I love writing and having the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss so many issues via this medium. The aim of the VI talk blog is to enable not just myself, but anybody who wishes to contribute an article, to meet this aim. Many people have highlighted their own blogs via the VI talk group and have really highlighted the importance and sheer power of writing.
Personal experience of visual impairment and life in general is the most effective tool in relaying what it is like to live with a vision impairment. I, like many of you, have experienced situations where people make assumptions about what it is like to be blind and/or partially sighted and this tends to perpetuate these misconceptions. Having a blog is one way of attempting to address and work away at these; a platform to really express and bring life experiences alive. As mentioned, it’s been so good to see so many people introducing their blogs; hopefully there will be a lot more in the future.
Yes, there are times when articles will look at more challenging topics, but that is really to reflect all aspects of life. I have received some criticism in the past for doing this, but if I ignore the difficulties that many face then that would be giving too much of a false perspective on life. Yes, there is certainly a lot to celebrate and promote in terms of what we can do, but missing out on say critically evaluating provisions such as employment and education support, really doesn’t help depict life in general.
This blog is yours and if you would like to write something on any aspect of life with a visual impairment then please get in touch by emailing:
Please don’t worry about having to write the perfect article; it’s not about that – it’s really there to capture and share your experiences. I’m more than happy to help you do that.