Did you find this video helpful or learn something new? :) If you want to learn more about blindness, you should check out this video next: ua-cam.com/video/zdzNVhqKAzU/v-deo.html
Thank you Molly for this. You're the best creator on UA-cam. Your content is creative, educational and very interesting. Thank you again for spreading knowledge.
As a sighted person, I would also like to normalize people saying "Hey [my name], this is [their name] from [place I have met them etc.] because I am bad at people interaction.
Same. I have poor short term memory so I am always forgetting names. I recognize people's faces and voices so I always feel embarrassed when I can't remember their name.
Yeah, I would love this. I often have to choose between asking someone's name the first dozen times we meet, waiting for someone else to use their name where I can hear it, or simply addressing them as "hey you".
Love your vids Molly! I’m now a mum of 6 human kiddos and as a month ago 2 feline babies! Took me many yrs to convince my hubby to allow & now he’s a total sap and they love him best! it’s 100% hi “fault” we now have our beautiful wee Rosebud! I’m so glad, I feel so blessed to have been able to rescue my beautiful sweeties. ♥️🐈💜🐈⬛💗🌈☀️ Love; your very close 🇨🇦Neighbor hun. Your vids always make me feel happy. And humble when they’re the tougher ones. Xo distant 🤗 Molly.
When I was working in retail, I just started watching your channel and there was a blind customer asking me for assistance. So I offered him my elbow and helped him find, what he looked for. Later my coworkers were like: "woah, good to know, I would have no Idea what to do". So thank you, Molly, you educated me and my former coworkers :)
when someone says " gave them my elbow" or "offered them my elbow" i picture someone detaching their elbow from their arm and just handing it to someone. i don't know why
The "alt" tag is the first thing I was taught about adding images in my HTML class, which I think was a great way to teach us to make websites more accessible!
It’s so good that you’re making websites accessible and I think that is a battle that all people like myself a visual impairment face with a weird screen reader user like myself with voice-over or simply using a low vision aid to help us navigate our websites on our smart phones
@@NoThankUBeQuiet true, but then it’s the creator or whoever is gatekeeping that content to MAKE the time to make things accessible and use tools to simplify the process (auto caption generators, etc). Yes, it takes me 20 minutes to describe our photos for the week, but it’s important to me that all of our content can be enjoyed by everyone!
@@NoThankUBeQuiet Depending on where you get the images that you use they might have already been tagged with EXIF data containing description information. Most web browsers can't read that information, but you image editor software most likely can and can extract it for you. Last I checked the built-in image viewer in Windows can display it for you (but it isn't on by default) as well. I won't claim the image data always has an "alt-text ready" description (it can sometimes be really hard to do, given the conflicting ways that data gets used), but when it does that's one less thing you'll have to think about.
My bff recently went blind and I am so glad that I know of you and your channel I just want to say thank you for uploading videos like this and vids that are fun and show us the good side of being blind 🥰💖
Isaiah 42:16 New American Standard Bible I will lead those who are blind by a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them And uneven land into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.”
My great grandma is blind; her and mt GGpa always had a system. He separated the laundry, she washed it and dried it, he put it away He did the shopping, she put the food away at home. They were such an awesome couple and always in sync with their own little system. It was amazing.
Hey, so Molly didn’t mention this but if you ever offer help and place your hand on a blind person shoulder please say hi before you touch us, we are not always will realize you’re talking to us but sometimes we will and it’s kind of a prep moment because just imagine out of nowhere someone touching you is alarming and frightening.
As a sighted person, I thank you for being so patient and willing to explain this to us. It is indeed something that “if you don’t need, you just don’t think about it”. I appreciate you and your content so much because it allows me to grow as a person and be more aware of the importance of accessibility. Thank you, Molly! You’re amazing! ❤️
I have no facial recognition even though I can see I can't recognize faces. So it is very important to me to have a person announce their name when seeing them anywhere because if they don't I won't know who they are I completely agree.
@@MollyBurkeOfficial I know!!! I’ve been legally blind since I was born and I used to think it was only me! Thank goodness for information but mostly the internet! I used to volunteer at the Braille Institute on my off days and I loved it. On Friday’s they would have blind and deaf students. I was assigned a lady who was blind and deaf in ceramics and it was so rewarding to show her how to make a coil pot. I love watching your channel. You’re very informative and funny and pretty too.🌸
@@MollyBurkeOfficial some people have neurological disorders that make it physically impossible for them to recognize faces.. maybe that’s what this person was getting at. But yes I agree it would be helpful for everyone!❤️
As a sighted person with social anxiety this was super helpful. I go to college everyday and on my way there encounter a lot of blind people, and when it comes specially to the bus stop, a lot of them seem to need help. So knowing exactly what I have to do in a situation where I would normally just freeze is great. Thanks again Molly, these vids are great!
As a sighted person, your statement at 15:25 - "in fact, honestly, I forget I'm blind half the time until somebody reminds me" - actually clicked and made perfect sense to me. It's not something anyone would consider a disability, but I've had all of my upper teeth pulled. My denture is a pain in the ass, so I don't bother with it. I've been without my top teeth for nearly a year. Two more weeks and I'll hit the 1 year mark for not having any upper teeth. At the beginning, eating was SO HARD to get used to, but now, like you said, half the time I forget I don't have any upper teeth until someone says something or I try to bite something I can't anymore. Then there's this "oh, that's right!" Moment when I realize those 14 teeth aren't there anymore. It blows people's minds when I say that I forget they aren't there anymore. So thank you for validating that for me, in a roundabout way.
