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Twitch banning the "Blind Playthrough" tag for being ableist and negative - What do you think about that? (self.Blind)
submitted by Lagideath2
Recently, Twitch made the decision to ban their tag "Blind Playthrough" that was used to tell viewers that the streamer has never played the game before, experiencing everything for the first time and without spoilers.
The reason for the ban was that it was deemed "ableist language" and because blind supposedly has a negative connotation.
As someone who is not visually impaired I have trouble understanding this reasoning.
I don't understand why it is ableism to use the word blind to describe the playthrough of a game you have never seen before. To me, the word makes sense in the context and I can't think of a way to understand the word as a negative one in said context. It's not making fun of anything or being condescending.
I have also never heard about the word "blind" being assigned a negative connotation. As far as I know, being blinded means that someone is made unable to see. No matter what you call that state, it doesn't make it a more pleasant experience or degrade people that cannot see.
That is why I'm turning to this sub. I don't know any visually impaired people in real life but I'd like to hear their viewpoint on this topic.
Are you offended by the term "blind playthrough"? If so, why exactly?
Have you encountered the description "blind" as a slur?
Do you think that Twitch's action to ban the tag "blind playthrough" was an overreaction caused by our society being offended by every little thing nowadays or is it actually reasonable?
The reason for the ban was that it was deemed "ableist language" and because blind supposedly has a negative connotation.
As someone who is not visually impaired I have trouble understanding this reasoning.
I don't understand why it is ableism to use the word blind to describe the playthrough of a game you have never seen before. To me, the word makes sense in the context and I can't think of a way to understand the word as a negative one in said context. It's not making fun of anything or being condescending.
I have also never heard about the word "blind" being assigned a negative connotation. As far as I know, being blinded means that someone is made unable to see. No matter what you call that state, it doesn't make it a more pleasant experience or degrade people that cannot see.
That is why I'm turning to this sub. I don't know any visually impaired people in real life but I'd like to hear their viewpoint on this topic.
Are you offended by the term "blind playthrough"? If so, why exactly?
Have you encountered the description "blind" as a slur?
Do you think that Twitch's action to ban the tag "blind playthrough" was an overreaction caused by our society being offended by every little thing nowadays or is it actually reasonable?
Tiger3Tiger 20 points 2y ago
I'm not VI so I'm not going to comment on the ableism aspect, but I follow accessibility on Twitter and have several friends that are blind that their problem isn't with that, but with people who are blind and play games. There are quite a few blind gamers out there, and it can be hard to find their content because "hey, I'm playing this game blind" doesn't let them be found for their blindness, because of that other connotation. I like following accessibility in games, so I like to watch VI people play games. It's hard to find new content from that, the ones I found I found due to their other videos mostly.
ABlindManPlays 5 points 2y ago
As a blind Twitch streamer, I had a talk with a few other blind gamers and rather than removing 'blind', they should add 'accessible' to the list. This could help draw attention to all sorts of disabled players instead of just us.
bradley22 19 points 2y ago
Did they ask the blind? Nooo, of course not.
It’s more nonsense from non disabled people thinking they know what we want.
It’s more nonsense from non disabled people thinking they know what we want.
onanimbus 2 points 2y ago
Come on, at least try. I can tell you just came to virtue signal because they *specifically said* the action came from viewer requests in addition to the Able Gamers organization. It is partly based on the fact that it makes it harder to find actual blind gamers, not just being “offensive”
bradley22 1 points 2y ago
Oh? In that case I take it back, I don't know what vertual signaling is but if there's an actual reason behind it which isn't just, let's do this because, insert stupid reason, then that's good.
Superfreq2 0 points 2y ago
I don't think that word means what you think it means.
