Update (9 April 2018):

This article is not meant to vilify people who don’t understand blindness. I genuinely enjoy raising awareness about disabilities, and I’ll gladly answer any questions people might have. The ‘trolls’ I discuss below are people who know that I’m blind and are actively trying to hurt me because of it. I’ve made a few edits to the following piece in hopes of clarifying that message.

I believe that people are neither inherently good nor bad, and that those around us teach us whether to be kind or cruel. As children, we learn from our friends and elders what behaviour is acceptable and what is not, and we learn to be kind and respectful to others. Sometimes, though, we encounter a completely new situation, one for which we don’t already have a model of behaviour to follow. In these situations, it’s easy to forget how to be kind. That’s how racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and all manner of other biases are born: out of fear of the unknown.

I get all sorts of reactions when people first discover I’m blind, some of which are more entertaining than others. Most of the time, people are respectful, curious, and encouraging, and I genuinely appreciate their interest and enjoy answering their questions. Every once in a while, though, I get a reaction that’s insulting or offensive. I hope that these negative comments are rooted in ignorance and not malice. Probably, they’ve just never met someone like me, and they don’t know how to act. They feel awkward and unsure, and they sometimes say something hurtful.

Sometimes, though, they really are just being trolls.

So far, I’ve been fortunate enough not to have encountered many people like this. I realise, though, tha tnot everyone is so lucky.

When I do encounter a troll, I really, really, really want to put up a wall of sarcasm between their hurtful comments and myself. It can be a helpful self-defence mechanism, especially if I feel threatened or invalidated, if I sense the person is intentionally taunting me, or if I don’t have the time or energy for a vulnerable conversation about the nature of disability. Sometimes, I snap and say something impolite myself. However, I’ve learned that responding to disrespect with more of the same just exacerbates the problem.

It can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between a troll and a clueless person. When in doubt, I always try to be respectful and educate the person about disability. If the person is willing to learn, that’s wonderful. If not, it’s best to disengage. Once you stop giving them attention, they’ll get bored and wander away (or at least, that’s the plan).