I never really realized how much I love your videos until today. I’m having a horrible day and I’m very anxious and emotional and seeing your video pop up definitely makes me feel a sense of normalcy on such a rough day.
@@MollyBurkeOfficial yeah I know how hard it can be two and I love seeing your notifications pop-up it really makes my day at times especially on a Saturday Saturday night for me and Ellott
Isaiah 42:16 New American Standard Bible I will lead those who are blind by a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them And uneven land into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.”
When I was a kid we had a unit in school about disabilities. We learned about sighted guides, braile, basic signs ect. I hope other schools still do this, it was really helpful.
Wow, that’s great! I wish more schools did that. The only thing I *learned* in school about disabilities was when we read and saw “The Miracle Worker”, which... well, never mind. Anyway, as a blind student, I was utterly bored because the whole thing was poorly taught and my teacher had no interest in learning from me, an actual blind person.
Everyone should introduce themselves the way you described like it just sounds so polite and wholesome! If people greeted me using my name I’d feel so special, it’s like they actually want to talk to me hahah.
i agree it would not just for blind or vissually impared people it just would be very helpful to evryone i am legally blind and if im not wering my glases and you say hi from acros the stret i may not see you i may not recognise your voice or face and i may not even know your talking to me so even since i can see if your far away its good to say hi cristi to me so i know that your talking to me sorry if my speling is bad
This video really hit home for me. I'm not blind but I have a birth defect and in a wheelchair. My husband is the same but a different disability. Anyway, when you were talking about people not knowing how to be around you. It has happened so much around myself and my husband that Im like(thinking in my head that) we live on our own. We do 99% of our own stuff and would ask for help if we can't. We have people who want to change us or pray for us to be heal. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. It's sweet and all but sometimes it just to much. People go in shock when they realized we live with out help. We do things that we are able too. And when we can't we find other things we can do. Love to you and your family. Thank you for all you do.
I sell phones for a living and I love the feeling of being able to share with the few blind customers I get about the talk back option on phones. I had a mom get her daughter a flip phone because it was tactile and she hated it, and because of your videos I got to show them how to use a Samsung touch screen and she was so excited. She said she felt so accepted and normal to be able to use a smartphone like her friends, and I got to learn that from you years ago. Your work teaching those about blindness, doesn't go unnoticed, so thank you for all you do molly.
I recommend your videos to my friends. As a sighted person I am always learning from your videos! Thank you! A lot of my friends are just casually adding image accessibility descriptions to their instas now. Edit: ALSO CAN WE JUST SAY DO NOT GIVE UNSOLICITED MEDICAL ADVICE... PERIOD. Sincerely, your-herbs-won’t-fix-my-infertility-and-it’s-rude-to-say-it-will
@@jennas3212 yes, Instagram does have alt text. It’s auto generated but you can edit/add manual alt text in the advanced options on the screen prior to posting. A lot of people just have the auto alt text. The problem with that is it is not accurate. Most of the alt text looks something like this: Image may contain clouds, sky, and outdoor. Image may contain a person.
As soon as I finished watching I went to go tell my mum I wanted her to watch it (I'm blind, she's sighted) and I heard Molly's voice as I walked in talking about the TalkBack android feature and just got so unbelievably happy that my mum was already watching
Hi Molly! Just wanted to say I recently discovered your channel (I know, I know, I’m late) and you taught me SO many things about blindness that I didn’t know! Thanks for being here to educate us 😊
The communication thing is so true. I've lost a large part of my vision over the last couple years, and I can't recognise people's faces anymore. Like I can see where their face is, but I can't make out any details, it's all one big blur. I notice it mostly at the barn where my family and my horses are stabled, together with a bunch of other privately owned horses, and there I'll run into the other horse owners quite regularly, and we'll say hi to each other but most of the time I've no idea who I just said hi to, because I know lots of people there and everyone sounds the same when they just say 'hi'. And most of the time I don't even mind because I'm busy anyway grooming my horse or something. But the other day one of the girls I talk to pretty regularly added the question if I knew who she was and even just her saying more than just 'Hi' helped so much! It really makes such a big difference.
What a lovely comment. I hope there will be more people like you. Your grandmother is lucky to have you. Anyone can lose their vision, and it’s often the social and environmental barriers that isolate people once they have a disability.
As a sighted person who works in customer service and is studying to be a teacher, I think it would be very interesting and helpful to see videos from blind person's perspective how a customer service would match blind person's needs better and how a teacher could help a blind student in a classroom. Great video as always, Molly!
"It just becomes your normal" -- I'm not blind, but as someone with a chronic illness, I feel this SO MUCH. It's always a challenge to tell people about what I deal with, because for them it's not normal and a lot of people feel the need to offer sympathy or think it's awful or want to help, but for me it's just normal, and I'm still fully capable of doing everything I need to do, and it's just not something I dwell on outside of finding accommodations for myself in new situations. It's always nice to hear about the things that are consistent across different groups in the disability community, so thanks for sharing!
I feel that!!! If I tell ppl I’ve just met that I’m deaf they’ll always respond with “oh I’m sorry that’s so awful” or something along those lines. Like, it’s actually not awful it’s perfectly normal for me????
