Category: Let's talk
I have noticed that some blind people talk about their blindness every day and that it is a major part of their lives, while others view it as a feature like being tall or short. How do you guys view yourselves? Is your disability who you are and does it define you?
I never talk about my blindness unless it comes up in a situation like as a professional musician if someone wants me to march in an event while performing. I get them to accommidate my disability, but that is pretty much it.
I don't either, but so what if some do? I realize you're a spastic nervous young idealistic but still. Is it really wrong if that is what some want to do?
Some identify as their gender, or their sexual orientation, or even race. If it's really a non-issue for you, as it is for me, it won't bother you if others choose to identify that way if that is how they want it. It's their life. They're not making you or me do it. So why should we stop them? Presumably they know what's working for them.
I am not saying I have a problem with it, I am just curious as to why it happens.
Why do the gays identify as gay? Or women in certain fields identify as women in those fields rather than just professionals in that field, which they are? In short, this is a human, not a blind, thing.
I have known blind people from all over the spectrum. For some, that's all life seems to be about. For others, you rarely ever hear them mention it. THen there's those who judge others based on how blind, or how they live while blind. There's even some who feel it's their place to comment on here about how "you shouldn't have the word "blind" in your user name. Please. I am legally considered blind, and I have no problem saying so. It's not who I am, but it is a part of me. Do I consider it a disability? yes I do, because whether we like it or not, this is still predominently a sighted world, and we are still under the radar in terms of equality in many respects. Were it not so, I could drive a car, get the same level of detail out of a movie, etc. That said, it's simply a part of me; a part of who I have grown up being. I'm neither proud of my blindness, nor bitter about it. I have enjoyable hobbies, a terrific wife,a great job, a child on the way, and a multitude of talents. Blindness is just part of the package. But were it that I could have this blindness removed, I might take it, even though I would have to learn many things in a different way.
Guardian said it pretty well. My blindness does not define me. It is not all of who I am. I am a woman, a Christian, and many other things. But it certainly is a part of me, one that impacts many aspects of life. Mind that I didn't say stops me from living life, but it does mean I have to adapt in many cases, and it can make some things more difficult. I talk about it when I need to, or sometimes just when I feel like it. I have no aversion to talking about it, because I know that I also discuss a wide array of other things with people. I think you see so much talk of blindness here on the Zone because, as Guardian said, it is a predominately sighted world. This, on the other hand, has predominately blind members, and so you'll find it gets discussed more. We know we can talk to each other about the good, bad, and ugly of it.
As many others, I define it as a characteristic. I don't view myself as Ryan the blind guy.
However, this does bring up an interesting point. Many people view blindness as more than that. And I'm not just talking about the people who are blind. I'm talking about people who you pass daily, that haven't been exposed to it before. they see it as something huge and amazing, that a blind person can travel around by themselves. So I have a question. Would you think the same thing for somebody who you saw with say one arm, who was able to write down their signature on a piece of paper, or who painted, or who was a carpenter? Just something to think about, really
Before I weigh in on this, I'm trying to understand something some of you are referring to. It's this thing about letting your blindness define you and why not doing so is apparently something good. I do not understand how one can or cannot let blindness or whatever define them. I dunno, I'm blind and maybe I'm not conscious about whether or not I let it define me. Didn't know I had a definition, I thought I was just alive and doing my thing on planet Earth.
I'll say this though. I don't want to say everybody's motivated by this, but I think a good number of us need to feel connected to some group or sort of folks or a cause or something, and blindness is one of those things. Some folks need to feel like they belong to something and are not alone or isolated, and I think this is especially true of people who are considered part of minority groups. I'm not a sighted person who by some weird twist of fate ended up with broken eyes, I am blind.
Based on what you just wrote, Godzilla, I'd say you definitely don't let it define you. LOL.
Ryan, I try not to think that way about people with other disabilities. For example, I went to college with a girl who was paralyzed from the neck down. Yes, I will admit I have no idea how I'd handle it in her circumstances. She said the same about me: she couldn't imagine being blind any more than I could being paralyzed, but she didn't think I was amazing for it. You handle what life gives you, or you die, is pretty much how she phrased it. Neither of us thought the other was, "amazing." We were both just curious about how each other did things, and learned from each other. She was my friend, and though our initial conversations were a lot about how the other did various things, it soon got to be that we hardly ever talked about our respective disabilities. We were just Alicia and Tara, and that was that.
I definitely don't let blindness define me as others have also said. I happen to be blind and I can't help that. I'm not proud of it but neither am I not proud of it, just for the record.
I observe how some people include the word "blind" in their username and i'm always asking myself why that may be but each to their own.
I think this question was within reason by the way as board posts are created with all sorts of topics.
sorry, I mean, I'm not proud of it either, definitely not proud and don't want to tell the world.
I would say my attitude towards my blindness is just contentment. It's all I know, as I've been blind all my life, so I'd better learn to live with it instead of moping about wishing I was something I am not..
As for other disabled people, I really feel I'm on more of an equal level with them so I don't admire them from afar as to how they cope with life, because I understand everybody's got their ways and means of coping no matter who they are. Unfortunately it's those sighted people who view me as something magical or greater than themselves that I don't feel equal to. I feel they are making me out to be much more than I am because of their low expectations. But you just can't fix people in the end, can you. You can shout about how sighted people need education, but I don't think the education works or sticks because people believe they are only going to have meaningful contact with people very much like themselves. Everyone else is alien.
I'm cool with my blindness…been this way since birth. I have no problem talking about it if people have questions or anything. I get amazed by people with other disabilities doing cool things (one-legged skiers, that drummer with one arm, etc), but when I hear about a blind person climbing Mount Everest I really don't care because it really doesn't surprise me. I go on here to browse and play games, but I'm not one of those who seeks out other blind friends. I've got a couple blind friends I feel comfortable with, but most other blind people make me nervous. I never know if we're supposed to attempt to shake hands when we're introduced or if I'm supposed to provide them with assistance if they don't know the route but I do. Am I supposed to guide them sighted-guide style?
If you have no problem talking about your blindness, then you shouldn't have a problem asking your blind friends how they feel about these issues that make you nervous. I wouldn't just assume that they all want to be guided around, either. If they did, they would probably ask. To me, shaking someone's hand when you've just met is common courtesy, I always offer my hand and, if the other person is blind, it doesn't hurt to point out that you're extending your hand.
I don't understand who here said it was a problem? So what is wrong with being curious about these things, I wonder? Anyhow, I'm fine with my blindness, I don't tell everyone in the world. Some people notice, others don't so what it doesn't make a difference in my life. It's not the most interesting fact about me either, so...
Yeah I don't have a "problem" with asking my blind friends…I just hadn't thought to ask them. All my blind friends have been my friends since we were little, so we hug when we see each other.
my blindness doesn't define me, just as any number of other characteristics/traits I have, don't define me. they're all parts of who I am, but that's the extent of it.
I don't have a problem talking about my blindness/other visible disabilities. in fact, I even encourage people to ask questions whenever possible, so that they can become more informed than they might otherwise be.