[Missouri-l] Accessible World presents the Debut of Issues Facing Persons who are Blind, September 12, 2010

[Nancy Lynn]

Newswire:
"I believe you could really drive my car if you wanted to." "I forget
all about your being blind." "It's amazing how well you get around
your apartment." "You're taking care of the baby all by yourself! When
will your wife be home?" "Are you sure you have enough money to pay
for the tickets to this play?"

On a daily basis, blind people are bombarded by well-meaning
relatives, friends, and acquaintances with questions like these. How
should we answer? Often treated like children, we are asked to think
through situations and choices a sighted relative or friend would
never ask another sighted person to. How can a blind person achieve
equality in a relationship with a sighted person? Does the "one way
mirror" somehow diminish us? What advantages do they have in seeing us
when we can't see them? How can we make them more comfortable and
maintain our dignity at the same time? How important are matters of
etiquette in eating out, conversation, and other events? Often treated
and seen only in extremes, the sighted world consigns us to a pedestal
from which we cannot escape or sees us with eyes and minds filled with
pity. How can we finally attain that special place where we truly can
be ourselves without being set apart? Many of us are fortunate in
having tremendously open minded colleagues, friends, and family who
happen to be sighted--Some blind people lead lives of isolation
choosing to be with other blind people most of the time. How can we
work together to change this pattern and achieve the meaningful
relationships we would all like to have.

Joanne Wolfe, the group facilitator will bring this innovative program
to us weekly. As a marriage and family therapist she brings a lifetime
of experience to these and other blindness issues.

Relationships are difficult under even the best circumstances. If you
have questions about relating to people who don't understand blindness
and how it affects you or want to do something that will bridge the
gap and end the awkward discomfort of a situation with a sighted
person, come to this debut of Issues facing all of us who are blind.
Together, we will learn how to climb the slippery slope and discover
effective solutions that will lead to meaningful communication with
sighted individuals and convey in new ways who we are and how much we
have to give.

We meet every Sunday telephonically at 9:30 PM EDT. Just a few minutes
prior to the event, please call 218-844-3388 and use the pin: 090807
followed by the pound sign. We look forward to meeting you on
September 12. These programs will not be recorded.

Joanne Wolfe, Group Facilitator
Email: Joannewolfe42 at yahoo.com.

Time: 6:30 PM. PDT, 7:30 PM MDT, 8:30 PM CDT, 9:30 PM EDT,
 and elsewhere in the world Thursday 01:30 GMT.

Accessible World uses News Wires, like this one, to inform people of
the topic and times for the many Discussion Groups on Accessible
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Accessible World Contacts:

Robert Acosta, Chair
Accessible World
818-998-0044
Email: boacosta at pacbell.net
Web: www.helpinghands4theblind.org

Marcia Moses, Events Coordinator
Accessible World
734-495-1496
Email: mgmoses at comcast.net

Steve Hoffman, President
Talking Communities
Email: steve at talkingcommunities.com
<mailto:steve at talkingcommunities.com>

The Accessible World, a division of Helping Hands For The Blind, a
501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, seeks to educate the general
public, the disabled community and the professionals who serve them by
providing highly relevant information about new products, services,
and training opportunities designed specifically to eliminate
geographic and access barriers that adversely affect them



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