[stylist] writing about blindness

[goldbeckjm at comcast.net]

This reminds me when I got a degree in teaching someone thought I should go work at the state school for the blind because I have a vision problem.  Never mind I don't have a certificate to teach the visually impaired, don't know Braille, and had no interest in working there.  Yes, people try to put us where they think we belong. 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Applebutter Hill" <applebutterhill at gmail.com> 
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org> 
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2014 7:57:35 PM 
Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness 

Everybody just can't wait to find a bin to stick us in so they don't have to 
think about anything. 
Donna 

-----Original Message----- 
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Atty Rose 
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2014 10:40 AM 
To: Writer's Division Mailing List 
Subject: [stylist] writing about blindness 

One afternoon my sister and I are having lunch. I told her I was working on 
a story, the one that I sold to Breath and Shadow, as it were, and she says, 
"You should write about being blind and blindness." 

I bristled at this. I said "Why is that?" 

She said, "Cause it is interesting and you know all about it." 

I said, "I didn't think it was all that interesting and I didn't know all 
about it at all." 

She said, "You should do it.' 

I said, "that is like me saying you should write about blonds and being 
blond, cause you have been that way a lot longer than I've been blind." 

She didn't see what I meant but she dropped it. LOL 

Sheesh... 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com> 
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org> 
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 10:57 PM 
Subject: Re: [stylist] bios and cover letters 


> Yes, and sometimes, the focus becomes about blindness. If all you write 
> about is blindness, than maybe, but most of us write about a lot of 
> things. 
> 
> Once people learn I'm blind, they tend to want me to write only about 
> it. I don't mind this, but I have a lot of other things to say, to write 
> about, and I don't want to be pigeon-holed. 
> 
> And when you think about it, need we state other things about us? My 
> name may be a clue, but do I need to say I'm a female writer? Do I need 
> to say I'm a mother or wife who writes? Unless it pertains to a 
> guideline or subject, I say less is more. 
> 
> Bridgit 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
> Applebutter Hill 
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 10:07 PM 
> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List' 
> Subject: Re: [stylist] bios and cover letters 
> 
> 
> Atty, 
> Some of the blindness and disability publications want you to include 
> something about it, but other than that, I am trying to say as little as 
> possible about it. I decided to leave something in on my LinkedIn 
> profile, because I am trying to connect with people in the blindness 
> professions and activists. But, that said, I still push it down into the 
> text as far as possible. Blindness is part of who I am, but I want 
> people to know about some of the other parts of me before they find out. 
> 
> I wouldn't personally say that I am a blind writer. I'm a writer and 
> write about this that and the other thing. I was the first legally blind 
> kid mainstreamed in my school district. That way they don't pigeonhole 
> your writing yet they find out you're blind in a way that keeps it in 
> perspective. Just my two cents. Donna 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Atty Rose 
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 5:28 PM 
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List 
> Subject: [stylist] bios and cover letters 
> 
> Hi gang, 
> 
> When you send a bio to a magazine, they want cover letter, brief bio, 
> that sort of thing, do you write that you are a blind writer working 
> blah blah, living blah blah.... 
> 
> In other words, do you mention your blindness? I did for Breath and 
> Shadow but none of the other ones. 
> 
> What are your thoughts on the matter? 
> 
> Atty 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Writers Division web site 
> http://writers.nfb.org/ 
> stylist mailing list 
> stylist at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org 
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> stylist: 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/applebutterhill%40g 
> mail 
> .com 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Writers Division web site 
> http://writers.nfb.org/ 
> stylist mailing list 
> stylist at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org 
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> stylist: 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/bpollpeter%40hotmai 
> l.com 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Writers Division web site 
> http://writers.nfb.org/ 
> stylist mailing list 
> stylist at nfbnet.org 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org 
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> stylist: 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/attyrose%40cox.net 


_______________________________________________ 
Writers Division web site 
http://writers.nfb.org/ 
stylist mailing list 
stylist at nfbnet.org 
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org 
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
stylist: 
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/applebutterhill%40gmail 
.com 



_______________________________________________ 
Writers Division web site 
http://writers.nfb.org/ 
stylist mailing list 
stylist at nfbnet.org 
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org 
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for stylist: 
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/goldbeckjm%40comcast.net