[nabs-l] backpacks are unprofessional?

[sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca]

Hi,
I know a lot of sighted professionals who use backpacks. I sort of  
understand, like Jamie, but I don't see any problem with it. Good luck.
Sarah

Quoting Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com>:

> I can kind of see where your professor is going, but at the same time I
> don't think he understands how inconvenient and impractical it is for a
> blind professional to carry around a messenger bag or briefcase. I don't
> know where I'd be if I was suddenly told I couldn't carry my backpack on my
> back. A messenger bag throws me off balance and I tend to move diagonally to
> the side the weight is on if it's heavy (which we all know it would be.). It
> also makes it more difficult to use my cane, and the weight can be rather
> painful and potentially harmful. I can understand if I was driving into town
> to do this work, but if I'm walking and using public transit, it just isn't
> practical... And frankly, our bags are heavier (usually) than a sighted
> persons, what with the weight of any braille or large print materials we'd
> be carrying, laptops, note-takers, magnifiers, things that may be needed for
> the dog (not sure about that one since I don't use a dog, but I imagine it's
> a possible added weight). It just makes more sense to use both shoulders
> instead of one or just your hand.
>
> I don't think it looks unprofessional to be carrying a backpack. I mean, if
> a blind person was doing business with me and they had on a barbie doll or
> spider man backpack, or it had stickers and buttons all over it advertising
> their favorite bands or college sports teams, I have to say that would look
> very unprofessional and may lead me to take this person less seriously. But
> a simple, organized adult backpack is fine, in my opinion...
>
> However I am not the majority, and I find time and time again that my views
> on blindness and other matters differ greatly from those of the majority.
>
> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 11:39 PM, Martha Harris
> <latinanewschic at hotmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Hi Everyone,
>> I'm a journalism major; as part of our magazine production, we have to go
>> out in to the community to sell ads, talk to Lions Clubs, have tables at
>> local events, ETC. We have two conditions: dress professionally, and don't
>> wear a backpack. I totally understand the dress professionally, but what do
>> you all think about backpacks? Do they make us look too much like students
>> and not professionals, and if so, why? As a blind student, would I not be
>> taken seriously because "she doesn't know that everyone else has different
>> bags?" or something like that?
>> Personally, I prefer the backpack. It is painful to have the strap of a
>> messenger bag, satchel, or large purse on my left shoulder with the bag on
>> the right side of my body, and having the strap on my right shoulder with
>> the bag hanging on the left gets in the way of my hand with the dog. Our
>> professor says that since our target audience is permanent residents between
>> 35 and 55 years old who live in the two surrounding counties and not
>> students like the traditional college magazine, we shouldn't look like we
>> come from the university when we go into the town. Thoughts?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Martha
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