Caption Palace

- Don’t stand and open the door and say nothing. Usually I can figure it out based on the cold air but don’t automatically assume I’m going to be overjoyed by this action. Say something or it’s going to be weird for both of us.

- Don’t automatically assume that blind people don’t know where they’re going unless we’re doing donuts in the world’s largest parking lot. Usually we’re going to work, going shopping, being in places we know. But it’s still ok to ask.

- Don’t use “over here” or “over there” as directions. Those directions are bullshit. Usually I can kind of figure it out by listening to how you’re standing and projecting your voice and the sound (yes the sound) of pointing but that is a case by case basis and not many blind and visually impaired people have that processing. Instead say ten steps, ten paces, or right/left/straight ahead, south/north/etc.

- Do not grab a blind or visually impaired person without consent and say absolutely fucking nothing! You’re just kidnapping me at this point. Yes, this happens. Had a guy grab only my bag once saying nothing and then get pissed off when I punched him in the jaw.

- It’s ok and purposeful for blind people to run into walls. We are trying to run into walls. I know that’s scary to see. But being on a long sidewalk that feels the same gives you no information on where exactly you are. We Can’t see the buildings. If you feel the grooves and patterns in a specific building you can say “Oh I’m at the bakery! I’m 5 blocks away!” And preventing that can sometimes mess up our flow.

-HOWEVER, if you see a blind person going to run into a metal pole, a sign, poop, or another person, 100% speak up. It’s cool.

- Blindness and visual impairment is a spectrum. Some people are permanently blind, others can see 40%, some can see only in one eye, some people can see but have large holes in their vision, some people can see only under certain settings. There are some people who’ve been blind their entire life and some who lost it instantly and others that are gradually losing it. There are many types of vision and perception. For me, I can see 20/20 indoors but the extreme pain seeing in bright sunlight interferes with my vision and I need a cane as an aid. I can technically “See” outside in bright sunlight but what I’m perceiving visually is beige and white abstract blobs, and not, important visual contextual information like “I’m in front of Taco Bell next to a dog, and one step and I’m falling off a steep cliff”. For me personally I need sensory clues to determine that yeah the Rathko painting of a moving line in front of me is a car.

- Please, don’t grab our cane arm, if you’re aiding. Our cane is our eyes. You’re making us doubly blind now stop.

- Please don’t interrupt or interfere with sighted eye dogs. Not your pets.

- We love when people tell us additional information about what’s going on around us, or what the location looks like!

- Not all of us can use braille, and prefer ereaders or ridged lettering instead. However offering braille is always important.

- If we’re staring at you, we’re really not and we are not trying to be rude. One of my friends born 100% blind said that he frequently has to keep his head down while in public so that women don’t allege that he’s staring at their boobs.

- We are Blind, not deaf. We can hear you talking about us within earshot distance away as well as farther.

- If a blind person has an aid or a friend with them, don’t only talk to the aid. And especially don’t talk about them to the aid when you can just ask? I know that disabilities are intersectional but you know you can talk to visually impaired people and disabled people right. I’ve had people talk about me in front of my face like a dog or a baby. And I know I’m not the only one who’s experienced this.

- please add more captions and visual captions on pictures. They don’t need to be perfect. My social media pages become a brick the moment I walk outside, and I know that applies to the rest of the community. It helps.

- please make your websites and such more ereader friendly. Ten popups and an image that’s filled with text is not telling me anything.

- Saying “Oh! You’re so brave! I could never be like you, I would kill myself!” Isn’t the compliment that you think it is. You are always one step away from being disabled, remember that. Yes I’ve heard this quote on quote compliment multiple times before.

- make more blind characters that actually use visual aids. Understand that white canes aren’t just props but extensions of our eyes. Use ereaders, braille keyboards, money punchers, seeing eye dogs, visual scanners, and fantasy objects. Have us struggle when interacting with the world instead of just being so so good at being blind that it’s not even an obstacle.