@@juliarunn5009 I love this thread. That whole sympathy thing is something I still struggle with as a blind woman. It’s especially annoying because I have gotten it from my family-ever since I was a kid till the last time I saw them a year ago. I’ve also heard other blind people have a similar reaction toward deaf or other disabled people, which I don’t get at all. Everyone has a different “normal”.
The one that gets me is that people always try to solve whatever they see as your problem as soon as you mention it. I will briefly explain my idiopathic hypersomnia to someone so that they have context for a story or for what I am doing and it frequently becomes a game of "Have You Tried [insert solution for normal sleepiness]". I know very little about blindness (I will be watching more videos on this channel in the near future) but I cannot fathom why anyone would think that someone who has a condition that affects so many aspects of their life would somehow not have heard of lasik or glasses or whatever. I had a class last semester on the image, and one of the "philosophical" questions that kept coming up was "what can a blind man know of an image". My friend (who has some severe vision impairment that I do not really know any details of) and I kept trying to point out that blind people exist outside of theory and that you could just ask a blind person how they experience images.
I always wondered what i as a sighted person who doesnt know any blind people could do. now i almost feel stupid and ignorant because of course its spreading awareness!!!! i never realised that to me something small like adding photo descriptions could make a huge difference. thank you for teaching me about blindness and also for teaching me what to do as a sighted person to help the blind community x
I started watching your videos a couple years ago and a few months later I met my blind boyfriend. I impressed him with my knowledge of sighted guide and screen readers. He has some vision, but it is really blurry and he is color blind in addition. Every single day I notice things that aren't accessible for him and other blind people thanks to my awareness from watching your videos and being head over heels in love with a blind man. Your perspective has helped me quite a bit in our relationship and I absolutely love that you make content to help sighted people interact with and ultimately create change for the blind 😊
This comment made me a little teary-eyed, not because you are dating a blind man, but because of the obvious love and insight that you have. I’m a blind woman, and while I don’t mind educating people, sometimes I feel overwhelmed with sadness that people don’t get it, or want to get it. But then there are people like you who remind me that not everyone will shut disabled people down, that generosity and caring does exist.
I honestly had no idea about alt text on instagram, I'm an avid pet instagramer and let me just say how sorry I am for not using it up until now. Thank you Molly for informing me about this I shall be adding alt text from now on :)
Hi: I’m not Molly, but I’m also a blind woman. It’s great you’re adding alt text on IG; this is such a huge issue, and as someone who loves photography, I often find the Instagram experience frustrating due to things like lack of alt text. Then when I politely point it out and offer to help, I’m shut down. One person even blocked me from following her again... all because I said I did not understand what she was posting. Don’t worry that you didn’t do before; it’s fine not to know. It’s not okay to ignore it once one does.
I love that you make these videos. I grew up with a friend whose mother is blind. So many of these things are normal for me , but I know this is not the case for most people. So I want to say thank you for making these videos.
I’m not blind, but I have my own mental deficiencies (nothing outwardly obvious) that I’ve learned how to deal with and compensate for throughout my life, so your last point really resonated with me.
My grandmother was blind and I learned so much from her, but I wish I had your channel as a resource while she was still here with us! Molly, you're amazing.
I am an email marketing graphic designer and I always make sure to add the alt text for any image I have in a client's email! I'm glad to hear that it truly helps others.
I’m so happy you said that your perspective was only one of million’s of blind ppl’s, that’s one of my goals as a disabled deaf person, to teach that all is deaf ppl are very different bc we’re all unique human beings who happen to be deaf.
Thank you molly for bringing this up! Very much appreciated! Please everyone that blindness is a spectrum and if you know someone legally blind or visually impaired, please do these things for them as well.
Thanks for talking about this Molly. As a fellow blind woman, I agree with what you have to say. I think I’m going to share this video on Facebook and Twitter to help educate more people.
I work in a hospital and I actually always do the sighted guide technique even for just elderly people. I didn't know what I was doing, it just kinda felt like the most efficient and polite thing to do. Thank you for this video, I always like learning new ways to help people feel more comfortable.
Molly, what you said at the end about discrimination in the job world really spoke to me. I once had a phone interview for a job I was very much qualified for. The employer was so excited about my skill set and experience. He basically gave me the job over the phone but said he'd really like to meet me to do a bit of a tour of the work space and a bit of an in person interview. I showed up and toward the end he asked why I wasn't looking him in the eyes during the interview sometimes. I then explained that I have a visual impairment which makes it hard, especially when I'm nervous (in an interview) it gets worse. I explained that my vision has never had an effect on my work ethic or the work I produce. I didn't get the job. Funny how I was literally perfect for the job and basically hired until he found out about my vision.
I agree there is a reason why we have human rights in this world and you will qualify for the job and as far as I concerned why he did this discrimination you didn’t get the job because your visual impairment well - discrimination and I don’t care if they said they did the right things it’s still discrimination I need to stop and he is employers need to be held accountable there needs to be something in either you and Ciara PD or the 88 that says you can bring these people to court or you can make them accountable because I’m sick couldn’t get away with it and I’m blind and visually impaired as well I also have autism and I wanna fight for my fellow blind people so they’re never mistreated in this world ever again or made to feel that they’re powerless
A lady I met through work and I both have a level of face blindness, we were both so delighted to meet and be able to find ways to make each other’s life easier. Hey molly, it’s Dylan from science class. Exactly, very helpful. Even though we both have reasonably good vision we can’t process all the information. We tended to meet in a group of old men and neither of us could tell them apart. It was a game of guess the beard every time!
