Myths That Harm Blind People
MYTH: All “real” blind people are totally blind and only those “real” people can use canes.
TRUTH: Most blind people have some residual vision in one eye or both. In fact, less than 15% of blind people lack vision and light perception. ANY of these people are allowed to use canes, especially for crossing the street. Canes help with safety and allow others (drivers) to identify blind people. Even if these people have some vision, the cane lets people know “oh that person can’t see well or at all so I shouldn’t expect them to get out of the way or to see me approaching”. When crossing the street, a person with a cane will hold their cane out in the street for drivers to see. They will use their hearing or what vision they have to ascertain if there is a car approaching. Usually the car will stop, allowing the blind person to cross.
CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING THE MYTH: -You harass people who don’t “look” blind.
-You believe blind people who look both ways before crossing the street, moving around you, or move toward/away from bright lights are “faking”.
-You yell at, hit, and sometimes break the canes of those blind people you decided are faking based on your limited understanding of blindness. You make them explain themselves when they shouldn’t need to.
-You make ignorant posts online about these ideas, spreading them around.
-You make people afraid to use their canes when they need to.
MYTH: Blind people don’t use phones/computers
TRUTH: All phones and computers have accessibility features. This includes VoiceOver or large text. Some people simply hold the phone close to their face. Being able to use a phone does not mean anyone is “faking”. This shows how assumptions based on ignorance lead to other, more harmful assumptions.
CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING THE MYTH:
-You accuse people using canes and phones of “faking” with zero understanding of the consequences.
-You use this as an excuse to harass, yell at, and bully blind people for “faking”, both on the street and online.
-You assume blind people don’t use social media which makes you think you: are free to make ignorant ignorant jokes, post pictures of blind people using phones, and ignore blind people online when they say something bothers them because “what? Blind people don’t use the internet”.
-You post inaccessible content - no image descriptions or audio description for videos, etc
MYTH: Blind people have superior hearing
TRUTH: Blind people do not have superior hearing. They just rely on their hearing more.
CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING THE MYTH: This one is just annoying. It makes sighted people feel better or like blind people have something they don’t. It also gives them an excuse to assume blind people would have no problem crossing the street because they can just use their superior hearing.
MYTH: Blind people cannot read
TRUTH: Blind people CAN read. Look up Braille, accessibility in phones and computers, audio books, etc. Similarly: Blind people only read Braille.
CONSEQUENCES OF BELIEVING THE MYTH: This is something people like to say as a joke, but a surprising amount of people mean it. Many people know about Braille (and compare it to sign languages for some reason, but that’s another rant), and will often use these myths to exclude blind people from online spaces.
I made this because these myths are prevalent even in supposed progressive spaces. People will talk about ableism and in the same breath, make one of these assumptions. While it is frustrating that no one bothers to do the research, it is only assumptions and not well-meaning questions that hurt the blind community. Questions allow a person to respond; assumptions do not.
These assumptions have nothing to do with being a bad person, hating the blind community, etc. Therefore, they can apply to anyone. I would like for everyone to explore how they have interacted with or spread these myths and simply change their behaviors. In this instance, your intent only matters so much. It is your behavior that creates change and makes things easier for that blind person you pass tomorrow. Not harassing them, not accusing them of faking, will make their lives 100% easier.
I started this blog so that writers could include blind characters in their stories, thus easing some of the pressure of navigating confusing online myths that slip into otherwise meaningful research. In addition to including blind people in our fiction (either as characters or acknowledging them as consumers by ensuring accessibility), we should make things easier in real life by taking down these myths and correcting those who believe them. Even if we come across as harsh or humorless by doing so. And if you are someone who still wants to believe these things, ask yourself why you are so committed to “helping” blind people in ways they have expressed does not in fact help them at all.
Thanks for reading!
