Normalising disability one real life story at a time
Currently, I am in the UK for a family funeral/memorial while Guide Dog Sienna has a holiday in NZ. One thing that has stood out to me is the amount of mainstream assistance that is available for people with disabilities to participate in community life in comparison with NZ. I will describe some examples and... Continue Reading →
As a deafblind woman who is articulate and has worked in the healthcare sector, interaction with government agencies is still necessary and can be extremely challenging. In my experience, our system is flawed. One of the fundamental issues lies in the negative and deficit perception of disability often fostered within our society and institutionally in... Continue Reading →
While visiting a restaurant last tonight, I encountered a situation that made me uncomfortable—compounded by societal norms, values and accepted processes. The issue that leaves me uneasy is related to paying for our dinner. Tonight a printout was provided to check before payment. This included a list of meals and their prices. My friend read... Continue Reading →
This week I was reminded just how changeable my vision is in a day. I will tell a story to illustrate. One of the catchphrases in the blind community is that blindness is a spectrum, which is accurate. What is usually even more unexpected is the changeability in that spectrum on any one day. I... Continue Reading →