Abso-friggin-lutely. It gets old as hell hearing what amounts to "They did a great job, all things considered. Everybody join me in a round of pity applause because they clearly need the validation. (And don't forget to click 'like' on my post/comment about it.)"

We want to be treated as peers, not mascots.

Oh hell yes, this on toast. Even my parents do it.

But it gets worse, because people assume that anything you ARE doing is due to some need to show off. I've been asked, why are you going on holiday. Well, to stay up late, drink slightly too much, eat really nice food without having to do the washing up, and not work for a few days. Oh what you're not climbing everest, pogo sticking up the sears tower or going over niagara falls in a barrel in aid of some sort of blindness charity? It's like letdown city any time you do something for a normal bloody reason.

I've written quite a bit about this on this sun, but to sum up, you can ask them if they've managed not to soil themselves upon stepping outside. Let them know how proud you are off them, if they were successful.

Oh sh\*T, This makes me realize even more how of an idiot I once was when I said you guys were inspirational, you guys shouldnt have to deal with that kind of garbage comment, I am so sorry, Thankfully, people can change their minds, as I did, we are working on changing people minds! <3 Love you guys!!

The problem is that what people really mean when they say you're inspiring is "oh, I didn't think you could do that at all" or "oh I never thought a blind person would want to make a ginger bread house" and even if they mean well this is ultimately what it boils down to.

I actually pity the sighted for this a tiny bit. If you rely so much on one sense that people doing the simplest things without that sense inspires you THAT MUCH, that's actually a little bit sad. Though if I'm being honest, I have partial vision, and there really are some totally blind people out there who are very inspiring. So maybe I'm a hypacrit.

I had a dental hygienist asked me who helped me floss my teeth???!!! I guess I was inspirational when I told her I managed that all by myself. WTF?! These people are ridiculous.

You probably already know about this but I only recently (in the last four months) listened to Stella Young's amazing Ted Talk about inspiration porn, and I loved it.

Oh yeah. I do cross stitch as a hobby to keep me sane. I have a public Insta page to show it - I don’t even mention on my page that I’m (legally) blind cause I don’t want the pity/sympathy/inspiration porn shit from people. I’m no ones inspiration. Honestly, I’m a bit of a cunt.

Did you tell them you also used the toilet by yourself and got dressed?

Use the situation as an educational experience for them, they probably just don't know any better.

Yes! Especially when people have a few drinks, i couldn't even begin to describe how sick and tired I am of being such a "brave person with such a unique happy spirited outlook despite my (according to them I guess) horrendous circumstances", fuck me sighters life ain't that hard for me I have a guide dog, a ton of helping aids and (at times) a fully functional brain, so i am super duper happy.

The braveness and inspiration comments are up there with people telling me "But you don't look blind?!" or like when someone asked me if I needed help wiping myself at an outdoor bathroom stall at a festival, I told her to close her eyes and see if she manages to touch herself exactly wherever she wants on her body with no sight, she did and then we both laughed. But atleast people mean well, They really do, it's just so funny.

Ha ha, take it as a compliment? Or ignore really to be honest, people are like that particularly at times, this is not rocket science really people? Don't know what is inspirational about that

chillin here where no one can see me

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I generally use it as teaching moments and then say if you want amazing and outstanding I wil tell you what’s even more this way then tell them a story about something actually inspiring I do but it often turns in to this is how blind people live etc.... it’s usually helpful and generally interesting I have lots of actualy inspiring things because I am a bit of a character and have some grit and spine and bravery and boldness and such so yeah... usually it’s like that’s not so much but look this is probably more amazing and interesting. And I turn it in to education and a lesson. I get I learnt a lot thanks for that.