Zachary Amaranth said:
So why I'm curious: I've been reading a really bad book that I only opted to finish because I have this compulsion to see if it EVER reaches a point. The protagonist is blind. Well, she was. She got better. That's not the point.
The protagonist makes reference to her blindness making dating a no-go. And I suppose from the character's perspective that's true, but it just made me think, because I'd never thought about it one way or another. I don't know many blind people in my age range, but I've never thought of them as different socially. I don't date much period, but I don't see this as any impairment.
But I know for a fact that I'm freaking weird.
Unfortunately, so is the Escapist, so maybe this will no reflect the general public well, but I don't hang around normal people, so it'll have to do.
Poll is being included in hopes that people will be honest if anonymity is allowed. I hope there's discussion material here too.
I have a slightly different reaction to deaf people as opposed to blind people, but it's not for the reason you might think: I have a disability related to my hands. I literally can't type normally. I even got a medical note to get out of the mandatory typing class in high school required for graduation (I taught myself to type at a decent clip with few errors, but it's not orthodox). I grew up around a lot of deaf people due to my proximity to a school for the deaf. Communication is a serious issue, complicated by the fact that a lot of deaf people are quick to mock my handicap. The latter part aside, I'm pretty sure the communication issue would stop me from being able to have any serious relationship with someone who's deaf.
But aside from the fact that I can't speak the language, I don't inherently have a problem with the concept.
So basically: would you date someone who was deaf/blind or had a similar disability? Why? Why not?
Honesty preferred. I'm not here to judge so much as to get a broader cross-section than "just me."
In Hamburg were i live we have something called "Dialogue in the Dark". It's basically a tour through different rooms that you could find in normal live but in complete darkness. You can't see anything there.
All the tour guides, that guide the groups through these rooms are blind and tell them a few things about being blind.
At the end of the tour there's a bar, again in total darkness, were you can get drinks and talk a bit with the tour guy.
It was really interesting.
Because blind isn't really blind. There are different kind of blind.
There are some that are like you have bad eyes, like a lot of people have, but their so bad that no glasses or operation could ever help. They can still see shapes and forms. But everything is kind of a white blur. But even then there are times when they can see colors and stuff. Our guide had this kind of blindness, and it wasn't that bad on him. As long as he goes somewhere that he knows he could do mostly without a stick and the blindness badge. He still wears them most of the time, because if he doesn't people tend to get confused if he ask them for help.
Then there's also tunnel view. Meaning they can see perfectly clear but it's such a small field of view they have that it counts as blind. He had a friend who was that kind of blind and he told me people always get confused when he takes the bus as a blind guy, sits down and starts reading a normal book.
Oh back to topic, he also mentioned that he has a girlfriend, actually a fiance. (Who's not blind herself btw.)
So no i don't think it would stop people from dating, when they really want to.