I as a wheelchair user lived in student living and lived together with a deaf person and she asked us always to tip her on the shoulder or arm when we wanted to talk to her, so she could turn around and see the person. So she often bumped into me while I tried to tip her on the arm to talk to her, because she didn’t see or heard me coming! But was always funny. But trying to lead a bind person as a wheelchair user is also very difficult, I always need both arms for driving my wheelchair, but he could put a hand on my shoulder, that worked, only problem is I’ve to say something before stopping and that’s difficult in public because often people walk zick zack before you or stop right before you and it’s very difficult to not bump into them, but when than a blind person is following you that’s way worse. I mean it’s not optimal to lead a blind person as a wheelchair user, but disabled students at Uni often stocked together and when there’s nobody else there to help them I of course try. I also read often blind students the text, because mostly they where not given adaptive texts before, so they couldn’t do anything when there’s nobody reading them the text, nor they don’t even understand than what the Professor even talked about, what’s not good. And I also would lend my assistance out for the blind students, when I don’t needed her, when they had no assistance, but needed one.
i have never got to know a blind person and have physical health problems which leave me mostly at home not really meeting anyone but i cant tell you how much i enjoy learning from these videos. your doing such a great job spreading all this awareness, even to people like me who dont really meet many new people in general. i honestly love these videos thank you x
I'm not blind or anything, but when Molly was talking about like helping someone who's blind, it made me think of something. If you're like in a crowded kinda place or somewhere where it's a bit noisy, I feel like it be a good idea to say something like while you're helping them like "Hey it's pretty noisy, can you hear me ok?". Like if I was helping a blind classmate get to their class I'd probably feel the need to ask that cuz the hallways can be busy n noisy and they gotta be able to hear you if you're guiding them and trying to tell them room 108 is the third door down this hall. :)
That’s a good idea; but also, keep in mind that it can depend on the person. I’m blind, and on the rare occasion that I go human guide, if it’s really loud, I’ll just ask the person to repeat him/herself.
As someone who loves to go out to a cafe etc. with a friend of mine who's blind, but did not know all the ins and outs of doing sighted guide that you expalined some of here, I usually just try to verbally explain things as we walk to and from places: "Blablabla chitchat... Oh, staircase. Three steps... Aaaaaaaand back to the chitchat... Teen on a bike coming this way, let's move a little to the left... More chitchat!... A bunch of tables and people standing around blocking our path, well, that's just lovely, you get behind me and we'll zigzag through them... *Deep concentration* Ah, here we are, and there's just one step. Let me get the door for you before you step up!"
You’re amazing Molly! I have work during disability claims for 18 years and my ex-husband was visually impaired so I have had some interaction with the blind community. Thank you so much for clarifying such important things and how to assist our blind friends
Still wanting the Christina Ha collab where she teaches Molly how to cook, even though I'm pretty sure Molly just has no interest in learning to cook whatsoever lol.
it’s always so important to be aware of what other people face constantly. i don’t see recognizing someone by their face as a privilege, but it is! and im so lucky and happy to be in a fully able bodied.
I really missed those type of videos 👌 I am really glad for those videos, because I've only met two blind people in my whole life, and they were actually very "stereotypical blind people" I don't know how else to say that in English, I don't mean in offensively in any way. Just that by meeting both of them I've totally closed my mind and viewed blind people in very limited way, because they were exactly how I would imagine if I didn't meet them. And then I found Molly and realised how super wrong I was, and that there is a whole spectrum and I've only seen a tiny percentage of what I thought blindness actually is. So thanks Molly, now I know better
Funny story - I attend church with a man who is blind. He is a drummer and I am a singer. Sometimes we serve on the music team together. One morning, we were on the platform which has a black floor and all of the cords which are black seemed to fade into the floor for me. I kept muttering to myself "there's a cord, oops that's another cord, okay there's another one" and my blind friend said "you know, I know where all the cords are" . I said completely without thinking "oh I'm not trying to help you, I am trying to help myself because I keep tripping over them". He thought that was so funny. So I would add a 6th suggestion - treat blind people like people. It's much easier that way.
I'm so glad you discussed this. My uncle has glaucoma and has been blind most of his life. And he is very capable to do anything. People don't realize sometimes that your eyes don't work but you can 'see' in other ways. My uncle can build just about anything. A tree house, a 10 foot tall prop farris wheel with rotating seats. Really you name it and he can make it. He mostly just uses his hands to figure things out. And he has talking tools and stuff like that. I think it's amazing that you're helping people become more educated. As a sighted person it was hard for me to learn how to help my uncle without over stepping and doing too much. Keep being amazing!
My mom’s been such a great sighted guide for me growing up. I didn’t get a cane 🦯 until last summer. I’ve been so dependent on her for so many things that I didn’t realize I needed one until I moved out into my own apartment. And it was a struggle to accept it. I could accept that I needed large print, the preferred seating, that I’ll never drive (technically I can get a daytime license but the cons outweigh the pros), that I’m low vision but I couldn’t accept needing help crossing the street or traveling on my own without a guide. I’ve done it for so many years that I didn’t think I needed help but I was relying on help without realizing it. I’m definitely done with everyone’s comments about it tho. The asking someone with me about why I need my cane. Can’t you just get Lasik? Can you fix it? Do you really need it?
