Lauren Harkins lives on her own timeline, and she refuses to apologize for it.

At 35, the Portland, Maine entrepreneur says she has never dated and has never been intimate with anyone. However, she doesn’t link her choice to religion or a promise to wait for marriage. Instead, she says she simply didn’t feel pulled toward romance in her teens or twenties. Back then, relationships looked juvenile and complicated. So she opted out.

Now she shares her perspective on TikTok and Instagram, where millions have watched. With that attention, criticism followed. Commenters have called her “expired” and “narcissistic.” Others accuse her of lying because she doesn’t match the shy stereotype people expect. She pushes back with calm certainty. She compares her sexual boundaries to other personal choices, like not smoking or using substances. She also says intimacy feels meaningful to her, not a box to tick.

In recent years, she has opened the door to the idea of a long-term partnership. Still, she feels no rush. She doesn’t plan to have children, and she won’t force a relationship to meet anyone else’s timeline. She wants a committed, aligned partner, and she plans to wait for the right fit.

For Lauren, the point is simple. Integrity comes first. Contentment counts. And “late bloomer” isn’t an insult—it’s a decision.