[stylist] Representing blindness

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Donna,

I agree with you. Our personal sense of fashion and preference shouldn't
always be a reflection on our blindness. Yes I love fashion and make-up,
but I don't walk around looking like a fashion-ista every day. You
parents can appreciate this. Most days I'm in my yoga clothes since
Declan and I hang out at home a lot. People might think, "Oh, that blind
lady doesn't know about fashion or care," but I'm just trying to be
comfortable for my particular situation. When I leave the house, I will
dress a little differently. When my sighted parent friends dress this
way, people just think, "Oh, they have little children." Annoying.

Bridgit
Message: 22
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:55:47 -0500
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness
Message-ID: <EED51D86EFC047148078ADB915BA754B at OwnerHP>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Bridgit,
I think that one reason we get this business about representing blind
people
is because of how very few of us there really are. Lynda pointed out
that
she's the only blind person most of the people in her life have ever
known.
I think that's true for many of us. I don't like having that
responsibility
thrust upon my shoulders either. It makes me feel like I must be from
another planet. 

I think, though, that whether we see ourselves in that role or not, we
are
representing blindness to an ignorant and pathetic world. We can't get
away
from it; it's just the way things are. Nevertheless, your attitude is
the
right one. Just do whatever you want to do for you. 

For me, one of the things that gauls me -- and it falls under the
heading of
the mantel of responsibility of representing ourselves to the sighted
world
-- is the dress code thing. I would be embarrassed to come to a national
NFB
convention without a serious shopping trip. I'm not into fashion; unlike
you, I don't like or want to wear make-up. I'm usually in jeans  with
flannel shirts for the cold weather and short-sleeved cotton shirts in
the
summer. If I have to go somewhere special -- and we don't seek out
places
where people dress up, because they also wear perfume which we're
allergic
too -- then I do have a few "nice" things in my closet. I don't feel all
that comfortable in them though. 
Donna