Those are such senseless questions. I don't think the majority means harm by them, just very uninformed. Obviously, if Lasik helped, one would get it done. If you didn't need a cane, you would not use it. And so forth. I think some are asking out of curiosity, but the wrong way! They may want to know how the case helps a blind person, and instead ask if you need it. Many jumble up words, when asking things. I have mental health issues, I can't say how many people have said I should get demons exorcized. Or stay away from me as if it's contagious, or I may suddenly have a breakdown, leaving them not knowing what to do, forget me lol. Also in a wheelchair, get a lot of they whys and why don't yous , I will pray for you when there isn't anything more that can be done. I am accepting of how I am , and moved past it. Then of course anyone with a disability runs into mr or miss rude. Asking obvious personal questions they must seemingly know are inappropriate to ask anyone. However they ask anyway. Or the whisperer that assumes you can't hear, and look or point and say your this or that . Like look she's blind , feel like saying look she's a Moron..but I don't. They show their stupidity without me speaking for them , how I see it. You are so happy and upbeat, and positive learning from your videos, though just found them. Do you feel many maybe are inclined to stay back as deaf people have a culture of their own, wish to not have cochlear in plants put in, and often refuse help. I do signing, and involved with deaf communities, where this is often the case. As to Lasix surgery I am meaning, if you ask some deaf people of an implant would help, they will say or sign yes, and also they wish to remain as they are, and not get the implant..curious of your thoughts on that. I realize I write rather broken up, and skip around not always clear. Comes with my disorders. My apologies. Stay the sweet Molly you are love that name too..blessings until my next video.
Girl. That lesson on sighted guide is so helpful. I had no idea about any of that, and granted I’ve never yet needed to assist a blind person, but I feel better now that I know how. Thank you for helping us help you! That’s a really cool thing for you to teach.
Great points. As a visually impaired person, sometimes I wish more people understood this. The other one I seem to get a lot, especially as I work in a church, not by church members, but by other community members, is the fact that they feel like they need to pray for me to get my vision back. Not all blind people want their vision back.
Although I know how to be a sighted guide. My dad had a business one of his clients was blind. He used to come in with his wife. somehow she knew how to guide him looking like he was escorting her. It was so cute. They were a wonderful couple.
I LOVE Android! Also Audible! I'm blind in one eye so it's just easier for me to listen to audiobooks instead of straining my eyes, and I finished yours very recently which I loved!
Looking at that picture I realised I've got to the stage where I can read braille as easily as normal letters. I feel like I've developed a really niche super power
I’m a special education major and for a class we had to choose a children’s book that features diverse characters and one group chose a book that had blind characters and they all had sunglasses and I cringed and that group didn’t even talk about that so they didn’t see that it was wrong.
I was the campaign manager/assistant to my State Representative Michelle Caldier and when we would go to unfamiliar territory she would have me guide her in a way that felt the most comfortable to her, and that was having her stand on my right side, having her left arm on my right shoulder and then she'd stand side by side or very close behind, and that was most comfortable for her, so that if she happened to fall she could try and get her right arm out to help stop her from seriously hurting herself. She also would ask for just the general lay of the land, like have me tell her that there are stairs and there's about 5 stairs, etc. or that there is a little incline coming up, and that way she could just know to walk a little more conscious- but like you were saying at 12:44- she didn't need like an extensive description or anything like that! Just wanted to share my experience working with an amazing woman who just like you, unless you know them personally you would've never knew they were blind.
I loved the details about being a sighted guide! Not that I especially expect to ever need these skills, but it’s nice to know if the situation ever arises.
Sighted guide is useful for more than just people who are blind/visually impaired. You can also use it for anyone who you are trying to help find a location. If they aren't blind/visually impaired you probably don't need to say "stairs" but the elbow technique is useful. It's a way to guide someone so you don't get lost but it is also not super commitmental, so the person your guiding can let go at any time if they no longer need or want your help.
As someone who suddenly went blind in one eye literally overnight a couple of years ago and always had perfect vision before, never even needing glasses… I can say how much I took my sight for granted until that very day!
This is fascinating, thank you! I used to work in retail and we had a regular customer who was blind. I always felt awful as I didn't know how to guide him around the store and didn't want to be patronising or do the wrong thing. I'm so glad I know now about the elbow and how to use that! Thank you so much :). X
Thank you so much for this video Molly. I am a receptionist and I encountered a blind woman the other day. She was super sweet and I was able to help guide her to the building she was going to. I’m also creating a company on Instagram, so the alt text thing was super helpful. It is so important for people to be educated on different disabilities.
OMG! My daughter has the problem that the other students at school will say hi to her and she has no clue who they are. I try my best to describe the child however that usually doesn't work so well. Your are so right that blind people are more than capable and usually find unique and unexpected solutions to things. My daughter likes to say that she can't see the box so it can't hold her back!
I recently got a new blind coworker and your videos have taught me really well on how best to be respectful to her and her needs. Now she's a good friend and is even helping me out with a research paper on accessibility in media, specifically online media and how she navigates it.
The section for sighted guides was so helpful! All the little tips and tricks like putting our arms behind us for you, and how to deal with stairs (and the difference between going up and down them). Thank you for sharing!
