[stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

[Anita Ogletree]

Amen to that! That's how society, in general, categorizes people 
of different races, religions (and most of all) blind people.
That is how the VR services attempts to manipulate us when we 
don't conform to their pre-determined assessments of all blind 
people.  I shouldn't be judged according to the statistics 
someone has gathered on other people.  I am Anita Ogletree, not 
Jane Doe.  I can make my own adaptations to doing things that 
work for me.  Ms.  Doe should be allowed to do the same without 
feeling threatened that she won't get the help she needs.
You're right! we should not have to represent an entire group.  
That is what they do whenever they talk about black people.  Not 
all of us are going to end up living in the projects.
Ok.  I am finished with my ranting.  LOL
Anita

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com
>To: <stylist at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:36:19 -0600
>Subject: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

>This makes me recall an interesting situation.

>A few years ago I spoke at the Nebraska Medical Center to a group 
of
>medical staff working with diabetics including doctors.  I have 
been a
>type 1 diabetic since I was four, and I have had to manage my 
diabetes
>both as a sighted person and blind person, so I was addressing 
the topic
>from both perspectives.

>Now, exercise and physical activity have always been important to 
me.
>Since childhood, I've been a very active person.  I don't exactly 
look
>out of shape, and to go along with this, my diabetes is well 
managed.
>After I lost my sight, I didn't lose a beat when it came to 
exercising.

>One doctor asked how I adjusted to not being able to work-out 
since
>being blind.  He had participated in a study that, one, 
demonstrated the
>advantages exercise had on diabetics who worked-out and those who 
did
>not, and two, displayed that diabetics with visual impairments 
were in
>the group of non-active people because blindness rendered them 
unable,
>or at least made it difficult, to be active.

>It was one of those moments where I was like, "You're a doctor, 
right?"
>in my head.  I told him that I never stopped working-out or being 
active,
>and I know several other blind people, diabetic and otherwise, 
who are
>very active.

>He then amended his response by stating that he meant visually 
impaired
>people won't be able to navigate a gym or do much out-doors.  To 
which I
>replied that first of all, a gym is not necessary to have access 
too for
>exercising purposes, nor do you need to work-out out-of-doors, 
but
>having said all that, that plenty of blind people, myself 
included, go
>to the gym and find activities to enjoy out in nature.  My 
husband and I
>use a walking trail near our house almost every day during nice 
weather,
>and we aint taken leisurely strolls down it, grin.

>It's just funny how silly people can get about these things.  And 
I like
>what you say about not representing a whole group of people.  I 
am just
>me, and I just want to live my life not always feeling like I 
have to
>represent an entire group of people.  Some will say that as an
>independent, capable blind person, it's our job, whether we want 
it or
>not, to be an example, to represent the entire blind population, 
but
>this is a heavy mantle to wear.  It's like asking any other 
person of a
>minority to be more than an individual; to become the embodiment 
of a
>whole group.  The thing is, no single person is alike.  I mean, I 
get this
>will happen regardless, people will assign roles to us no matter 
what,
>and yes, someone needs to voice progressive, positive examples 
for
>various groups, but damn, we have to live our lives and just be 
human.  I
>want to be a mommy because I love, love, love my kids, not 
because I
>need to demonstrate that blind people can be parents.  I want to 
pursue
>higher education because I love to learn, and I want to further 
my
>knowledge, not because I have to display that blind people are 
just as
>capable.  I want to be out in my community enjoying events and 
activities
>like the theatre, concerts, sports, shopping, playgrounds, 
because I
>have a sincere enjoyment of such activities and not because as a 
blind
>person I must force myself to attend community events so society 
can see
>that blind people are normal.  It's just exhausting, and I have a 
life to
>live beyond this single element of my being.

>Sincerely,
>Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style
>Read my blog at:
>http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

>"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can
>satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for
>another world."
>C.  S.  Lewis

>Message: 13
>Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2013 16:58:47 -0500
>From: "Lynda Lambert" <llambert at zoominternet.net
>To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org
>Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- to take to another level
>Message-ID: <9778408A73F7477DABF1B81E8CB84C96 at Lambert
>Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>	reply-type=original

>this whole thing is very interesting.
>I know for most of the people I am around, I am the only blind 
person
>they
>have ever encountered.  I really don't feel like I need to 
"represent"
>anyone, nor do I want to.  I am still the same "self" that I have 
always
>been, and I think that is hard to grasp because I am sure they 
all look
>at
>this change as being devestating.  They seem surprised when I do 
normal
>things.

>When my husband and I did the one mile "walk to break the 
silence" for
>ovarian cancer last fall, we walked behind my sister and my
>daughter-in-law
>who were engaged in cheery conversation together.  When we 
reached the
>end
>of the course, they turned around and saw us behind them - and 
expressed

>amazement that we were "there"   as if I was not capable of 
walking
>along on
>the course.  I am very "fit" and workout at the gym nearly every 
day, as
>I
>have done most of my life - so why should that be any different 
now, to
>the
>point where anyone would think it surprising I would be walking 
as any
>other
>normal person walks.  Frankly, things like this really scald me, 
and
>particularly when it is my family members, as they know very well 
that I

>walk several miles a day on my cardio days, and work out at the 
gym for
>over
>an hour on other days.  But, there in public with tons of people 
around
>us,
>they show surprise that I can walk at all.  I am laughing as I 
write
>this -
>it is so silly.


>Lynda


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