Swimming in the Mainstream

Agreed 100 percent. One of my big misconceptions has been ADA paratransit. People are always saying to me, "Well Jake, you might have a more positive experience this time around. If you'd just give paratransit another try and let them prove themselves to be helpful, then you'd know." I think the people who have been telling me this have an excellent point. Some of these people are friends of mine with disabilities other than blindness. However, there is a very legitimate reason for me not giving the service another try. I might take a lot of flack for saying what I am about to say but I'm a big boy now and I don't bite. A lot of people within the blindness community have, and have had, what I would characterize as a very misinformed and misguided approach to blindness and visual impairment. These people seem perfectly willing to put those of us down who may be different in one way or another, and these people seem perfectly satisfied and unapologetic about it. If one of us or a group of us takes advantage of an accommodation, either per choice or because we have no other choice, this certain group of visually impaired people seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to demean and criticize us. Paratransit seems to be high on the lengthy list of accommodations which this group does not like. This group seems to be perfectly happy with telling us that we present a bad image to society if we take advantage of these helpful services. I'm not exactly sure of the reasoning behind this, but to me it is most ineffective and extremely degrading. I fully understand and do accept the fact that I do not and probably never will speak for all blind and visually-impaired citizens of the United States or other countries for that matter. I also realize that I'm not and have never been a member of this blindness organization. But I really don't think this certain blindness organization understands and accepts that fact. Perhaps I will give ADA paratransit another try, and maybe it will work out for me this time around. Or maybe it will not work well this time. But if this group wants to be counted among those who is "changing what it means to be blind," they absolutely have to stop putting those of us down who choose to live our lives somewhat differently than other blind people. Future generations of people are definitely not going to have a very positive image of this group, if this group keeps embracing this grim and non-inclusive philosophy.

One of the things I have found working in various places, and being vissually impaired, is that people treat you as if you are either metally challenged or you cannot hear so they yell. It is impossible for some individuals to comprehend the nature of one's handicap.

The thing that gets to me is that people think I am unhealthy because I am blind. They set limits in their own minds about what I should or shouldn't be able to handle; they are usually wrong! The reason this bothers me so much is that I get this from neighbors and even family as well as workplace peers. I really hate that people assume that because I am visually impaired I wish to give up my right to make decisions about my life. I am not stupid, incapacitated or sick. I am blind. That does not diminish who I am, it is part of who I am.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry when an employer makes the false assumption that, even though I got myself to the interview and spoke intelligently and even asked relevant questions, I cannot possibly live alone and take care of my basic needs...oh, and I just MUST live close to my parents who help me because otherwise, how would I manage? Employers seem to be stuck in time, unwilling even to think about how I manage to eat, dress, shop, feed the dog, climb the stairs, etc. in "my condition."

I think what REALLY irks me about employers and others who have misconceptions about blind people is that they are comfortable holding onto the misconception no matter what you do or say. I believe that it stems from fear of becoming blind or fear that they themselves might be unable to adapt to life without eyesight.

I think it's irksome because as a blind person, I am always the one who must change, adapt, adjust, etc. I didn't just adjust to my situation to be done with it. I adjust every single day of my life whether I'm employed or not.

Like Jo, Jan and Connie, the thing that irks me about public misconceptions about blindness is that people assume what my abilities are based upon what they can see and based upon their suppositions. The employer is afraid to let me try the typewriter or computer if it's not speech-accessible to demonstrate my skills assuming I might break it. Potential employers and acquaintances might talk to me indirectly because I'm deaf or a mental imbecile. People think they're helping by arbitrarily doing things for me instead of letting me learn by guiding me kinetically because they don't realize I have to budget my time to do what I need just like they do. Or they may ask questions or make remarks they wouldn't otherwise make to someone with normal visual acuity. It is also irksome when sighted people compare blind people, which they are more inclined to do than to compare other sighted people. "Oh, why doesn't your friend have a dog?" or "Oh, why don't you guys get together and do something?" thinking, although not stating aloud, that just because two people are blind that all their interests and they way we live life are identical. It's kind of like among the sighted population that if you see one blind person you've seen them all. Or it seems that if there are consumer-advocacy organizations on behalf of the blind, that all blind people should belong to them, and all philosophies should be the same-there should always be a consensus among the blind unlike Democrats and Republicans, Senators and Representatives. I'd like to see us be more vocal in asserting our individuality to those with sight as an autonomous person with a visual impairment.