Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Halloween costume. Should I move on or Do/Say something? (self.Blind)
submitted by brass444
As background, my otherwise healthy, athletic husband lost his vision four years ago after post op complications from removal of brain tumor.
He almost died several times and was out of work for 15 months after recovering physically and cognitively ... and the going to the department of vision impaired. He returned to work and travels all over independently. I won’t say it’s been easy (often given lack of computer accessibility, transportation, insensitivity etc) but he’s making it work. We’re grateful given the high unemployment rate for people with no/low vision.
Anyway ... the question is I saw “fatjewish” shared a picture with his ten million followers on Instagram of an airline pilot dressed for Halloween with dark glasses and a white cane Over 500,000 people liked it including some of our friends.
My husband is traveling on Halloween. Am I being too sensitive? We often make companies aware of accessibility issues to some positive effect but I had no idea about the amount of bizarre comments, questions, exclusion and discrimination he would face when we started this transition. Dressing as a person with a disability doesn’t seem funny to me...seems to dehumanize people.
Thoughts? Advice?
He almost died several times and was out of work for 15 months after recovering physically and cognitively ... and the going to the department of vision impaired. He returned to work and travels all over independently. I won’t say it’s been easy (often given lack of computer accessibility, transportation, insensitivity etc) but he’s making it work. We’re grateful given the high unemployment rate for people with no/low vision.
Anyway ... the question is I saw “fatjewish” shared a picture with his ten million followers on Instagram of an airline pilot dressed for Halloween with dark glasses and a white cane Over 500,000 people liked it including some of our friends.
My husband is traveling on Halloween. Am I being too sensitive? We often make companies aware of accessibility issues to some positive effect but I had no idea about the amount of bizarre comments, questions, exclusion and discrimination he would face when we started this transition. Dressing as a person with a disability doesn’t seem funny to me...seems to dehumanize people.
Thoughts? Advice?
Fange_Strellow 4 points 4y ago
Let it go. It’s Halloween and it really isn’t malicious. Plus a airline pilot with a cane and glasses is kinda funny.
Marconius 3 points 4y ago
Let it go. I've been blind for 4 years now and I dress up as a blind referee when I attend hockey games and people love it. It makes people and myself laugh and that's cathartic for having gone blind so suddenly.
preiman790 2 points 4y ago
Things like that bother me, but admittedly I also get very frustrated when people assume that my cane is part of a costume every Halloween
AllHarlowsEve 2 points 4y ago
If your husband is bothered by it, he can reach out to the people who you know that liked it and explain.
I'm not a big fan of people getting offended on my behalf and I'd laugh and like that image myself, so I'd just put it up to your husband tbh.
I'm not a big fan of people getting offended on my behalf and I'd laugh and like that image myself, so I'd just put it up to your husband tbh.
fastfinge 2 points 4y ago
Not worth fighting it. Instagram doesn't even support adding descriptions to photos last I checked, or have much in the way of screen reader accessibility. So it's already a community that has completely disenfranchised us. So I don't think you'll get anywhere raising awareness on that particular platform. Also, I'm not sure how much someone with a username like "fatjewish" is going to care about not offending people. Sometimes you have to pick your battles, and this one is lost before it even started.
quanin 1 points 4y ago
Given the number of blind people who will end up flying any plane for any airline in the near future, I can't say I'd be overly offended were I your husband. I can say I'd be a bit concerned about you being offended *for* me, though. Besides, IMO, the lack of realism is part of what makes it entertaining. Presumedly the 500k people aren't suddenly thinking some blind shmuck's going to try and fly a plane. Presumedly.
BlindGuyNW 1 points 4y ago
Only you two can make the decision for yourselves about how you feel. I personally might be tempted to let this go, because it doesn't seem like it was done with malicious intent, but someone else might make a very different call.
There is probably not much you can do or say here and now which will have the same impact as an FB post gone viral. So maybe you could look into doing something to spread awareness if this happens again? It might feel a little better than trying to fight the 500K likes and just getting drowned out or simply not seen. But again, that's a deeply personal choice.
There is probably not much you can do or say here and now which will have the same impact as an FB post gone viral. So maybe you could look into doing something to spread awareness if this happens again? It might feel a little better than trying to fight the 500K likes and just getting drowned out or simply not seen. But again, that's a deeply personal choice.
shadyhornet 0 points 4y ago
As an ally of the blind community, you might consider cross posting it to your networks and explain why it is offensive. Halloween tends to bring out the best in ignorant and ironic costumes across the board.
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