[stylist] MS and Windows

Fri Mar 29 16:52:36 UTC 2013

Jackie,
You're right about the similarities. I think in the case of blindness, the
reasoning goes something like, "If people hear us wishing we could see, then
it will re enforce their already entrenched view that blindness is not OK."
I agree with that, and I wish other blind people would refrain from talking
like that in the presence of sighted folks, but among ourselves, it should
be more tolerated than it apparently is, as part of the reality of the way
many people feel and think. When society bars you in so many ways and
refuses to treat you like a fellow human being, all because of their
precious misconceptions, it seems natural that all of us at one time or
another would wish we didn't have that burden.

I can't relate to the mourning for the loss of sight that most sighted
people assume goes on. I assume it must be an issue, but it hasn't been for
me. What I'm talking about is the thing about not being able to see the
faces of our loved ones, the beauty of a flower and so on. What bothers me
is having an attribute that is -- in and of itself -- a deal-breaker to most
of the sighted world in terms of friendship, employment and even inclusion
in public community. 

I am still befuddled by the idea that people think I'm probably really sad
about not perceiving reflected light and don't get the fact that I am
dealing with prejudice. I know a lot of us have told the sighted public that
the hard thing about blindness is not learning nonvisual skills but dealing
with the ignorance of the public. Whenever this happens, I get the feeling
that the reaction is something like, "Ah, isn't that sweet. She's so brave
to say that dealing with the sighted, which can't possibly be difficult at
all since they are all simply trying to help her, is harder than actually
being blind."
Donna

Donna 

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacqueline
Williams
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2013 7:18 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] MS and Windows

Bridgit and Donna,
Seems like I should have changed the subject, however, I am just sending a
return on your comments.
The problem you describe about the blind and the lack of empathy among the
shakers and movers, is the same in many minority areas. Think of same sex
marriage. Most politicians are against it until they have a son or daughter
who is lesbian or gay. Or the trans-gendered who is the but of legislation
as in Arizona which seeks to keep them from using public bathrooms. This
bill was just re-written at the massive outcry from the public. Perhaps we
should hope that someone running for public office can prove they have a
blind offspring, or a gay child, or had been raped and could not get an
abortion.
Strong medicine, but empathy is a rare commodity to come by these days it
would seem.
I appreciate that you talk of these things.
Jackie

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Donna Hill
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2013 9:58 AM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] MS and Windows

Bridgit,
About senturing ... It is folly to refrain from expressing real feelings or
to dwell long on the criticism of those who would have you do so.

The thing I was thinking of is that as blind people we have a strength and
ability which would serve the community at large. Too often, a problem
presents itself and they struggle with it for a minute or a day or whatever
and throw up their hands in defeat long before we would. BTW, I can't say I
think about how much easier it would be if I could see, even as good as I
did as a child. At this point in life, I have so many negative opinions of
the sighted world, that I wouldn't want to be a part of it, able to pass
through that layer of scrutiny that now holds me back from so many things. 
Donna 

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
Pollpeter
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 6:23 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] MS and Windows

Donna,

Of course not. Sighted people may struggle with the product itself, but they
never have to wait for or muddle through accessibility issues.

The marginalized are always forgotten. When I was sighted, I never thought
about stuff like this, but I also knew very few disabled people, and none of
them blind. I have a great-aunt who has been deaf since the age of 14, and
her husband was deaf, but they never spoke about accessibility or equality
issues and never really addressed anything about disability.

So once I became blind, of course this whole world opened up. Perhaps that's
the wrong analogy because it wasn't a good world.

More and more attention is given to this issue by the Federation and a few
other groups, but no one seems to ever think it all that important.
I heard someone say this recently, and it may be cynical, but it does seem
to ring true: until a big-wig loses sight or has someone dear to them lose
sight, little will be accomplished in terms of accessibility for all people.

I know we are not suppose to say this, but sometimes I wish I could just see
again because life would be simpler, sigh.

Whoops, will I be censured for this? Smirk.

Bridgit
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:06:10 -0400
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] MS and Windows
Message-ID: <D9F4E1E12DCD429BB2BDB7CEA1B3D492 at OwnerHP>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Bridgit,
I use Windows 7 & Office 2010 with Jaws 12. I found out from FS support that
Jaws didn't even start supporting Office 2010 until the very end of Jaws 12.
In fact, I didn't have the most recent version, & Jaws "Check for Updates"
never found it for me. I had to get FS to do it. Things are a little better,
and I have a demo version of Jaws 14, which makes a significant difference
in Word's Styles menu, but isn't quite there yet.
At least there aren't ten things just labeled Toolbar.

Do you think normal people have the stamina to struggle through with stuff
like this like blind people do routinely? Donna 

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