Category: Let's talk
Okay. I don't mean media attention in general, but I mean the kind when a reporter sees you walking independently and asks if they can do a story about it on the news. In a way, I'm glad, because maybe it'll crush some of the misconceptions when people see it, but, at least in my experience, they seem to portray us as these amazing blind people who can, by some miracle, survive, and even succeed, in the real world. Is this a good or bad thing? I'm really on the fence with this one. Has this sort of thing happened to anyone else?
Oh, I think my fifteen minutes are over, thankfully. Was in the paper at least once and on TV more than once. I don't think I could stand it now because the media likes to take disability stories to one extreme or another. Portraying us as ordinary slobs is not entertaining and will not sell Cadillacs, so we're either tragic figures or superheroes and it all just gives me the oogies.
Yeah, I'm on the fence with this too. Hate the portrayal of the amazing super gimp but on the other hand, it does get the word out that people with disabilities aren't worthless lumps. This is a timely topic for me as there are rumors that someone wants to do a story about the blind rowing team I'm on. The coaches asked us if we'd be willing. I'm very conflicted. I'll probably do it but it still feels icky.
I've been on TV and in the paper more times than I care to admit, and I can't say it's a good thing. while I'd like to believe positive comes from it at times, I think reporters are out to do stories on heroic blind/disabled people more often than not. even though, to us, we're just living life like the rest of society. in your case, I think this was sadly a story of the poor blind girl being left on an airplane. it could happen to anyone, but it seems a bigger deal is made out of it when the person is disabled and/or takes a little more of an effort to get around than the average person.
lol I had a job at the hyatt 2 years ago and fox news asked if they could do a story on how it was so amazing how independent I am. So I was like yeah sure why not right? So they do it and when I heard it on tv that night I was like what? I never said half that and the clips of what I said that they played sounded so pitiful. so no more ever news appearances for me.
I've never been profiled for something like that, thankfully. Though it's kind of cool that all of you have.
I think media attention on any subject can go both ways - it's not most often the subject that is the problem, but the media's portrayal of it. It's best never to let the idea of attention and fame cloud the fact that you're definitely being used to garner a larger audience for whatever media outlet's looking at you.
I agree that it really is about the media's portrayal of it. For those who you who have seen my "locked in a plane" story, and apparently it's pretty big, nowhere in any of my interviews did I say I was scared because I was a poor little blind girl. Yes, it was a scary experience, but there are plenty of sighted people who don't know how to open a plane door as well. I just fear that this story, and many others, could have been taken out of context, especially from those who chose to do the story based only on what they heard from others in the media. In fact, I had all but forgotten about what happened. It ended up working out okay in the end, and that's what mattered most to me. The only reason I agreed to do the interviews was hopefully to get United Airlines off their ass and start doing something about it, which I won't go into here, because that's a whole other story.
I wasn't trying to imply you said you were a poor blind girl; I was saying that's often why the media does stories like that. I doubt they would've done a story on a sighted person; that's what I mean.
I have not seen the airplane story, but were I to see it, you'd certainly have my sympathies on account of what these goons can do.
I think you're probably more susceptible if closer to a college campus. I did a couple, and in both cases was rather pressured into it, but I think I didn't make it on aside from a picture of me taking a computer apart, because my answers to their questions were guarded and to the point. Others did the talking. The media and people who watch it are impressed not by people just working and doing useful stuff, but a tragedy-to-triumph, emotional and I guess some would say inspirational, if you believe in inspiration like that. But if you do go on display you must note the sound bite thing described earlier is more the rule than the exception.
My suggestion: if the media wants something like them, give them a mannikin, perhaps now a smart mannikin that can speak or at least move its lips as though speaking. They and their watchers won't know the difference, and would keep anyone from being used. Make no mistake about it: it's nothing more than the modern freak show, and the fact one of us would be singled out for this only demonstrates. Another side not brought up here is that while we all understand this is unwanted attention, rather like the neighbor's dog humping your leg, many get resentful because they think the attention excessive. And many of those types will begin squabbling over the supposed attention you're getting, rather like a pack of seagulls fighting over three-day-old hishheads that have been out in the sun.
It's an all-round loss, both sides are ludicrous and neither exercises the intelligence of a fly.
Chelsea, sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm not saying that's what you said I implied. I'm saying that's what the media may have. Now, I'm interested to read some of the storeis from the media that didn't contact me first. I'm hoping they didn't take it that far, because I'll have a few words to say if they did, but you're right. They probably wouldn't have done the same story if it had happened to someone sighted. I don't mean just about my story though. Yes, that's what gave me the idea to start this topic, but I've had plenty of other experiences where people have wanted to do a story totally about my blindness. I had reporters follow me around all day once, taking note of every little thing I could do on my own. They even taped me getting out of a car, as if people expect that my mom has to carry me.
Media attention of this nature can be good or bad. I was on the TV and in the papers many times as a kid, and most of the portrayals were good and accurate. Seldom are the media, in my experience, out to portray the heroic blind gimp who can actually get up in the morning and dress himself. I read a few of the stories on your experience, Jess, and I think they all did a nice job of portraying it (at least the ones I randomly selected to read). Having said that, though, I recently did an interview about my experiences in college and the leadup to work. The story came on the radio, and it was nothing more than a blindy, as I like to call it, report. I was horrified; few of my actual quotes were used, and the story focused almost exclusively on my blindness. It is the worst media story I've heard on any topic, frankly.
A couple of the storeis were incredibly accurate. Nobody quited me inaccurately, but there were some things they said that I did not say, and some important things I mentioned that they failed to include.
that's the thing: the only time they can't twist your words around is when you have a microphone attached to you.
where can I read your story?
I've been on TV and in the newspapers before, mainly for my wrestling talent. sure they mentioned that i was blind, but it was never that big of a point for them in that.
google it you'll find it
The only thing that discouraged me about the stories I read was that a few readers commented that a blind girl shouldn't be flying anyway and was probably bereft of the necessary coping mechanisms. That is the kind of stuff that stings. This kind of stuff is going to happen the odd time when a blind person flies alone, and mobility in planes is not easy. I admire you for your courage on this one.
Definitely. Google "blind woman locked in a plane". Every search option you come up with will probably be different versions of the story. Yes, I agree with leaffan in that it was more the comments than the actual story that looks bad, but the story wasn't on the mark either.