EyelidsMcBirthwater 0 points 2y ago
Do you have a source on that? I've been trying to find where this decision came from
onanimbus 1 points 2y ago
You can click this for my google search of $1
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-12-06-twitch-removes-blind-playthrough-tag-following-criticism-from-gamers-with-disabilities
https://gamerant.com/twitch-blind-playthrough-tag-backlash/
Gamerant:
> Twitch removes its 'Blind Playthrough' tag after criticism for using ableist language following feedback from disabled gamers in its community.
https://www.pcgamer.com/twitch-removes-blind-playthrough-tag-in-response-to-feedback-from-disabled-players/
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-12-06-twitch-removes-blind-playthrough-tag-following-criticism-from-gamers-with-disabilities
https://gamerant.com/twitch-blind-playthrough-tag-backlash/
Gamerant:
> Twitch removes its 'Blind Playthrough' tag after criticism for using ableist language following feedback from disabled gamers in its community.
https://www.pcgamer.com/twitch-removes-blind-playthrough-tag-in-response-to-feedback-from-disabled-players/
reachexceedgrasp 1 points 2y ago
I was curious so clicked the links in the articles, and here's the specific tweet, from a Twitch streamer and the COO of Able Gamers, which started the discussion: https://twitter.com/stevenspohn/status/1272647593332486150 (click through for more context, and links in his bio)
bradley22 0 points 2y ago
While I get his point, I still think it’s non disabled people worrying about things that aren’t that important in the long run.
PungentMushrooms 11 points 2y ago
There have already been a couple posts along these lines on this sub so I can tell you that at least here, most blind people don't care or get offended by this kind of thing.
Superfreq2 6 points 2y ago
It's meaningless pandering to people who think they represent us but don't. Considering Twitch's actual accessibility issues, I find it insulting that this is apparently the priority.
It might make finding actually VI players easier though I guess, even if that wasn't the reason for doing it.
It might make finding actually VI players easier though I guess, even if that wasn't the reason for doing it.
[deleted] 6 points 2y ago
[deleted]
TK_Sleepytime 6 points 2y ago
I'm legally blind and this is ridiculous. Gave me a good laugh though! In my experience, it's usually the sighted folx who decide what ableism is and how to police it - and they're often wrong, or at least focusing on things that have the least impact on the blind community.
PepperPhoenix 4 points 2y ago
I'm not VI (yet. I will be eventually, hence why I'm here) but my husband is wheelchair bound, and trust me, this is true for the entire spectrum of disability; sensory, mental and physical.
I had some woman who thought I was my husbands nurse start screaming at me in public once for calling him disabled, she wanted to know what organisation I worked at so she could report me for "dehumanising" him. It took him screaming back at her that I'd done nothing wrong and to "leave my wife alone" before she told us both that we should know better than to use ableist language, and stormed away.
I had some woman who thought I was my husbands nurse start screaming at me in public once for calling him disabled, she wanted to know what organisation I worked at so she could report me for "dehumanising" him. It took him screaming back at her that I'd done nothing wrong and to "leave my wife alone" before she told us both that we should know better than to use ableist language, and stormed away.
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
Ummmmm????????????????????????? Wow????????????????????
TheFreebooter 2 points 2y ago
Perfectly able-bodied idiots who want woke points think they're doing a good thing but really they're diminishing the existence of the blind by removing the word from common parlence
Fange_Strellow 5 points 2y ago
It is personally more offensive to me that twitch apparently made this move without public consultation of any blind communities or groups. It seems like they made a decision to determine the word blind as offensive, which is in and of itself offensive. I would rather them make their platform accessible to blind people and focus on improving their product over an act that has completely missed the mark
onbullshit 2 points 2y ago
The request came from the organization Able Gamers and I have no problem with the decision based on the fact that it will be easier for audiences to find actual blind gamers.
Superfreq2 0 points 2y ago
VI gamers works just as well and it's more inclusive too.
Considering the majority either dislike this decision or find no use for it, why are these people being consulted if they don't represent us anyway?
Considering the majority either dislike this decision or find no use for it, why are these people being consulted if they don't represent us anyway?