I came to your videos because my 85 year old father is going blind. He is definitely in the acceptance stage, or more accurately the angry stage. He doesn’t think he can do any of these things and soon he will have to have someone feed him and wheel him around. I am grateful for your videos because even though he will never be as capable as you and most others at least I can get ideas on how to help him and what things might help him. I am going to look up Mobility and Orientation training for him.
Great links in the video description on how to provide effective alt text! Thanks for the informative video Molly. It's exciting to see technology companies incorporating accessibility into their products in intuitive ways! Inclusivity is the future ❤️
Girl this was so relatable. The amount of people who just grab my arm if i ask for sighted guide is ridiculous. Also same i forget about my blindness half the time 🙂
I would say something before tapping them to alert them. If you don't know them, I would just say "excuse me," and then tap them so they know you're talking to them. If you're afraid of startling them by saying something, one thing I do to make people aware of my presence in a room (whether they're blind or sighted) is to sniffle. That way if I'm walking quietly and they haven't noticed me, that will subtly let them know that there's someone else there.
This is not a one size fits all, I personally do not like being touched in anyway, keep your hands to yourself, just be polite, excuse yourself introduce yourself, don’t touch people, it’s a good way to get a salted back😮
Can't emphasize more what you were saying about anyone who thinks I may need assistance asking before trying to guide me, especially when I'm using my guide dog! People see my dog and assume I can't do things, and will suddenly grab my elbow to guide me...Well intentioned, but never ceases to startle me and misses the point about why my dog is even there!
when you started talking about not needing unsolicited medical advice I was like oh my god yes ! I have a liver disorder that people love love love to tell me how to "fix" it. But I have been in and out of hospitals since I was 10. If that thing you have suggested would fix it I would have done the thing. It's frustrating !
This is such a little thing but I feel like sharing. I was doing my grocery shopping yesterday and when taking my cart back to the bay, I saw a wheelchair compatible cart. I'd never seen one before. I was fascinated by the design and thought it was great that it just existed. I'm a [mostly] able-bodied person and this accessible cart had the words "Please return to the store immediately" printed on it and so I simply walked it back. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back or anything, I'd hope that any halfway decent person would do the same. All I'm trying to say is that the awareness is growing, especially with the help of creators like Molly and Jessica Kellgren-Fozard. A few years ago, I doubt I would've given that cart a second glance, let alone taken it back myself. I don't know, I just stan personal growth, I guess.
Hi Molly, I want to say thank you for teaching me the best ways to help team blind,without offending any person of team blind. Molly you taught this old dog a new trick. Thank you.
I always like talking with people that are different because they have the ability to teach me new things. I remember those new things every time I meet someone that needs help. I also have to say that luckily most of the people I ask questions about their disability do not mind it, especially if they notice that I try to understand or learn things that can help them. Most of them even will start talking about other things that are wholesome. My best conversations have been with people that are remarkably different. Be it blind, deaf or even just mental health related issues, I always enjoy being a helper. One word can make or break someone. What I have noticed and would want to be informed about is that for example at train stations there are not always options for blind/deaf people to really find their way. (Some railway stations are better then others and some blind people have more experience and are fully able to find their way) In my country there are of course staff members that might help those that have more trouble but more often then not they are late or just not understanding enough. Would it be an option to have places in which for example students and others that use the train can meet people and help them on maybe the same or another train if needed. It makes it more visible for people that can see and maybe even less awkward for those that want to help but find it hard to do so. I know for one that I can only recognize people needing help because I always scan the crowd and my mom ensured that we would learn the basics in recognition. Plus I am not afraid to ask if they need help. But it would make it easier if it is visible especially in busy places where people get overlooked. I mean railway stations that might not be familiar. Since I know that a lot of you can manage. I do not want people to think that I think they are not able to do something when they can! I just want to know more about what we can do to make it easier or just nicer for blind people. What do you guys think?
Lavender knows she's a princess and she's claiming the throne before her subjects lol I can't believe how big she got, like she was just a kitten and now she's all grown.
That thing about saying something you talked about is just good practice anyway. My sighted ass will forget someone’s name, barely remember where I met them and what we discussed. But I’ll be able to say “I’m really sorry, I’m blanking on your name, but we talked about that rock band playing at Red Rocks. Could you remind me of your name?” It makes the person know that you deemed them important enough to remember.
I may have mentioned this before, but cats are out to get us! No matter how cute they are! 😉 Lavender probably wants to use your UA-cam fame as a stepping stone for her own career!
I was diagnosed with rp when I was 15 at sick kids in Toronto Canada. I am now 55 and my family never talked about my vision loss ever. So I kept it hidden for 40 years.
Thank goodness for you, Molly! You’re so lovely in teaching us so much about the blind community. Most of us wouldn’t have a clue otherwise, and with you here, we really don’t have a good reason. 💕 You’re such a gift!
Did you find this video helpful or learn something new? :)
If you want to learn more about blindness, you should check out this video next: ua-cam.com/video/zdzNVhqKAzU/v-deo.html
Yes
Your CAT 🐱💜 is so cute! I love you ❤️ Molly!
Yessss!!!
Thank you Molly for this. You're the best creator on UA-cam. Your content is creative, educational and very interesting. Thank you again for spreading knowledge.
