[Cabs-talk] studying "the blind,"

[Aziza C]

Hi guys,

 

So I may be completely off based, but I will let you decide.

 

I got a message on facebook from an individual who wants to write a paper on
a blind person. Personally this infuriates me. It frustrates me that the
only reason someone would contact me is to try and make their misconceptions
fit into my life so they can write their paper and pretend they actually
understand what its like to be blind.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I love to inform and teach, but there is a
difference in sitting down and discussing blindness as a whole with someone
pursuing an education in disability services, or allowing someone to
document what kind of lives we lead, or even working with children who want
to learn how to develop something to help the blind community. These kinds
of efforts, in my opinion, are helping us. However, when someone contacts
me, as if I am a rare case study they must speak with because I am blind, I
get a little frustrated.

 

Where does general affective curiosity cross the line into rude invasion of
our blindness? How do we decide who to help with projects like these, and
who is not really interested in blindness, but just wants a good topic to
bluff his/her way through with preconceived false notions?

 

Aziza