Lagideath2 [OP] 2 points 2y ago
They apparently made this decision because of user feedback but I have no idea whether the feedback came from blind people or people that can see and think that a blind playthrough is worded offensively.
onanimbus -2 points 2y ago
It’s not about $1 and the fact that you’d try to make yourself a victim here is very telling. Nothing of value was lost
Superfreq2 1 points 2y ago
Who exactly are these disabled gamers making decisions for us when the majority clearly doesn't want this. If they don't represent us properly than why are they being consulted.
lizwb 4 points 2y ago
As someone with blind people in my life I love, who has worked on accessible tech, and is also disabled, may I just raise one often-overlooked point: accessible tech nearly always has unforeseen additional benefits for everyone. For example, curb cuts in sidewalks for wheelchairs benefit parents with strollers. (Food for thought.)
TL;DR: Labels like “accessible” might be good.
TL;DR: Labels like “accessible” might be good.
VSSK 4 points 2y ago
The logic is pretty straightforward - some people don't like "blind" being used to mean "lack of knowledge".
You said yourself that "blind playthrough" refers to experiencing a game for the first time, and has nothing to do with playing a game without sight. By your own definition of blind, isn't "blind playthrough" absolutely incorrect, since the tag has nothing to do with people playing games without sight? What does blindness have to do with experiencing something for the first time?
You said yourself that "blind playthrough" refers to experiencing a game for the first time, and has nothing to do with playing a game without sight. By your own definition of blind, isn't "blind playthrough" absolutely incorrect, since the tag has nothing to do with people playing games without sight? What does blindness have to do with experiencing something for the first time?
guitarandbooks 4 points 2y ago
I've been blind for 25 years now and this crap really grinds my gears.
​
Frankly, I could care less that someone driving has a blind spot, somebody got blind drunk, somebody did a blind play through of a game, or, "turn off that light! It's blinding me!"
​
I really don't care and do you want to know why? Because it's easy for people to be outraged or offended on another group's behalf. it's an easy way to show that you care, without any real investment. It makes the person feel better;like they are correcting a great wrong in the universe!
​
You know what I do find offensive? When things are not accessible and a company just blows me off. When people with disabilities, including blind people, are not included in decisions that directly effect us whether that has to do with a product, service, place, or piece of legislation etc. When you are passed over for something just because you're blind. When people assume things and believe stereotypes instead of seeking factual information from the person living with that disability, whether it be blindness or something else.
​
Those are the things that actually matter to me.
​
Frankly, I could care less that someone driving has a blind spot, somebody got blind drunk, somebody did a blind play through of a game, or, "turn off that light! It's blinding me!"
​
I really don't care and do you want to know why? Because it's easy for people to be outraged or offended on another group's behalf. it's an easy way to show that you care, without any real investment. It makes the person feel better;like they are correcting a great wrong in the universe!
​
You know what I do find offensive? When things are not accessible and a company just blows me off. When people with disabilities, including blind people, are not included in decisions that directly effect us whether that has to do with a product, service, place, or piece of legislation etc. When you are passed over for something just because you're blind. When people assume things and believe stereotypes instead of seeking factual information from the person living with that disability, whether it be blindness or something else.
​
Those are the things that actually matter to me.
DrillInstructorJan 2 points 2y ago
What he said, only with "chaps my ass" rather than "grinds my gears."
K-R-Rose 3 points 2y ago
As a legally blind gamer, I can understand where they are coming from, however I do not agree. I’ve never thought of that term as being ableist, although I do think that “blind play through” could have a better description. What about the people who are blind and play, or the people who do blindfolded runs? I see it as a way to prevent confusion, but I do think not asking the blind community doesn’t look good. I also think that if society limits the use of terms like “blind” from being used in common phrases, then it becomes taboo. The more we can talk about blindness the better, because that’s how people become comfortable with it.
Hellsacomin94 3 points 2y ago
As a working professional who happens to be visually impaired, I do take exception to the use of blind as a synonym for ignorance. Blind people are not ignorant of the world around them, nor are we stupid or mentally deficient. The use of the phrase “blind play through” perpetuates the incorrect assumption that sighted people know more than the visually impaired. A better phrase would be “first time play through”. The use of the term blind as a synonym for ignorance is unacceptable to me.
mantolwen 3 points 2y ago
Not VI or blind myself but all the blind people I have spoken to think it's the dumbest thing ever.
