#blind community

[blindbeta]

Hello! I am working on a story where a character is losing her sight starting around age 5 (RP). Her father is also blind, due to a different cause (accident). I want to give them a community of other blind people, but I'm not sure where to start. What kind of groups would you expect/like/believably see around them? Right now I have the father in a support group for people who became disabled in an accident, but I want them to have blind-specific communities, too, especially the child.

If you have recommendations for what to research, I would appreciate it!

Finding Blind Community

One option involves learning Braille and other skills, such as increasing finger sensitivity. Your character might go to a blind school or they might be mainstreamed and go to a cram school instead. Or some kind of hybrid.

Outside of school, there are camps that a lot of blind people go to specifically to be around other blind people or to learn blindness skills. This doesn’t have to be a school, exactly. Look up blindness camps and programs in your area.

They could also do recreational activities outside of a school environment. Sports are a big one. Accessible fencing, tennis, and soccer are options you can probably look up. Goal ball has local teams. A lot of blind schools also perform accessible theatre, so you could probably have it so that she attends the plays or even participates even if she doesn’t attend the school.

Also conventions are an option that she can attend with her family.

She could also participate in varied hobbies and just happen to meet other blind people. It happens.

I hope this helps.

[stars-x-and-x-cats]

BE ACCESSIBLE THIS PRIDE MONTH!

as of posting this, pride month starts tomorrow, and PLEASE keep your disabled community members in mind!

physically disabled people, mentally disabled people, the Deaf community, those with chronic illness, the blind community, all queer people should have the choice to be able to celebrate pride just like anyone else! ☆

(thank you for the reply reminding me about D vs d!)

[varian-ross-horror-author]

"That device is a scam, just use your phone."

Maybe, just fucking maybe, I don't want to rely on my phone for my accessibility needs.

Maybe I have an old phone, or a flip phone that doesn't support apps.

Maybe I want to use something actually designed for my disability, rather than something that just happens to help.

Maybe I hate all the big companies, and that they're all jumping on the AI train.

Maybe I want something that's existed for 10 years, rather than something new that could glitch on me because the bugs haven't been worked out.

Maybe this was recommended by my doctor, and I trust him over strangers on the internet.

Maybe I want the older tech, even if it stands out compared to the fancy new phone apps.

Maybe you should shove your opinions where the sun don't shine.

[kingoftieland]

Netflix created AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS for Daredevil to help the BLIND! 🔊

[riotboyeli]

if you think helen keller wasnt real, i will automatically think youre an ableist and someone who learns from whatever they learned on tiktok. People like you are literally another form of flat earthers

do you thibk helen keller didnt get accommodations? help from other people? especially since she was BORN blind and deaf, of course theyre gonna give her ways to help her live happily and comfortably despite her disabilities

she learned BRAILLE and TACTILE SIGN LANGUAGE. and started reading lips based on using her finger to feel what they said.

"how did she write a book" TYPEWRITERS. EDITORS. COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS. LANGUAGE THROUGH TOUCH. AND EVEN RELYING ON HER MEMORY.

if we think she isnt real then we are truly degenerating as a society

[clairedelune-13]

The TARDIS having ramps/walkways instead of stairs isn’t just helpful to wheelchair users. It’s also great for the blind/visually impaired. I know there will never be a blind companion, and blind rep will never be a priority in media, but considering my own issues with stairs, the Tardis taking away the stairs for smooth walkways is nice. 🥰

[black-mamba-noodle]

So, like, this will seem like a strange post, but IDK, I just wanna share something that I've wanted since I've learned ASL (not fluent, still learning) and learned about deaf culture and about how blind people 'see' the world. I really wanna meet a deaf and/or person IRL. Now this may seem like such a strange thing, but hear me out: Because of their disabilities, they experience the world differently, obviously. And when I use ASL mainly for my non-verbal times and try to communicate with others that don't understand me, I often wonder, is this how deaf and blind people feel? Is this how it feels to use a different way of speaking even though it's the same language but in a different font? Humans as a whole communicate in different ways, regardless if it's another human or a different creature. But we're excited to learn the language of an animal, but when it comes to our own kind, we treat another's language (regardless if it's hearing or deaf) like it's not okay, something that should be shunned or insulted or not even interacted with. When I go non-verbal due to my Autism, I try to use ASL, but I usually have to use my phone or cards to communicate my needs and wants. People often get annoyed when I use ASL, but not because it's out of compassion in some way and that they wanna help but can't, but rather out of hatred or just not wanting to understand. But back to the main point. I really wanna meet a deaf and/or blind person IRL. I want to hear their story, how they navigate the world, how they see it. Deaf and blind people tend to appreciate the world and the things they have more, and while I am grateful that I can hear and see (even with my hearing being sensitive), I wanna be grateful for my life and the things I have in general, but it's hard to do that without understanding and listening to another story that isn't mine. While it may seem like such a strange and small thing to want, I love deaf and blind people, they're wonderful. And I hope one day I will get to meet many to hear their stories and learn to appreciate what I have currently and learn more on how to help others that go through the same shit as me.