[nagdu] Political Correctness ?? and rudness

[rhonda cruz]

 i tell people.
 that i'm becoming  totally blind.
 with a little bit of shadows, but some light.
 . 
 it's becoming  tuff.
 for me.

 i became.
 totally blind. a year. after returning home with may.

 i still miss my visit ion.
 but i have may. to see for me. i'm proud of it.

 but it's all good. smile.

On Mar 25, 2012, at 6:00 AM, Larry D. Keeler wrote:

> I aggree with you Julie about the descriptive and the movement as well.  I am a relatively oppen person.  I used to be able to see when I was a kid and both of myy eyes iether came out the right or were removed the left by the time I was 10.  So, of course, I am blind as a bat!  Correction, bats can se some!  But, I also sometimes don't want to have folks remember that as the first and most relevant thing about me!  While blind, I have accomplished many things that able bodied folks can't get there heads around!  I was an athlete, I'm a husband and father, I play flute and so many other things! I'm quite comfortible with the blindness and when asked I'll be happpy to explain whatever but not under every situation.  I do reserve the right to not explain as well.  I also use my right to not put my blindness up front when it seems advantagious not to do so.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:32 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Political Correctness ?? and rudness
> 
> 
>> Mardi,
>> 
>> I tell people I'm blind for a few reasons.  First it's how I identify myself.  I do have a bit of usable vision, but for most things I prefer to use a non visual alternative.  I am comfortable with the word blind.  It's who I am.
>> 
>> The second reason I say blind is because it is shorter.  Sure the word itself is shorter, but the conversation about my private medical details are also shorter when I use the word blind.  If I tell someone that I'm visually impaired, and I did used to use this terminology, it seems to invite a conversation about just exactly how much I can see, in what circumstances, on which day of the week, in what colors and what the underlying medical cause is.  Really I can live without all of that.  If I say I'm blind, then that is that and we can move directly on to what is important in that particular interaction.   Sometimes I will do something or say something that cues the person in to the fact that I do have a bit of vision.  Sometimes they will ask if I can see some.  I just say "yes, a small bit" and do not elaborate.  I gently but firmly move the conversation back to the important bits.
>> 
>> I think the whole PC movement is silly.  I think it was invented by  able bodied, straight, white men who are a bit uncomfortable but won't admit it with people who are different.   I always put the adjective before the noun just as I do with any other descriptive words.  I say blind person not person who is blind, just as I say red sweater, not sweater which is red.
>> 
>> Perhaps my choice of the word blind has these effects or perhaps it is my comfort level with myself, my identity and my blindness.  I don't know, but I can say for certain that I have a lot less intrusive and inappropriate conversations since making this shift.
>> 
>> All my best,
>> Julie
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 3/25/2012 12:31 AM, Mardi Hadfield wrote:
>>> I have a political correctness question. I have been referring to my self
>>> as legally blind. I don't call my self blind, as I feel that might mislead
>>> other people into thinking that I am totally blind.I do have some
>>> sight,though it is diminishing.I am also deaf in one ear.I don't refer to
>>> my self as Deafblind as I can still hear. I just can't tell where that
>>> sound is coming from.As a matter of fact, I seldom even mention that I have
>>> a hearing problem.I have mentioned it on this list due to some of the
>>> threds that have been discussed here. Is it the right thing to call my self
>>> a legally blind person? If not, what should I say to people.I often get
>>> asked if my dog is a wheelchair dog or a guide dog.They ask me, why do I
>>> need a guide dog if I am using a wheelchair. I guess they think that only
>>> people that can walk become blind?I actually dread talking about this as I
>>> end up explaining all about how I have spinal stenosis and that is why I
>>> use a wheelchair and then how I was affected by brain damage  and then
>>> affected by macular degeneration, and that is why I am legally blind. Then
>>> I have to explain legal blindness. I am a very private person and hate
>>> answering all these questions. But some how they always ask.Some times I
>>> just don't answer and then people think I am rude. All this while they are
>>> usually petting my dog. How do others on this list handle this situation?
>>> Mardi and Shaman and Tipton,future GDIT.
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lkeeler%40comcast.net 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rhondaprincess%40gmail.com