relationships, there's definitely been times where I felt … like I was a burden, because maybe I was getting too anxious or I would refuse to do things, refuse to go out. And that made things hard.”
“A real concern [is] that maybe Christian isn't necessarily somebody that's going to be happy being in a committed relationship, you know, especially with somebody like me,” she added.
Cleo also has concerns about Christian dating a transgender woman for the first time. She said the two of them have discussed her worries and that he’s reassured her. However, she’s still anxious about things potentially being different between them in person.
“I did bring up that insecurity, and he was kind of very honest about it,” Cleo said. “He said, ‘I'm attracted to you as a person and I don't see how, you know, the fact that you're trans would be a problem for me.’ Obviously, I am worried that once he’s here, like there's maybe certain things about me that you know, maybe like you wouldn't have noticed online. Or you know, maybe [he’ll] be bothered by the things about me that I feel insecure about.”
At a poker game, one of Christian’s friends asked him if Cleo had undergone gender confirmation surgery. He declined to answer, saying he didn’t feel comfortable disclosing it to other people on her behalf.
“So, Cleo and I have discussed our anatomy. And I know everything there is to know about her,” he later explained. “But when my friends and family broach the subject, I just find it extremely uncomfortable to answer it.”
Christian describes himself as “heterosexual AF.” He was previously married to another woman for a short period of time, having eloped during the pandemic. The marriage was annulled later that same year.
“I feel closer to her than any woman I’ve dated in the last few years for sure,” he said of Cleo. “I mean, there’s definitely some differences [between us]. But as far as like, my feelings towards Cleo, it’s strong enough I feel like to overcome, you know, any type of situation like that.”
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90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on TLC.
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