Patricia, born 1951 - To Use or Not To Use the White Cane The conflict is real

Safe Toddles Talks Orientation and Mobility

Patricia Montgomery is a terrific example of the seeds the world has sown. People with visual impairments are expected to be visually capable and blind people are expected to be treated as if they are sighted. Blindness and visual impairment are the most blatant form of stereotyping and marginalizing of a disability group out in the open. Consider the slur, ‘what are you blind?’

Being Blind is a reality for people, and it means they can’t see. It doesn't mean anything else.

But when you ask Patricia to describe her vision and then ask her about her travel and cane use – it sounds very conflicted.

listen to her story for consistency. In the case of Patricia Montgomery, she doesn’t know the name of her visual impairment. Her description of her visual functioning. I have good light perception. I can see how to get around pretty good. I have good, uh, color. I can tell color real good.

She got her long cane and her confidence without it only grew stronger. Yet, unfamiliar places (or perhaps lighting) hard to say – there are times she pulls out her long cane.

Is it the expectations of society, the limits of the white cane options or is it real – without the detail vision and reliance on color makes knowing if what is ahead is a drop off a puddle or simply a different floor color very challenging. A white cane cuts through all of the clutter and very simply and plainly says what it is – smooth surface, change in surface, drop off.

Why is it so important to walk around with less certainty for blind and visually impaired folks than sighted folks?

Perhaps sighted folks need to examine their expectations of blind folks – not one would expect a person who relies on a wheelchair to move about and ignore their need for a wheelchair in familiar settings.

Let’s listen to Patricia – I only wish I had the vocabulary to have asked more about her being a student at the segregated school for the blind in the 1960s.

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