[stylist] thea, paratransit escorts

[Miss Thea]

Hi, Donna.
How do you like this? The escort in question, at least the one that's stayed 
around, is blind herself and has cerebral palsy.
We've also been best buds for over 25 years.
I had to do a whole lot of "pretty please" and she had to see me suffer a 
lot before she would even consider taking me to the 519 community center.
She was all threatened about her Christianity, afraid that the LGBT folks 
there would divine that she was a Christian somehow, and attack her.
Finally, she couldn't stand to see me suffer, so she agreed to go.
What happened? She met some nice people who didn't bother her at all about 
anything.
She could have saved me a whole lot of suffering.
But because she's volunteering, she feels perfectly within her right to say 
"no". Ergot, I don't go.
Thea

-----Original Message----- 
From: Applebutter Hill
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2014 7:38 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] thea, paratransit escorts

Vejas,
You're right on point. Volunteers aren't supposed to impose their values on
the person they're agreeing to help. If they can't deal with that, they
should volunteer to help someone else. Personally, Thea's situation smacks
of a retro view of blindness; a custodial view, where blind people need
someone to make their decisions for them. The NFB has been fighting
thatmindset for a long time. We occasionally get a reminder that whatever
changes we have made, they aren't complete.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Vejas
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2014 1:20 AM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] thea, paratransit escorts

Hi Thea,
I read your story about Sandy and felt that it was very well-written.  Some
people find it hard to express their feelings on paper, but you did it.  I
agree with everyone else in that you were lucky you didn't have that much
money.
I think that, if possible, you should try to find a new escort for your
paratransit.  You mentioned that your escort is anti-gay and won't take you
to anywhere you can meet women.
The ideal escort should never put their beliefs on someone else.
You should try to find someone who will do whatever you say.
Whether they are anti-gay or not shouldn't matter; they are your escorts, so
doesn't that mean that they should be willing to take you anywhere you want
to go? After all, a college reader is responsible for reading the material,
whether they like it or not.  It should be all about you, not all about
them.  (Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong, since I haven't started using
paratransit yet so I don't really know how the system works.) Also, I would
like to encourage you to send this piece to your daughter, if you know where
she is.  You stated that your daughter has the same beliefs you do.  Your
piece would be a valuable lesson for her and may even bring you closer
together.
That way she could avoid the same problems you experienced.  Even if she
still won't respond, at least you tried.
Vejas

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