Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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The Rachel dolezals of blindness? (vice.com)
submitted 5.275129340277778y ago by cajwalkman
blindjo 18 points 5y ago
I'm sorry but this type of article pisses me off- especially when they start it off with a reckless title like "the people who pretend to be blind." I get that BIID is a real thing that a small portion of the population lives with, but goddamn it frustrates me that it gets a disproportionate amount of attention to acyual visual impairment and partial blindness.
Giving additional attention to things like this only contributes witchhunt of "fakers" that some sighted folks like to partake in. As someone who is partially blind, it annoys me to no end hhat a lot of peolle look at me and instantly think "liar" as opposed to acknowledging that partial blindness is a thing and i know its partially because of sensational pieces like this
Giving additional attention to things like this only contributes witchhunt of "fakers" that some sighted folks like to partake in. As someone who is partially blind, it annoys me to no end hhat a lot of peolle look at me and instantly think "liar" as opposed to acknowledging that partial blindness is a thing and i know its partially because of sensational pieces like this
GrumpyFinn 4 points 5y ago
Sing it.
SnoobertDoobertDoo 2 points 5y ago
Being legally blind in Toronto summed up perfectly.
changeneverhappens 5 points 5y ago
Must be nice to be able to use their sight to build concepts and then go around and practice cane skills and such.
It's interesting to me that they only want to be extremely near sighted or completely blind. Like, get creative, go for some field loss, tunnel vision, or cataracts. If you're going to appropriate something so uncontrollable, you might as well go big, right?
-a sighted and disgusted TVI in training.
It's interesting to me that they only want to be extremely near sighted or completely blind. Like, get creative, go for some field loss, tunnel vision, or cataracts. If you're going to appropriate something so uncontrollable, you might as well go big, right?
-a sighted and disgusted TVI in training.
KillerLag 3 points 5y ago
BIID (Body Integrity Identity Disorder) is a mental illness. In extreme cases, people have caused grievous physical harm to themselves to feel "complete". It's pretty friggin' hard to find an ethical doctor who would do anything to help, though.
Cattus_deam 4 points 5y ago
I read this to my spouse. He almost vomited from disgust.
AllHarlowsEve 4 points 5y ago
I really, genuinely don't care about this stuff and don't get why it bothers people so much.
Jewel has harmed nobody but herself, but people constantly talk shit about her, call her every name in the book, and she's genuinely a sweet person. Definitely has some issues outside wanting to be blind, but that's not a big deal to me.
I figure if we can accept grown adults who don't want to work because it might be hard, or whatever their reasoning is outside other issues, we can accept transable or whatever people.
Jewel has harmed nobody but herself, but people constantly talk shit about her, call her every name in the book, and she's genuinely a sweet person. Definitely has some issues outside wanting to be blind, but that's not a big deal to me.
I figure if we can accept grown adults who don't want to work because it might be hard, or whatever their reasoning is outside other issues, we can accept transable or whatever people.
pants_party 2 points 5y ago
I’m confused by your last paragraph; what grown adults do we accept that choose not to work because it’s too difficult?
Also, BIID is arguably a mental disorder (thought it’s not yet in the DSM) but I notice that it seems to revolve around control of one’s own body. A “blindsimmer” has the ability to take off their disabling glasses at the end of the day. I do not have that luxury. Even in an extreme situation where a sufferer of BIID chooses to amputate a limb, it’s still a choice. All of the disabled people that I know, including myself, have/had no control over their deteriorating illnesses, vision, or disabling accidents.
Not a judgement really; just an observation.
Also, BIID is arguably a mental disorder (thought it’s not yet in the DSM) but I notice that it seems to revolve around control of one’s own body. A “blindsimmer” has the ability to take off their disabling glasses at the end of the day. I do not have that luxury. Even in an extreme situation where a sufferer of BIID chooses to amputate a limb, it’s still a choice. All of the disabled people that I know, including myself, have/had no control over their deteriorating illnesses, vision, or disabling accidents.
Not a judgement really; just an observation.
Orswald16 1 points 5y ago
How is this any different from transgender?
AllHarlowsEve 1 points 5y ago
My point was that there are "actual" blind people who reflect poorly on the community, who actually are the mythical welfare queens, who openly brag that they don't have to work because they and their partner both get SSI and stamps and every other form of assistance, but nobody bats an eye at them.
Yet, Jewel, who is very quiet, very sweet, working and a great representation of blindness except for how she became blind, is treated like scum.
I didn't choose to be blind, but I don't think I have less or more of a right to blindness than her or anyone else.
Also, strong glasses actually can cause vision loss, leading to being legally blind. A friend of a friend is actually legally blind because he thought glasses were cool as a kid and pretended he couldn't see much of anything during the eye exam to get strong ones. He didn't want to be blind, just wanted glasses.
Yet, Jewel, who is very quiet, very sweet, working and a great representation of blindness except for how she became blind, is treated like scum.
I didn't choose to be blind, but I don't think I have less or more of a right to blindness than her or anyone else.
Also, strong glasses actually can cause vision loss, leading to being legally blind. A friend of a friend is actually legally blind because he thought glasses were cool as a kid and pretended he couldn't see much of anything during the eye exam to get strong ones. He didn't want to be blind, just wanted glasses.
Fange_Strellow 1 points 5y ago
Weird. I didn't know that people actually did this. These people certainly do have some form of mental illness, although the psuedo-diagnosis cited in this article definitely is dubious. The behavior is still disturbing to me, and I don't think these individuals should indulge this kind of peculiarity. I believe it would be more beneficial to engage in some therapy to find a way of resolving this in a less harmful manner. We don't indulge depressed and anxious people's self-harm or substance use behaviors just because they have mental illness.
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