When I was in my final year of university, I had to take a pregnancy test. I was embarrassed at the time and scared that the result would be positive. But most of all I was anxious that because I’m blind I wouldn’t be able to do it without other people knowing. I knew that…
Category: Disability and Identity
My identity as a disabled person is very important to me. It has undoubtedly shaped my life experiences, including how I interact with others and obtain an education.
It was other disabled people that taught me how to value my body, how to love myself and reject society’s perception of disability.
Do Automated Solutions like #AccessiBe Make the Web More Accessible?
Update March 9th 2021: I have added several sections to this post, including commentary on the accuracy of my findings, in response to feedback I received on Twitter. If you have an interest in web accessibility, you’ve doubtless found yourself at some point involved in a discussion about the best way to fix inaccessible web…
The Truth Is: You’ll Never Be The Perfect Blind Person
I’m a perfectionist. I look at my completed work and feel irritated and disappointed because it’s never quite good enough. No matter how much time I spend refining a piece of writing or carefully preparing presentation notes, the outcome can never live up to my expectations. I’m also a control freak, so handing over responsibility…
Guest Post: Top Ten Things Sighted People Never Tell Us About Kissing
This post was submitted to the blog by Caitlin Hernandez. As a totally blind high schooler, I read every online “How To Kiss” article I could find. I lived in terror that, one day, I’d find myself with a partner and they’d laugh, the way my peers often laughed at my choreography. Articles assume, not…
Teachers Change Lives
I’m pretty critical of the education system. I’m pretty critical about everything actually, I’m just that kind of person. Despite this, I look back at my experiences in school very fondly. I am able to do this because I was fortunate enough to have so many wonderful teachers who shaped my life in different ways….
Is Your Awareness Accessible? A Study of Content Posted on Twitter for Blindness Awareness Month
Introduction At the beginning of Blindness Awareness Month, which took place during October, I was left feeling frustrated and disheartened by the high level of inaccessible blindness content I saw being posted online. Each year it seems I speak out about the problem of inaccessibility within blindness spaces and every time I’m told it can’t…
Sharing Posts for Blindness Awareness Month Might Make You Feel Good, But Where is the Meaningful Change?
October is blindness awareness month, or so countless posts over on Facebook tell me. I forget about it for the most part, until I’m reminded by organisations who want me to support their campaigns, and friends and family who ask me to share their posts. I have come to the conclusion, after years of sharing…
How Artificial Intelligence is Describing Adult Content to the Blind
In recent years, several companies have developed apps or implemented technology which uses artificial intelligence to describe photos to blind people. In 2016 Facebook released a feature which auto-generates alt text for photos uploaded to the social network. A year later, Microsoft released Seeing AI, an app with multiple features, one of which is analysing…
The Student Loans Company Refuses to Comply with Discrimination Legislation. Their Unwillingness could Cost me my Education.
On July the 18th I published a blog post entitled Despite Covid19, Student Finance England Continues Discriminatory Application Process in which I outlined ongoing problems I was having obtaining a Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) application form in an accessible format. I’m a blind user of assistive technology and I required the form in a format…
Despite Covid19, Student Finance England Continues Discriminatory Application Process
As a disabled student, I rely on Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), in order to receive the support I need at university. Administered by the government through Student Finance England, DSA funds equipment and human support that disabled students require in order to receive an equal education. The application process however is far from equal. Whereas…