I am blind and I learned something new
Molly: 5 Things all sighted people should know
Me: YASsss educate me girl :D
As a sighted person, I would also like to normalize people saying "Hey [my name], this is [their name] from [place I have met them etc.] because I am bad at people interaction.
Same and I always forget names haha
I agree. Those tips would also help me. Especially mentioning the place we met or the conversations we had.
Same. I have poor short term memory so I am always forgetting names. I recognize people's faces and voices so I always feel embarrassed when I can't remember their name.
Same ! I am really bad at face-name recognition 😅
I'm gonna be like "I know that person. I know I know them ! But who are they ?" 😂😂
Yeah, I would love this. I often have to choose between asking someone's name the first dozen times we meet, waiting for someone else to use their name where I can hear it, or simply addressing them as "hey you".
Lavender knows she's a super star cat. Claim your throne, queen.
AHAHA this is too real...
👑
And Molly, lint roll your nether parts!
@@harveyabel1354 or just lint roll the chair before sitting down. a lot easier :D
Love your vids Molly! I’m now a mum of 6 human kiddos and as a month ago 2 feline babies! Took me many yrs to convince my hubby to allow & now he’s a total sap and they love him best! it’s 100% hi “fault” we now have our beautiful wee Rosebud! I’m so glad, I feel so blessed to have been able to rescue my beautiful sweeties. ♥️🐈💜🐈⬛💗🌈☀️
Love; your very close 🇨🇦Neighbor hun. Your vids always make me feel happy. And humble when they’re the tougher ones. Xo distant 🤗 Molly.
When I was working in retail, I just started watching your channel and there was a blind customer asking me for assistance. So I offered him my elbow and helped him find, what he looked for. Later my coworkers were like: "woah, good to know, I would have no Idea what to do". So thank you, Molly, you educated me and my former coworkers :)
when someone says " gave them my elbow" or "offered them my elbow" i picture someone detaching their elbow from their arm and just handing it to someone. i don't know why
@@rayray3236 bro you need a hand?
That opening shot of lavender is so cute
She is a feline queen
hey my names Nicola too!
Lavender, Gallop, Molly and Niamh are literally soulmates🥺
The "alt" tag is the first thing I was taught about adding images in my HTML class, which I think was a great way to teach us to make websites more accessible!
It’s so good that you’re making websites accessible and I think that is a battle that all people like myself a visual impairment face with a weird screen reader user like myself with voice-over or simply using a low vision aid to help us navigate our websites on our smart phones
It's great but often times companies don't give you the time to make things accessible. Which pretty much sucks.
@@NoThankUBeQuiet true, but then it’s the creator or whoever is gatekeeping that content to MAKE the time to make things accessible and use tools to simplify the process (auto caption generators, etc). Yes, it takes me 20 minutes to describe our photos for the week, but it’s important to me that all of our content can be enjoyed by everyone!
@@SatelliteBeams you are awesome!💜 Thanks for doing that and hopefully it will be done more and more 😊
@@NoThankUBeQuiet Depending on where you get the images that you use they might have already been tagged with EXIF data containing description information. Most web browsers can't read that information, but you image editor software most likely can and can extract it for you. Last I checked the built-in image viewer in Windows can display it for you (but it isn't on by default) as well. I won't claim the image data always has an "alt-text ready" description (it can sometimes be really hard to do, given the conflicting ways that data gets used), but when it does that's one less thing you'll have to think about.
My bff recently went blind and I am so glad that I know of you and your channel I just want to say thank you for uploading videos like this and vids that are fun and show us the good side of being blind 🥰💖
Sending you and your friends loving energy!
Isaiah 42:16
New American Standard Bible
I will lead those who are blind by a way they have not known,
In paths they have not known I will guide them.
I will turn darkness into light before them
And uneven land into plains.
These are the things I will do,
And I will not leave them undone.”
What advice would you give me if I have low vision can’t drive, yet fell ashamed of not being able to drive and be independent
My great grandma is blind; her and mt GGpa always had a system.
He separated the laundry, she washed it and dried it, he put it away
He did the shopping, she put the food away at home.
They were such an awesome couple and always in sync with their own little system. It was amazing.
It is incredibly important for sighted people to learn and be more aware of things and this video was so helpful thx
Hey, so Molly didn’t mention this but if you ever offer help and place your hand on a blind person shoulder please say hi before you touch us, we are not always will realize you’re talking to us but sometimes we will and it’s kind of a prep moment because just imagine out of nowhere someone touching you is alarming and frightening.
Ellashae, that is a very good point.
That’s a brilliant excellent point thank you my friend
As a sighted person, I thank you for being so patient and willing to explain this to us. It is indeed something that “if you don’t need, you just don’t think about it”. I appreciate you and your content so much because it allows me to grow as a person and be more aware of the importance of accessibility. Thank you, Molly! You’re amazing! ❤️
I have no facial recognition even though I can see I can't recognize faces. So it is very important to me to have a person announce their name when seeing them anywhere because if they don't I won't know who they are I completely agree.
I mean... I think it would just be helpful for everyone if it became the norm to do that! haha
@@MollyBurkeOfficial I know!!! I’ve been legally blind since I was born and I used to think it was only me! Thank goodness for information but mostly the internet!
I used to volunteer at the Braille Institute on my off days and I loved it. On Friday’s they would have blind and deaf students. I was assigned a lady who was blind and deaf in ceramics and it was so rewarding to show her how to make a coil pot.
