[nabs-l] Blindness versus other minority groups

[Andi]

     I agree nonverbal comunication is so very important and I think it 
should be included in the curriculum that VI's and training centers use, not 
only what we want to say but also avoiding the nonverbals that say what we 
do not want to say.  I use to work at a summer camp and I notice a big 
difference in the social lives of the blind kids and teens who had an 
understanding of nonverbal comunication versis the blind kids and teens who 
were not taught nonverbal comunication.  Part of the reason sighted people 
think so badly and incorrectly about the blind is because sometimes blind 
people do not allways look compatent even though they are.  I am not saying 
that all blind people look this way, nor am I saying that blind people who 
look compatent are never faulsly judged.  I know that the sighted are 
largely ignorent to the truthe about blind people, but I think blind people 
also need to present themselves in a way that portrays them how they want to 
be seen.  I know that you shouldn't care to much what other people think of 
you, because you can not please everyone, and you should always be true to 
yourself; however all people especially people who are already dealing with 
stigmas such as the blind should care to a sertain extent.
     Many blind people have atrophy in the muscles in their face.  This 
means that many facial expressions are hard or in some cases impossible to 
make.  When people have a blank look on their face it looks to the sighted 
like there is nothing going on upstairs.  Even other sighted people get this 
blank look on their face sometimes but it is usually when they are dazing 
off or falling asleep.  When a person has that look all the time it looks to 
sighted people that the blind can not have an intelligent conversation 
because you can not talk to someone who is off in space.  Some Blind people 
go to physical tharipy to remedy this, but that is not necessary just some 
exercises at home can fix it.  Also eye contact is a big part of nonverbal 
comunication.  Many blind people keep their eyes closed, or look at the 
floor, or look up in the sky.  That to a sighted person shows disinterest, 
bordom, or again the off in space thing depending on the rest of your body 
language accompanying the lack of eye contact.  Even though we can not see 
the person we are talking to we should make eye contact.  Isms such as 
rocking, poking, spinning, or flicking, are not exceptable ever as this 
looks like a cognitive impairment.  At the camp their were blind kids with 
no other disability, and blind kids who also had cognitive impairments.  I 
had my sighted sister come to the camp and help teach a weekend dance camp 
as she is a very skilld dancer.  One teenager who is very smart by the way 
and has no other disabilities was rocking and poking while singing loudly at 
dinner.  My sister had not yet met him and asked me how old he was mentally. 
Once she met him and realized he was mentally a normal teen she felt bad for 
asking the question, but that is how the sighted world looks at isms. The 
placement of your hands is a simple but often socially faital thing if 
placed oddly.  Also the way a person stands or walks is importaint.  Many 
blind people move stiffly, I am not talking a robot, but still stif 
movements can tell a sighted person something you are not trying to say. 
Depending on what you are doing with the stiff movement you can look either 
angry, nervous, or mocking.  This is just the tip of the nonverbal icebirg, 
and it can make a huge difference in the way we as blind people are viewed.
     Also you are right about understanding the body language of others, and 
even though we can not see it there are ways of telling what is being said 
silently.  Some actions make noise, while others have a different energy 
feel.  I was told that only 7 percent of all comunication is what a person 
says, 32 percent of all comunication is tone, and 61 percent of all 
comunication is nonverbal.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Tara Annis
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 10:20 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabs-l] Blindness versus other minority groups

I think the first step in helping blind people to get their feelings across 
to the sighted is  to understand what is considered ignorance and what is 
considered outright teasing and cruelty in public.  Many of the meanest 
things are just said with one word    and a lot of body language.  Many 
people who hate blind people speak in a nice manner, but  exhibit cruelty in 
their body language. I do think a lot of blind people, not all, but some, do 
lack discernment in this area, especially if they are blind from birth and a 
sighted person  does not take the time to explain nonverbal communication. 
I think the first step would be for an honest sighted person to follow a 
blind person around and interpret the visual elements to the blind person, 
so that the entire picture can be analyzed for both parties.  I think one of 
the best ways to respond to those who are ignorant, who are not attempting 
to be mean, but make offensive remarks is through body language, like 
rolling one's eyes.  Most sighted people use   nonverbal communication to 
show  when they are irritated by another person.  If the person continues to 
be annoying, the person will then use verbal communication.  That is why 
sighted people think blind are mean for actually verbally stating their 
anger, instead of visually displaying it.  I would like to see a class where 
advanced nonverbal communication is explained, since    currently it seems 
there are just the basics  taught, like  facing the person you are talking 
to and shaking hands. There is not a class in how to display   the various 
ways of shooing levels of discomfort, from   annoyed, slightly irritated, 
somewhat irritated, to angry. Blind people need to know that sometimes it is 
necessary to actively create facial expressions and body movements, as 
opposed to letting one's body language depict their true feelings. 
Personally, I was surprised at the amount of communication that is displayed 
nonverbally, that sighted people watch me from across a large college 
campus, or from way down the street, and are making judgments about me from 
my appearance. Once this was explained to me, I do feel that I am more 
comfortable around sighted people, and am  in   control of  getting my 
feelings across.  The great thing about learning all this stuff is that I 
have seen the amount of ignorance I faced by sighted people diminish 
significantly.  It is a 50/50 situation: blind people need to do their half 
of    helping get rid of ignorance  and sighted people need to be willing to 
do their half.
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