[nabs-l] disclosing blindness

Sat Oct 10 20:28:09 UTC 2015

Here's another way of looking at this. I am an ethnic minority, being
a Jewish American, and my grandmother was born in Israel. I'm very
proud of my heritage and have no fear or shame in disclosing it even
with people I don't know well. However, I wouldn't discuss my Jewish
or Israeli heritage on a resume or a bio for a writing club. Not
because I'm hiding who I am, but because it just isn't relevant to the
audience. Instead, on my resume I list grants and publications I've
gotten. Conversely, if I met someone on a bus and we started chatting,
I might disclose that I am Jewish, but I probably wouldn't disclose my
grants and publications because again, it just isn't relevant to that
particular conversation. We only have so many facts about ourselves
that we can share, especially on a short piece of paper. I regard
blindness in the same way I regard my Jewish heritage. It is a thing
about me that I feel some positive conection to, but it's only
relevant in a handful of situations. I hope that makes sense.

On 10/10/15, Robin via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Not EveryOne agreed, & the Only1, I CalledOut was
> DarianSmith, & (I Beleived) responded
> appropriately when He ChimedIn MayBe I'm Wrong, but I Celebrate that as
> well
>
> I'm NotPerfect. In the Words, of JossStone, I've
> got a "Right ToBe Wrong". If you don't know what
> I'm TalkingAbout. Google Her & That Phrase
>
> It's a Song
>
> ForGot to mention, Thanx Justin for appreciating
> differring opinions, I appreciate yours as well
>
> KeepUp TheGoodFight
>
> At 01:00 PM 10/10/2015, you wrote:
>>I, for one, was not offended.  I enjoyed your
>>messages. Justin. -----Original Message-----
>>From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>On Behalf Of Robin via nabs-l Sent: Saturday,
>>October 10, 2015 3:58 PM To: National
>>Association of Blind Students mailing list
>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org> Cc: Robin
>><robin-melvin at comcast.net> Subject: Re: [nabs-l]
>>disclosing blindness Great Response! I'm only
>>responding because I CalledYouOut ON ThisThread
>>FadeToBackGround At 12:44 PM 10/10/2015, you
>>wrote: >What I find to be  really interesting
>>about this conversation is the >various
>>point  of views that >have been voiced.   The
>>truth is that there >isnÃ¢€™t any one way that
>>we as blinlind people go about  doing any
>>one >thing. Some blind people read Braille, some
>>read  large  print, some >listen to the things
>>they want to gain information from  via
>>audio >output or human >reader, and for them it
>>works.   some people >disclose their blindness
>>all the time, some only do it
>>in  certain >situations and others  do not ever
>>for any reason and thatÃ¢€™s >something
>>that >worksrks for them.   Some people mention
>>their >blindness related work on resumes only
>>when  applying to  blindness >related
>>positions  while others will include it with
>>their other >accomplishments and
>>experiences  because an experience  is
>>an >experience and a skill  is a
>>skill. >Still  isnÃ¢€™t disclosure in a body of
>>an article differenrent from a bio >before an
>>article? >is it different when arranging for a
>>flight? Is it different when >creating a profile
>>for a dating site?is Disclosure  different in
>>a  >academic setting? And how different is the
>>disclosure of blindness from >disclosure
>>of  being a man, a woman, gay,
>>straight, >latino/Latina,  asian,
>>etc?   Darian  .    .   > >On Oct 10, 2015, at
>>12:23 PM, Robin via nabs-l
>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org> >wrote: > > You ask me, why
>>would I Wave TheBanner of MyBlindness? Well, >I
>>would because I'm ProudOfIt & not
>>AshamedOfIt. >I'm not Ashamed of any of
>>MyAttributes
>>(Portuguese-Black-Filipino >Heritage) nor am I
>>of MyBlindness. I want to Celebrate it all. If
>>an >Employer isn't GoingToHire me simply because
>>of MyBlindness, then they >are Discriminating
>>AgainstMe & as far as I know, that's against
>>TheLaw. >> > You have TheOption of NotDisclosing
>>yours, I should have TheOption >of disclosing
>>mine without being negatively affected if I
>>choose to >disclose it. I thought Federationists
>>are Proud of TheirBlindness, but >as far as
>>those, who are ChimingIn on ThisThread, I
>>guess/presume, I'm >wrong. > > I'm Blind & I'm
>>ProudOfIt Among OtherThings > At 12:11
>>PM >10/10/2015, you wrote: >> Robin, why would
>>you hold blindness up as a >banner to wave in
>>the wind?  I'd rather hold up my skills which I
>>have >worked so hard to learn and
>>master.  Deciding not to disclose has
>>know >baring on whether blindness is or is not a
>>nuisance; I'm either good >enough as a writer or
>>not. Justin. Justin -----Original
>>Message----- >From: nabs-l
>>[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>>Robin via >nabs-l Sent: Saturday, October
>>10, >2015 2:58 PM To: National Association of
>>Blind Students mailing list ><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>Cc: >Robin <robin-melvin at comcast.net> Subject:
>>Re: >[nabs-l] disclosing blindness If you don't
>>disclose your Blindness, >isn't that simply
>>reinforcing the Stereotype of Blindness as
>>something >more than a nusance? I suggest
>>BeingProud of it, and disclosing it. How >are
>>"we" supposed ToChange Public'sPerception if
>>"we" don't start. >(Note: this is just
>>my >(humble) opinion - Take It OR Leave It)
>>Everyone's view(s) are equally >important on
>>this topic. I just felt it necessary to indicate
>>mine >especially if others on ThisList feel the
>>same as I do, but are >discouraged from sharing
>>due to the enormous responses
>>indicating >otherwise. At >11:37 AM 10/10/2015,
>>you wrote: >I would have to agree! If you
>>are >submitting a paper to a journal, you >want
>>to be known as an amazing >writer. Period. You
>>do not want to be >known as someone who is
>>an >amazing writer despite your blindness.
>>This >type of qualification >serves to minimize
>>your accomplishments, and you >worked hard to
>>get >where you are, blindness or not! On Sat,
>>Oct 10, >2015 at 1:13 PM, >Aleeha Dudley via
>>nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org > wrote: > >In all
>>honesty, >I do not disclose my blindness
>>directly unless it is > >absolutely >necessary.
>>I find that it gives the opportunity for a
>>person >who > >does not know me to make
>>judgments about me before meeting
>>me, >>especially > given the stereotypes of
>>blindness that are so prevalent. >>I will not >
>>disclose on a resume, or in other important
>>documents >>related to employment > or academic
>>work. I prefer to do that >>disclosure in
>>person, so that I may > try to
>>influence >someoneÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢Ã‚€Ã‚™s >attitude
>>about me through gh my own behavior. >. > >
>>On >Oct 10, 2015, at 2:07 >PM, kcj21 via nabs-l
>><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>wrote: >> > > > >Good >afternoon
>>all,              I am >currently >submitting
>>one of my > literature papers to my
>>university's >>undergraduate research journal
>>and > they require that I submit a bio. >>This
>>led me to ponder whether I should > include my
>>blindness in this >>bio and when we, in general,
>>choose to > disclose our blindness. In >>most
>>instances, I only bring it up when >
>>necessary. >Additionally, >although I am , in no
>>way, uncomfortable with > sharing >my
>>disability, >I do not want it to become the
>>central part of my > bio >or in
>>anyway >overshadow my work.  I would just like
>>to open up a > >discussion >regarding when we
>>mention our blindness and whether
>>that > >disclosure >may, in some capacity,
>>overshadow or modify
>>our >accomplishments. > > >Best,Kaley > > >______
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