When writing a blind character, what are some things to avoid?
Ah! So this is definitely a bit of a broad question, but I can give a few basics:
Blind people don’t actually give a shit about touching faces, so please, please stear clear of that. The only exceptions may be the same way sighted lovers may caress each other’s faces and parents may hold a child’s face in an emotional moment, but it’s just like a sighted lover or parent would, nothing more.
Please avoid giving your character a cure. One of the most crushing things as a disabled reader is to finally have a disabled character, but for them to end up with a fantastic magic cure half-way through. It rarely makes for a good story, and often a much better story is that person’s journey in understanding themselves as equal and learning that they aren’t broken and useless and can do whatever they want, overcoming internalized ableism rather than “overcoming the disability.”
Few blind people actually wear sunglasses or eye coverings, so your character probably won’t either if the likelyhood says anything. Chances are they will not be part of that minority, so probably better not to do that.
Something similar can be said for characters with white or cloudy eyes. The vast majority of blind people will not have very abnormal-looking eyes, so chances are your character will not be part of that minority.
Another very similar thing should be noted about the level of vision they will have. Somewhere between 80 and 90% of blind people have some level of remaining vision, weather it be little more than light perception or enough that they were forced to use their eyes a lot growing up and weren’t taught braille or to use a cane because they could get by well enough not to die most of the time.
So these are just the first several things I can think of at the moment, but definitely feel free to ask about more things!
A few more things:
-Blind people watch TV -Blind people usually like to know what colors things are if they ask you to describe something. A lot of people either had vision at one point or even if they were never able to see, they often associate colors with concepts -Blind people don’t use Braille for everything. Audio books exist (and every blind kid could get a free tape player and audio books sent to them up until about 2010- they never moved to CDs, but now anyone can buy them online or whatever even if you aren’t blind) and now everything is scanned/digital. In fact, you only really need to know how to read signs/basic alphabet and signs nowadays. Well, unless you’re in school. -For the love of god, know what tech your blind character will be using according to the year.
Another tidbit: blind people often walk around familiar areas without using a cane or guide dog. You learn the layout of that area and don’t really need the mobility aid.
