Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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When does calling someone/something “blind” become offensive or not great? (self.Blind)
submitted by Blitzkrieg_Bagel
I’ve heard conflicting things on what things are ok to call blind, and what things are ableist or offensive. I’ve heard that metaphors of blindness aren’t great, but the literal use of blindness is fine, or that any “blind” expressions that have negative connotations are offensive? Some of the things I’ve heard sighted people say are:
- Saying something like “am I blind?” when missing something obvious
- Referring to a program being “blind” saying its walks around and bumping into things until it finds a certain value
- Saying you’re walking blindly into a situation
And so on. These are technically about literal it being able to see, but also maybe are crappy?
- Saying something like “am I blind?” when missing something obvious
- Referring to a program being “blind” saying its walks around and bumping into things until it finds a certain value
- Saying you’re walking blindly into a situation
And so on. These are technically about literal it being able to see, but also maybe are crappy?
DrillInstructorJan 5 points 3y ago
Usually the only time I become conscious of this kind of stuff is when someone starts apologising for doing it. My use of language is exactly the same as everyone else's. I say stuff like that myself. In general I tend toward the view that if no offence is meant, anyone deliberately taking offence is going out of his or her way to be an asshole. And oh, look, I just did it, I used "view" as a metaphor. And I said "look." Nobody cares.
I should point out I was not born blind and attitudes vary but in general there are so very many other things to worry about that this is completely trivial. Don't sweat it.
I should point out I was not born blind and attitudes vary but in general there are so very many other things to worry about that this is completely trivial. Don't sweat it.
VirtualBirthdayParty 3 points 3y ago
I think if you Push it, it's bad, or if you know a VIP/blind person, and you know theyre uncomfortable with that language, and you use it anyway. Otherwise it's :shrug:, yknow? of course, on the flip side, if you are VIP/blind and you use any of these it is automatically \*fucking\* hilarious.
Aplosion 1 points 3y ago
Is blind person the common terminology? Is person with blindness used at all?
bradley22 2 points 3y ago
It doesn’t bother me.
[deleted] 1 points 3y ago
[deleted]
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
What do you mean by hyperbole? Are you thinking about a situation where someone who isn't blind trips over something and goes "oh god I'm so blind?"
Doesn't bother me. That's exaggeration for effect. It's not dismissive of anything unless the person saying it intends it to be and that's not the case most often.
Doesn't bother me. That's exaggeration for effect. It's not dismissive of anything unless the person saying it intends it to be and that's not the case most often.
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