Shane, who’s been confined to a wheelchair since the age of three, is in a happy relationship with able bodied Anna Reinalda.
But after the couple started to get comments from other strangers, Shane – who’s a writer and has a book called Laughing At My Nightmare – has spoken out on his blog.
“I was recently out on a dinner date with my lovely girlfriend, Anna, when a stranger turned to my girlfriend and asked, 'Are you his sister?’” Shane, 22, wrote.
“Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with his question, but if I saw two young people out having a nice meal together, I would probably assume that they were dating. This, however, does not seem to be the assumption people make when you throw a wheelchair into the picture.
“On various other occasions my girlfriend has been asked if she was my nurse. Once, a person blankly asked if she was 'the one who takes care of him.' We've gotten used to this bizarre, recurring question, and often find ways to poke fun at their ignorance.”
The couple explain on the blog how they use certain humour to deal with the situations, with Anna jokingly saying “he’s my dad” or Shane telling people: “I just pay her to be my friend.”
Shane, from Pennsylvania, added: “I worried that my physical limitations would prevent girls from wanting to date me.
“I will not be able to pick her up in my car, I can't give hugs or hold hands very well, and we will be limited in the activities we can do for dates. No, I can't go mountain climbing with her, but I can make her laugh.
“One of our main sources of bonding is things like how to brush my teeth without choking me, or how to put my shoes on without snapping my ankles, or how to shave my face without slicing my jugular. She deserves an award for putting up with my relentless teasing.
“That is why I get confused when strangers assume that she isn't my girlfriend, because to us it has always seemed so normal. It is fun and it is silly and it is beautiful, and we never think twice about the fact that our relationship is abnormal in any way.”
To see Shane’s incredible blog in full, click here!