I Want People To Understand This.

Is there anyone else who doesn't remember the "before my TBI" time? Like, you were super young (I was eighteen months) when the TBI happened, and there was never really a "before" for you, this has just always been your reality?

Needs to be said, probably controversial, but "bad" people deserve support for their mental health issues as well. "Bad" people should not be dehumanized and berated for their mental health issues. I dont care what they've done

“No Offense, But If You’re Blind How do You Read, Type, Write, or Do Anything Online?” A Resource Post For Your Everyday Ableism

This is a question blind people get almost every time they go online, use phones, write, etc. Sometimes the questions are genuine and gently curious. More often than not they hold assumptions meant to mock, to silence, or even to justify harassment. Often, this is a way to accuse blind people of faking.

While there are bigger issues within the system, this kind of ableism perpetuated by individuals can be harmful and often makes the bigger issues worse or renders them invisible to the general public. For example, assumptions like the ones hidden in the question in the title are what keep blind people from employment. This kind of ableism can be used to justify physical violence.

While we may feel like we can’t fix systemic issues, the best things the average person can do is educate ourselves and change our behavior. This is true for ableism. If you ask the questions I list above, you are dealing with ableism.

Yes, even if that is not your intent.

Why Are These Questions So Bad?

To read more about how ableism harms blind people, check out this post about myths.

If You Really Want to Know How Blind People Do Things

Here is this post where I answer your common questions.

Here is a post about making content accessible for blind people. You will find information there about how blind people use online, print, Braille, and audio content. Link here.

Here is a post about how people write in Braille.

If You Want to Know And Don’t Have Time to Read Long Posts

You are online now. You should have access to a search engine. Put in some work. You can also search on YouTube if you like videos or audio.

If It Was Just a Joke

I have a post for that as well.

If You Are Wondering Who You Can Ask, When, and How to Ask in a Way That Isn’t Ableist

First, do your own research. This will remove the assumptions from most questions you have. People are also more willing to answer questions they have not heard millions of times. Also, examine your reasons for asking. Do you want to know because you don’t want to look it up yourself or are you looking for ways you might best help your student or a co-worker?

Second, accept no as an answer. Note that some people are perfectly fine answering questions in person, but some are not. Also, online questions can get overwhelming and frustrating, mostly because people are able to research before asking and choose not to.

Most people are happy to answer questions from children.

Third, consider going to people open to doing the work. Pay them if possible. That includes people writing books, consulting, doing presentations, or even blogs like mine that are specifically dedicated to answering questions. The difference is that we are prepared to do this and can do so when we choose. You aren’t stopping us when we’re in the check-out line or on a date. At least I hope not.

Fourth, listen to what that person says.

If You Want to Support Blind People

If you engaged in this before, change your behavior. Inform your friends and family. Support blind people. You can do so financially by donating a nonprofit helping blind people such as the ones listed on my blog. You can also buy things from this list of businesses.

Did you ever believe a creepypasta to be real?

Me Giving a Pressed Conference: our advocacy for the disabled must include the addict, the imperfect victim, those we despise; the right to autonomy and life cannot devolve into a popularity contest

Reporter I Hate (Not Sexual Tension): Does that include all the attendees of the Bored Ape NFT event who went blind

Me: *Blood streaming from my nostrils and eyes* david, it includes everyone

*guy with an undiagnosed disability voice:* haha it’s kinda crazy how everyone just deals with the constant unending pain but we just keep trucking per usual 💯💯💯

happy Pride month ! ! here is your reminder that intensely / severely / big / whatever word wanna use Mentally Disabled people CAN use whatever label/exoression they want because they have the same autonomy as You !

yes this includes Kink

includes Gender

includes HRT

includes Sexuality

includes Romance

includes Neo/Xeno labels

includes those who Can't understand gender sexuality etc because STILL have autonomy to do whatever want

includes EVERYTHING & EVERYONE

!

*mom voice* You can get these words back when you know what they mean

As someone who is somewhat of a “veteran” of the online ND community, I’m disappointed in the lack of positivity and love for lesser known diverse cognitive conditions, and the opposing abundance of posts about “cures” or outdated criteria or treatments for those conditions. So, without further ado, I want to say hello to anyone with any of the disorders I’m listing, and give them the love and support that hardly anyone else in our community has… Shoutout to:

People with Down syndrome

People with Fragile X

People with William’s syndrome

People with dyslexia

People with dyspraxia

People with dyscalculia

People with dysgraphia

People with Prader-Willi syndrome

People with PANS or PANDAS

People with aphasia

People with a TBI (traumatic brain injury)

People with chronic/early onset mental illnesses

People with cerebral palsy

People with FASD or were otherwise disabled via other substances in utero

And many, many more I may have forgotten to list (but still support and love, I will add more to my list)

You are all beautiful and wonderful, and you all deserve so more love, appreciation, acceptance and support. You are just as neurodiverse as the rest of us, and your voices deserve to be heard and amplified.

I love you all ❤️