Laser_Lens_4 3 points 2y ago
It's a bunch of twats getting offended on our part and patting themselves on the back for a job well done getting rid of discrimination or whatever. Haven't met a single blind person yet who was actually asked by Twitch or Amazon if they found "blind" in that context offensive.
ratadeacero 3 points 2y ago
That's the dumbest thing I've heard today.
magouslioni690 3 points 2y ago
I'm visually impaired I think the word blind isn't offensive and banning the blind playthrough tag was more like Twitch trying to be funny to me lol
siriuslylupin6 2 points 2y ago
Totally blind here. And I am just really damn amused.
We should let’s see.... banned
Blind dated, double blind study, blindsided, etc.....
Wait... hang on we’ve just become to pc.
We should let’s see.... banned
Blind dated, double blind study, blindsided, etc.....
Wait... hang on we’ve just become to pc.
Cecil_Hersch 2 points 2y ago
As someone Visually impaired, I find this banning unneccesary coz "Blind Playthrough" is widely used for playing a game with no knowledge of it for the first time.
Altie-McAltface 2 points 2y ago
I think it's an overreaction. I don't really care what people say. I care how people treat me. I get tons of "you're so inspiring" stuff thrown my way, but that never amounts to much practically.
The word "blind" isn't a dirty word. It's like removing "blacklist" and "whitelist" from IT and computer science parlance. I'm pretty sure "blacklist" was coined during the cold war and refers to lists of known or suspected Communists.
It's a lot easier to mess around with a few words than it is to actually put effort into making a product accessible.
EDIT: Wikipedia says "blacklist" comes from English politics in the 1600s. I first heard the word in relation to Mccarthyism.
EDIT 2: The point about removing "blacklist" is either because people think it has actual racist origins or just because it has the word "black" in it and is mildly negative.
The word "blind" isn't a dirty word. It's like removing "blacklist" and "whitelist" from IT and computer science parlance. I'm pretty sure "blacklist" was coined during the cold war and refers to lists of known or suspected Communists.
It's a lot easier to mess around with a few words than it is to actually put effort into making a product accessible.
EDIT: Wikipedia says "blacklist" comes from English politics in the 1600s. I first heard the word in relation to Mccarthyism.
EDIT 2: The point about removing "blacklist" is either because people think it has actual racist origins or just because it has the word "black" in it and is mildly negative.
LadyAlleta 2 points 2y ago
Blind playthrough doesn't bother me that much. But here is why it isn't the best word choice:
Blind in blind playthrough means that the gamer does not know what the game entails. They are ignorant of the game. And it is specifically the word "blind" here.
For kids/teens/even adults that grow up associating blind with ignorant, this can bleed into other areas of life. So if they one day need to hire an employee, and there's a blind candidate, they might subconsciously believe that blind person is also ignorant.
It's about word association.
Also, a blind playthrough usually means they have no knowledge at all of the game. But blind people most of the time will have partial vision. So it also contributes to the idea that blind people see nothing. Which is wrong.
"Blind playthrough" is kinda normalized now. But imagine if the term for going through a game your first time was called a "black playthrough" or similar. It would be weird.
Blind in blind playthrough means that the gamer does not know what the game entails. They are ignorant of the game. And it is specifically the word "blind" here.
For kids/teens/even adults that grow up associating blind with ignorant, this can bleed into other areas of life. So if they one day need to hire an employee, and there's a blind candidate, they might subconsciously believe that blind person is also ignorant.
It's about word association.
Also, a blind playthrough usually means they have no knowledge at all of the game. But blind people most of the time will have partial vision. So it also contributes to the idea that blind people see nothing. Which is wrong.
