The Perkins School for the Blind is out with a survey that attempts to figure out how Americans feel about blindness. America’s Blind Spot surveyed a thousand Americans from different segments of the population, different generations, and geographic regions of the country. I’m writing this post because my experience confirms many of the survey’s unfortunate findings.
- 53% are not comfortable around blind people
- 80% pity blind people
- 74% are afraid of becoming blind
- 72% said blind people couldn’t do their job
- 73% said a blind person is capable of holding a job
- 23% said they wouldn’t hire a blind person
- 32% believe their workplace couldn’t accommodate a blind person
- 56% don’t think a blind person could cook a meal
- 81% say a blind person couldn’t babysit
- 27% said a blind person couldn’t care for a child of their own
- 21%Admit they wouldn’t want their child dating a blind person
- 31% said they wouldn’t date a blind person
- 63% believe blind people can’t travel alone
- 82% think blindness means you can’t play sports
- 55% said they hadn’t seen a blind person in the last year and couldn’t remember the last time they saw a blind person
- 34% know a blind person
- 10% said they saw a blind person on public transit
- 11% saw a blind person at a social function
- 46% couldn’t think of a condition, Perkins’s word not mine, worse than blindness including cancer and Alzheimers
If 19% of respondents believe a blind person could babysit, what percentage would seriously date a blind person? If 72% don’t think a blind person could do their job, what percentage would actually consider hiring a blind person?