People come in many shapes, sizes, personalities and abilities — but people with disability are often expected to 'fit the mould', as Liliana Russell — who 'doesn't look blind' — has discovered.
who lives on the New South Wales South Coast, who told me about a day he spent catching some waves on the local beach.
But blindness or low vision is not a one-size-fits-all disability — I compare it to being on the spectrum, with many different presentations and co-morbid conditions which mean different adjustments for different people. I have grown up with low vision as I have retinitis pigmentosa — a degenerative eye disease that has resulted in a gradual but constant loss of sight over the years. This has translated into needing to adjust to my new needs on a sometimes day-to-day basis as my sight disappears.
When I respond with, "No I am blind, she helps me stay safe," the response is usually one of disbelief. I find myself almost justifying that I have a little vision, but still need the assistance of mobility aids like a guide dog and cane. I must say, it is a bit difficult to signal someone you can't see unless you do a constant semaphore dance! I have toyed with the idea of designing a t-shirt I could wear with a big eye and cross through it — maybe even with the words, 'LOOK AT ME I CAN'T SEE'!Years of teaching, public speaking and always being aware of the importance of eye contact to make connections, means I am adept at keeping eye contact — although I literally can't see a person's face, let alone...
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