"Blind playthrough" is kinda normalized now. But imagine if the term for going through a game your first time was called a "black playthrough" or similar. It would be weird.
je97 2 points 2y ago
Ableist language is only ableist to able-bodied people usually. We've better things to care about like ableist employers and lack of reasonable adjustments to moderate your speech.
onanimbus 2 points 2y ago
They didn’t ban or restrict anything, they just removed the tag and suggested alternatives.
https://gamerant.com/twitch-blind-playthrough-tag-backlash/
Gamerant:
> Twitch removes its 'Blind Playthrough' tag after criticism for using ableist language following feedback from disabled gamers in its community.
Sounds like nothing of value was lost and now it will become easier to find content from actual blind gamers so I can make my games more accessible for me. The YouTube thumbnails that people made of these “blind playthrough” videos were atrocious
https://gamerant.com/twitch-blind-playthrough-tag-backlash/
Gamerant:
> Twitch removes its 'Blind Playthrough' tag after criticism for using ableist language following feedback from disabled gamers in its community.
Sounds like nothing of value was lost and now it will become easier to find content from actual blind gamers so I can make my games more accessible for me. The YouTube thumbnails that people made of these “blind playthrough” videos were atrocious
UnladylikeMe 1 points 2y ago
Well, is blindfold offensive, I dont think so, so why is blind playthrough?
I mean blind lit means unable to see, unable to see clearly, or deprived of understanding. By definition, a blind playthough would be going in without an understanding, or blindly. Blind has more meanings than simply a visual impairment.
Of course 'abled saviors' like to step in for us, and call out the dumbest things for being offensive. Idk about you, but instead I'd like to see actual problems being fixed, not 10 people getting offended over a term with zero negative connotation, and some how getting it banned.
I mean blind lit means unable to see, unable to see clearly, or deprived of understanding. By definition, a blind playthough would be going in without an understanding, or blindly. Blind has more meanings than simply a visual impairment.
Of course 'abled saviors' like to step in for us, and call out the dumbest things for being offensive. Idk about you, but instead I'd like to see actual problems being fixed, not 10 people getting offended over a term with zero negative connotation, and some how getting it banned.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
[deleted]
Remy_C 1 points 2y ago
I think the whole thing is rediculous. And while I can't back it up with fact, I'm pretty confident it the change wasn't inspired by an actual visually impaired or blind person.
JeruldForward 1 points 2y ago
Stupid. But I’m only legally blind so maybe I’m not the one to decide
Real_Space_Captain 1 points 2y ago
I could care less about the term "blind" playthrough", because people know, I just which people were more educated about blind gamers. Too many times we hear either bad jokes about gaming while blind or people making harsh assumptions about blind gamers (not the curious ones who just want to know how you do it, they're fine!).
I appreciate the effort, but it is just missing the mark. Then again, not like Twitch themselves can do that, that comes from education and people willingness to learn.
I appreciate the effort, but it is just missing the mark. Then again, not like Twitch themselves can do that, that comes from education and people willingness to learn.
intellectualnerd85 1 points 2y ago
Personally I view it as a person with sound body and mind getting offended on my behalf. It fake virtue signaling twaddle
ScarReincarnated 1 points 2y ago
It never crossed my mind as ableist. Twitch has become extremely SJW for no reason. They are banning a lot more words now like “simp and virgin.”
But, I do understand if there might be a slight confusion if a blind individual wants to listen to a stream that says “Blind Play-through,” then they might get the idea that its an actual fellow blind person playing the game. This is so unlikely and the person watching/listening the stream won’t really care.
But, I do understand if there might be a slight confusion if a blind individual wants to listen to a stream that says “Blind Play-through,” then they might get the idea that its an actual fellow blind person playing the game. This is so unlikely and the person watching/listening the stream won’t really care.
Revenant624 1 points 2y ago
As a blind man, doing this is ridiculous. It’s just another example of the Wolk movement. It is sad how people get offended by such thing as blind, Indians, etc. People need to focus their efforts on more pressing issues.
ojosnobueno 0 points 2y ago
Dumb. Next it wont be a blind bearing puller but access impaired bearing puller. So dumb.
onanimbus 2 points 2y ago
What is the slippery slope fallacy?
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