Chapter 1
Inequality
1.1 Are Sighted and Blind People Equal?
Let’s get to know the answer to this question right away. Why not tell the truth from the very beginning? Being blind can be a limitation, but the answer is a loud, resounding yes!
The first thing you need to remember is that people with sight loss are only different from the rest of us in the context of their sight. They have interests, thoughts, feelings and do most of the same things sighted people do.
1.2 Social Inequality
Social inequality is one of the basic concepts in sociology. Usually, when speaking about social inequality, the most obvious first thing to look at is economic inequality. In this chapter, we want to discuss the concept of economic inequality from the perspective of blind people.
1.2.1 The Most Important Inequalities Blind People Experience Are:
● The right to access education.
● The right to access employment.
● The right to access medical and rehabilitation services.
● The right to access leisure facilities and sports services.
● The right to access all places and transportation systems.
● The right to marry.
1.3 Understanding
As I write this, Canada has 1.5 million Canadians who are blind, with 5.59 million additional people anticipated to have eye conditions which may lead to blindness. Due to these misconceptions, and lack of understanding, people who are blind or partially sighted often encounter discrimination.
If we ask a sighted person to close their eyes for a short period of time, that person will quickly understand and value so much more the importance of their vision. Experience shows that over time, a blind person can learn how to live a normal life even if they were previously sighted. Until independence is reached their quality of life will be limited. Merely being sightless does not make a blind person need help.
The fact is this: some blind people may never get rid of the limitation of not seeing due to the lack of medical treatment available to fix their vision.
What can we do to reduce these limitations? Or, more positively we can ask, is there anything we can do? The answer is yes.
To better understand this issue, sighted people who read this book can begin to understand this topic very quickly. A blind person is a person who cannot see. This issue seems obvious, but our behavior shows that we didn't understand this simple issue.
1.4 Quick Tips from Volunteers
1.4.1 A Blind Person Can Hear Well!
Olivia, 26 years old, who became blind at 10 years old, says, "some people talk loudly to me. I don't have a problem with my ears."
Sophia, 43 years old, who became blind at 6 years old, says, "I hate when someone speaks slowly to me. It's like they think my brain is not working well. My manager talks to me like that."
1.4.2 A Blind Person Can Stand Well!
Amelia, 38 years old, who was born blind, says, "on the subway, some individuals insist upon giving me their seats. I say thank you, I can stand, I just don't see. They won't accept this and won’t leave me alone."
1.4.3 A Blind Person Thinks Well!
Charlotte, 19 years old, who became blind at 3 years old, says, "when my family wants to decide on something at home, they don't ask my opinion. Sometimes, maybe, they want to go to my sister's house or the park. They all talk, and I wait on purpose to see if they’ll ask me my opinion as well. They don't ask. Sometimes I think they forget me!"
1.4.4 A Blind Person Has His/her Own Taste!
Emma, 21 years old, who was born blind, says, "my sister asked all the family members what pants to wear with her pink dress, so they match the color. No one asks me. Indeed, I can't see, and I don't have a whole understanding of color. But I have already read a whole article about colors and color theory. I can tell what color goes with what color!"
1.4.5 A Blind Person Has the Right to Say No!
Charlotte, 19 years old, who became blind at 3 years old, says, "my family is surprised when I say that I don't want to go to the cinema with them. They are constantly surprised, as if I should always just say "okay" whenever they want to go. I don’t!"
1.4.6 A Blind Person Has the Right to Choose!
Ava, 17 years old, who became blind at 9 years old, says, "when I said I wanted to go on a trip, or go up to the mountains, my family treated me as if I had no right to go at all. My mother said, “mountain”? ! I said yes. She said: “Do you want to go to the mountains with your friend? !” I said yes! She didn't let me go."
1.4.7 A Blind Person Has the Right to Be Upset!
Emma, 21 years old, who was born blind, says, "I get sad sometimes, but my sisters treat my sadness as if I have depression. Sometimes they sit and say to each other with their eyes and eyebrows (body language), how is she? They think that I don't understand. Some people, when they see that I am upset about something, quickly associate it with my blindness. It turns out they censor all my behavior. They tell each other that all blind people are very sensitive! This isn’t true!"
1.4.8 A Blind Person Has the Right to Be Different!
Ava, 17 years old, who became blind at 9 years old, says, "I like to wear my blue pair of pants. My mother says no. She tells me the color isn’t good for me - without explaining!"
1.4.9 A Blind Person Has the Right to Dream!
Oliver, 16 years old, who became blind at 8 years old, says, "I would like to make a movie. My elder brother always says, what's the point? You can't see the movie you’d make!"
1.4.10 A Blind Person Has the Right to Make Decisions and Mistakes!
Lucas, 14 years old, who became blind at 8 years old, says, "my family decides for me. I like and have wanted to study literature. My family says I wouldn't have a future, so they enrolled me in the field of law. I am studying law now."
1.5 How and When Blindness Occurs
1.5.1 Time
A person who suddenly loses their vision is different from a person who gradually loses their vision due to various factors, in terms of emotional and social adaptations to the new situation. A person who gradually loses his/her vision usually adapts to new conditions. We need to consider these factors. Some conditions that cause blindness, such as congenital glaucoma, are sometimes associated with pain that a person must bear, for example. Naturally, such conditions will affect emotional and social behavior, including the way a person adapts.
1.5.2 How or When Did You Become Blind?
Sophia, 43 years old, who became blind at 6 years old, says, "I was six years old when a tumor grew in one of my eyes. The doctor told my mother that only this one eye has a problem, and it should be drained. With an albeit difficult surgery, your child can live with one eye for many more years. But it’s possible a tumor may develop again. At that time, my mother decided to proceed with the surgery. However, she decided to remove my good eye and the defective eye together instead of perhaps experiencing surgery and anesthesia twice. At first, I only needed help at night. After some days, I found I could handle my daily tasks."
Neena, 51 years old, who became blind at 29 years old, says, "by the time my son was two years old, my vision had decreased on a daily basis, until I became completely blind."
Amelia, 38 years old, who was born blind, says, "I was blind right from birth, when I first ever opened my eyes as a newborn. "
Ali, 17 years old, who became blind at eight years old, says, "at eight years old, I went to take a shower. Suddenly, I saw what looked like stripes in the mirror, lines of water, and streaks on the ground; my retina was now torn."
Sara, 24 years old, who became blind at five years old, says, "we had a car accident when I was five years old, and I became blind as a result. Just like the rest of us, blind people are all different, unique. As with others, there are blind criminals, thieves, unreliable individuals, drug addicts, murderers, and those who are uneducated!
However, that said, we can have a blind doctor, a first-class engineer, a trusted electrician, a very talented musician, and even photographers. So, let's review again. Those who are blind are not the same. They are different from everyone else. But they are also very much the same as fellow human beings."
1.6 Blind is Blind
Here I must say that those who only have vision problems shouldn't be confused with people with multiple disabilities. In addition to vision, a person may have a hearing problem, or another person may have a movement problem. Another person may also be blind, deaf, deafblind, and have cerebral palsy. But an important point to note is that a significant percentage of those who are blind only have vision problems.
