Apparently there’s a blind guy in big brother this year. Woohoo – at last everyone will learn that us crips can be as vain and moronic as everyone else. While this must be seen as a step forward for disability rights, however nominal, what interests me is the reaction from some members of the blind community, who fear that this person in big brother will show them all up. A young blind person apparently posted the following on the ouch messageboard: ”I hope he or she is aware that they are representing the visually impaired community and give us a good name. I hope that they don’t have awful blind habits, such as rocking or not looking at people when talking to them. I would like to hope that they will be normal”.

I have a problem with this. why should this person stand for all blind people? if a woman was in that house of idiots, would she be seen as representative of all women? Of course nit. Mind you, it could be slightly different given that cripples are such a minority, but I personally would hate to think I stood for everyone with cp, were I to somehow go on that show. Why should the actions of one be seen to represent the behaviours of the many? And how did we become so concerned with this idea of ‘community’?

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