It's not a terrible disability, but it does make my life a little harder sometimes. It's very rare that any public works project or manufacturer take people like me into consideration at all when designing things. When you find out what it is, I bet you'll think I'm just a whiner. But think about this: how often are things color-coded? Ever park on the blue level of a parking garage? Press the red button to stop, green to start? Things like that don't make my life easy. When people find out I'm colorblind, they even 'test' my colorblindness by asking me what color things are. If you have ever done that, don't you see that it would be like saying to a guy in a wheelchair "okay, see if you can tippy toe...No? Really? Okay, now see if you can go up these stairs" just for your entertainment.
2007-09-11 20:57:40 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ People with Disabilities
No, you're not a whiner. Although I really never did think of colorblindness as a disability before now. Especially with the amount of things that are color coded. It's a good thing that traffic lights have to be in a certain order!
My brother is colorblind (it's the blue/green type--he can't tell the difference between carrot sticks and celery sticks if he's looking at them) and he's never considered himself disabled, although I guess technically, he is. When I have a son, he'll probably have it, too, because it's X-linked. I'm more than likely a carrier, like my mother.
Most people probably don't realize they're being insensitive when they "test" your condition. They're probably just curious, although that's no real excuse. I can see the parallel of asking a guy in a wheelchair to do something he can't just for amusement. Not cool.
I've got to admit, though...I've kind of been guilty of that myself, when it comes to my brother. I only did it when I first found out. And it's only because I wanted to understand. Always the clever one, my brother transferred an image of a colorblindness test to a paint program and had someone point out the colored dots. He then changed them to look just like the background. He said, "There. Now everyone looking at this knows how I see it." And he sent it to everyone he knows:) Not only did people quit bugging him about it, but everyone learned something. It was a win-win situation.
2007-09-12 12:23:10 · answer #1 · answered by Avie 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is not funny. My best friend is colorblind and he says the same thing. I feel for him and try to help him (Dude you have on black pants and a blue tie). He will laugh but only because he is that way. He will go change one of them so he matches. I have seen people do the same thing with him "Hey what color is this?" If I am there I will sometimes say "Hey why don't you just throw him a banana through the bars and ask him to balance a ball on his nose or something". He is so used to it he just sighs.
Yea it is a disability and it should never be made fun of. A few people have told him they never met anyone color blind and what problems does it cause for him and he will happily answer those questions because he thinks it is an opportunity for him to educate people.
You are right though, society was made for people who can see all colors and if you can't you have a distinct disadvantage and I am sorry for that.
2007-09-12 00:41:00 · answer #2 · answered by Feivel 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I remember being embarrassed when my young son would laugh at people who were handicapped or disabled. Many people may typically act inappropriately or childlike. Some disabled want to be self sufficient instead of pampered anyway. I have dated disabled women before in my life without realizing that I myself was disabled. I have DID or Dissociative Identity Disorder and dated a girl with a split or dual personality. It was bizarre and her father was a cop.So, in a way, I had to brake up with two people or was having even more than a threesome.(?)
The movie: Me Myself and Irene made fun of people with Dissociative Identity Disorder and even though it was funny, it was also insulting and degrading.
2007-09-12 01:08:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When I worked for the Phoenix (Arizona, USA) Head Start, a computer programmer friend of mine's little nephew was color blind. It is really easy to test for and I tried to get Head Start to test for it early, but they just didn't think it was that much of a "disability" (it may be a federal problem) to test for it.
I was unhappy about that because when they want to teach kids colors, these kids are confused. And there are little-kid color blind tests now.
2007-09-12 05:17:49 · answer #4 · answered by Tina Goody-Two-Shoes 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hell, im handicapped and make fun of myself all the time
any person for any reason who can not laugh at their life has a disability.
my friend, if you were to look into everyones life you will find something that is considered to be a disability by someone.
Yours is pretty cool, dont have to worry about matching socks.
2007-09-12 05:44:21 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sorry about your handicap.
Color blindness is a problem and you are quite right. Designers don't take it much into account.
There are ways to work around this. Including shapes with colors would be one. Maybe a rectangle, a star, a lozenge-shape, and so on to go with each of the common colors. Or mark the name of the color on each of the designated levels or buttons or such.
There are enough color-blind people to justify doing this.
As to people who test your colorblindness, I wouldn't worry about that too much. Some people are a bit tacky. Most of us are not.
You are smart enough to deal with your handicap and the people who are a bit idiotic with it.
2007-09-11 21:11:03 · answer #6 · answered by Warren D 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Interesting question. My husband is color blind. he makes fun of it at times, and yes he can tell the street signs etc just fine, he does a lot of driving, I think he just figured it out by code.
About other disabilities... Um I have Lupus, Autoimmune hep, and several other autoimmune issues. Within my family and The Lupus community, sure we make fun of each other. I own a support group, and one of us is always falling, tripping, having brain fog, forgetting things, so yea we make fun within OUR OWN group/disability. If an outsider did. I would go on attack if you didnt know me, or my daily struggles, or the pain I live with.
As far as other disabilities, no its not ok, unless you are part of their inner circle, and your welcomed in, and they are laughing at themselves, and want you to laugh with them. same with my husbands color blindness, when he picks out say a grey shirt thinking its brown, to go with brown pants, and I have to go into the closet and pick out the right color. Hes a bit frustrated, but laughing. If it was an outsider, hed be upset, with his personality wouldnt say anything likely, but upset, Id be the one to say somthing for him. Just like people have asked me if Im drunk, when I am having problems walking or talking. I get really mad if I dont know them. I stare them down, and say no you jerk, I have Lupus... do you mind. Im young, I used to use a handicap plate but stopped, because I got sick of getting comments, grilled and dirty looks, I just either get dropped at the curb if Im with someone, Or walk in pain, if alone... pretty sad.
So no I dont make fun of others disabilities unless Im welcome into their lives, and vise versa, because their is comedy when I am falling out of patio furniture.
Chris
2007-09-12 08:02:33 · answer #7 · answered by christibro40 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
its never ok to make fun of others and for no matter what reasons.
and its not a reason to demand or feel self pity ( not refereing to anyone ) just live life to its fullest while trying to live with the disabilities.
life is never too kind to some.
2007-09-12 01:43:15 · answer #8 · answered by coffee_tea_or 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
people often make fun of their own disabilities, and when with others make fun of each other...is it OK for others, no not really its considered rude or cruel.
2007-09-11 21:05:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
to me this isn't funny at all. it could be very dangerous. what if you mistaked a red light for a green light at a intersection?
2007-09-11 21:08:12 · answer #10 · answered by mccabe27_m 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