[nabs-l] Retraction

[Joe Orozco]

Dear list,

I spoke with the professor regarding his sex study of which there's been so
much discussion.  By way of a summary, there is research suggesting that
blind people are at least two years behind in their sexual development.
However, there is no research to fully explain why this is the case.

Last year he attempted to survey students ages 14-18.  Only 3 out of 70
parents gave consent for their children to participate, and naturally, this
is an insufficient sample.  If the research above is true, his next best
option is to interview young adults between 18 and 20, since theoretically
their sexual development would be at that of a 16 to 18-year-old.  He wanted
to stay as close to the original age range as possible.

The reason for the survey is to promote equal sex education among blind
students.  There are schools with no sex education.  There are schools where
the sex education is fully developed, but even these campuses are not fully
prepared to go beyond visual exhibits for their blind students.  Blind
people are therefore left without a real sense of sex, and even more
importantly, sexual safety.  Take it a step further, and research suggests
blind people are not fully aware of more serious conditions like signs of
cancer, a problem that could have been covered in a well-prepared sex
education curriculum using replicas and other tools.

Ultimately, the current study does not seek to teach blind people how to do
what would be self-explanatory.  Rather, it seeks to create an instrument
that teachers can use to educate blind people in a way sighted people are
educated from photos, diagrams and movies.

Having written all that, I retract my previous post.  I said to the
professor that his e-mail could have provided a little more information
without tainting the nature of his research.  He feels the reaction would
have been more positive if he had included the fact that he is also blind.
I disagreed with him, pointing out that I took the e-mail at face value.  My
reaction would have been the same with the information I was provided,
regardless of visual acuity.  I wish the professor the best in his studies
and hope its outcome serves of some value to younger students.  No, I do not
think equal sex education will make or break a blind person's total sexual
development, but I am looking at this from the standpoint of equal access to
the classroom.  If sighted people can process this information visually,
there should be methods to impress the same information among blind
students.

And, I do not retract my overriding point that as blind people we should not
feel compelled to defend ourselves on all fronts.  My reference to the study
was one example, but I think it also applies to mischaracterizations we
might see on television or come across in general media.  If we make a habit
of defending ourselves against every misguided notion, we will spend more
time educating and less time living, and living is sometimes the best method
of setting an example.

At any rate, it was great to be proven wrong on the study.  Anyone who can
respond to my loaded points with the poise the professor did deserves my
respect and public retraction.  It is my understanding that he offered to
speak to other people via phone to explain himself, and the only response he
received were rude messages and hang-ups.  I hope the additional information
will help us all see things from the perspective it was meant to be
perceived.

Best,

Joe

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing