[nfb-talk] Making Our Homes Comfortable and Accessible to Blind Folks

[Michael D. Barber]

Hi:  I think we need to remember that we do live in a sighted world.  When I
was in high school,, I was in a practice room practicing my musical
instrument and didn't have the light on.  The instructor came in and turned
the light on and said I should turn it on so a sighted person walking by
could tell I was in there.  When my wife isn't at home, I always try to
leave a light on so the home looks occupied.  Sometimes she asks why I leave
the light on and I tell her it's so people walking or driving by can tell
there's someone at home.  When arranging furniture, I often have a sighted
person make suggestions about what would look best where, according to how
the room is laid out.  And I do that without apology.  I have sighted
friends and relatives and I want them to feel comfortable in my home.  I
don't want them going away saying, "well, he's blind so he doesn't know how
things ought to be."

Hope this helps.

Michael Barber

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Jim Portillo
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 3:43 AM
To: 'NFB Talk Mailing List'
Subject: [nfb-talk] Making Our Homes Comfortable and Accessible to Blind
Folks

Hi there,

 

Here's a question that I guess could also be somewhat philosophical in that
it will make us think about how we deal with and interact with sighted
people.  

 

As blind folks, do you think we have a responsibility to not only make our
homes comfortable and accessible for us and the folks with whom we live, but
also to sighted folks?  

I've heard comments in the past that basically say that since it's a blind
person's home, then the only thing that should be of concern is that things
are comfortable and accessible for the blind person.

 

I've been thinking a lot about this over a long period of time.  I have some
friends that come over, and one in particular who stays in my guest room
when he's in town, and when all of that happens, I'm the only blind person
around.  All of a sudden, I begin to think about lights and the amount of
light in a room.  I begin thinking of making sure that appliances that are
labeled in Braille are done using clear tape so that they can also use them.
I even began thinking of the layout of my living room and how one of my
friends finally said that it was uncomfortable to do things like watch TV or
watch movies, because of how my furniture and TV are placed.  People have to
face sideways to be able to watch TV.  And, my TV is so old that it doesn't
support or have HD capabilities.

 

I began wondering about the importance of a blind person having an
aesthetically or visually appealing house, not only for himself but also for
the sighted friends and family that come to visit.  Are we being selfish by
not considering these things, or should sighted company learn to live with
how we have things and deal with them?

 

I'm beginning to think that if I care about my friends and family, then I
should do something to make them feel comfortable in a place where they
spend quite a bit of time.  But then, where does one draw the line?

 

Anyway, hope you don't mind the question.  Just curious what other blind
folks (especially those who are totally blind) think.

Thanks,

Jim

 

 

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