Re: Do you feel excluded?
I've had this feeling when, say, going to a new doctor's office, or walking through a mall. The number of times I have been told I don't know where I'm going, or even grabbed to steer me right, is ridiculous and stupid.
As for the social/friendship side of it? Maybe I've just been pretty lucky, but overall I've always had friends. Some are blind, some aren't. I'm not the sort who wants or needs a huge circle, and I've been fortunate enough to find people similar enough to me to get along with. And for those who aren't, I can still make conversation without standing out horribly. I mean hell, I've had three days at my new placement and I've already made good rapport with six of my coworkers, three especially so...the sort where if I'd met them outside work I might have tried to hang out with them for fun or whatnot.
People who are shallow don't impress or interest me much. I don't need them and don't waste time lamenting their lack of presence in my life.
Pro-tip: friends who get upset that you can't drive aren't really friends. Just sayin'. I worry about that too, but my friends know I can't drive and are okay picking me up/dropping me off places if we hang out. It's just sort of a part of the experience and they've internalized it. Some sighted people can't/don't drive either, after all.
I see a lot of resentment boiling in this topic, or simmering I suppose. This concept that the sighted world excludes us. And it does, often enough. But sometimes I think it comes down to a little luck and a whole lot of perseverance. This doesn't mean it's easy or that I'm trying to dismiss or lessen the experiences many of you have had, but it seems that some of them come down to who you run with, and whether or not you possess social skills. I am sad having to say this, but I oftentimes find that when I hang out with one or more blind people in person, I notice a distinct lack of social awareness. This is absolutely -not true of all or even most blind folks out there, but it's something I experience enough that I believe it's colouring my perception a little here. For me, the best interaction is the sort where a disability is not front and center. One of the reasons I like my coworkers so much; a couple have asked questions, but most take me just for my own sake and to hell with the blindness.
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