I love watching your channel. You’re very informative and funny and pretty too.🌸
@@MollyBurkeOfficial some people have neurological disorders that make it physically impossible for them to recognize faces.. maybe that’s what this person was getting at. But yes I agree it would be helpful for everyone!❤️
It would also be helpful for people who struggle to remember names to get a reminder every time
@@hannahk1306 Exactly! I know I don't have any good excuse but if I don't meet people very often I just can't remember their names
As a sighted person with social anxiety this was super helpful. I go to college everyday and on my way there encounter a lot of blind people, and when it comes specially to the bus stop, a lot of them seem to need help. So knowing exactly what I have to do in a situation where I would normally just freeze is great. Thanks again Molly, these vids are great!
As a sighted person, your statement at 15:25 - "in fact, honestly, I forget I'm blind half the time until somebody reminds me" - actually clicked and made perfect sense to me. It's not something anyone would consider a disability, but I've had all of my upper teeth pulled. My denture is a pain in the ass, so I don't bother with it. I've been without my top teeth for nearly a year. Two more weeks and I'll hit the 1 year mark for not having any upper teeth. At the beginning, eating was SO HARD to get used to, but now, like you said, half the time I forget I don't have any upper teeth until someone says something or I try to bite something I can't anymore. Then there's this "oh, that's right!" Moment when I realize those 14 teeth aren't there anymore. It blows people's minds when I say that I forget they aren't there anymore. So thank you for validating that for me, in a roundabout way.
I never really realized how much I love your videos until today. I’m having a horrible day and I’m very anxious and emotional and seeing your video pop up definitely makes me feel a sense of normalcy on such a rough day.
Aw
@@MollyBurkeOfficial yeah I know how hard it can be two and I love seeing your notifications pop-up it really makes my day at times especially on a Saturday Saturday night for me and Ellott
Hopes for a better day, friend :)
@@MollyBurkeOfficial 💛💛💛 thank you
Isaiah 42:16
New American Standard Bible
I will lead those who are blind by a way they have not known,
In paths they have not known I will guide them.
I will turn darkness into light before them
And uneven land into plains.
These are the things I will do,
And I will not leave them undone.”
When I was a kid we had a unit in school about disabilities. We learned about sighted guides, braile, basic signs ect. I hope other schools still do this, it was really helpful.
Wow, that’s great! I wish more schools did that. The only thing I *learned* in school about disabilities was when we read and saw “The Miracle Worker”, which... well, never mind.
Anyway, as a blind student, I was utterly bored because the whole thing was poorly taught and my teacher had no interest in learning from me, an actual blind person.
Everyone should introduce themselves the way you described like it just sounds so polite and wholesome! If people greeted me using my name I’d feel so special, it’s like they actually want to talk to me hahah.
i agree it would not just for blind or vissually impared people it just would be very helpful to evryone i am legally blind and if im not wering my glases and you say hi from acros the stret i may not see you i may not recognise your voice or face and i may not even know your talking to me so even since i can see if your far away its good to say hi cristi to me so i know that your talking to me sorry if my speling is bad
This video really hit home for me. I'm not blind but I have a birth defect and in a wheelchair. My husband is the same but a different disability. Anyway, when you were talking about people not knowing how to be around you. It has happened so much around myself and my husband that Im like(thinking in my head that) we live on our own. We do 99% of our own stuff and would ask for help if we can't. We have people who want to change us or pray for us to be heal. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. It's sweet and all but sometimes it just to much. People go in shock when they realized we live with out help. We do things that we are able too. And when we can't we find other things we can do. Love to you and your family. Thank you for all you do.
I sell phones for a living and I love the feeling of being able to share with the few blind customers I get about the talk back option on phones. I had a mom get her daughter a flip phone because it was tactile and she hated it, and because of your videos I got to show them how to use a Samsung touch screen and she was so excited. She said she felt so accepted and normal to be able to use a smartphone like her friends, and I got to learn that from you years ago. Your work teaching those about blindness, doesn't go unnoticed, so thank you for all you do molly.
I recommend your videos to my friends.
As a sighted person I am always learning from your videos! Thank you!
A lot of my friends are just casually adding image accessibility descriptions to their instas now.
Edit: ALSO CAN WE JUST SAY DO NOT GIVE UNSOLICITED MEDICAL ADVICE... PERIOD. Sincerely, your-herbs-won’t-fix-my-infertility-and-it’s-rude-to-say-it-will
Doctors are so good at giving unsolicited advice. It sucks knowing random doctors are trying to truck you into being their lab rat.
I know Twitter has alt-text, but does Instagram not?
@@jennas3212 no I don’t know how you find it on Instagram but it does have all text as far as I do now
@@jennas3212 yes, Instagram does have alt text. It’s auto generated but you can edit/add manual alt text in the advanced options on the screen prior to posting. A lot of people just have the auto alt text. The problem with that is it is not accurate. Most of the alt text looks something like this:
Image may contain clouds, sky, and outdoor.
Image may contain a person.
YES!!
As soon as I finished watching I went to go tell my mum I wanted her to watch it (I'm blind, she's sighted) and I heard Molly's voice as I walked in talking about the TalkBack android feature and just got so unbelievably happy that my mum was already watching
Hi Molly! Just wanted to say I recently discovered your channel (I know, I know, I’m late) and you taught me SO many things about blindness that I didn’t know! Thanks for being here to educate us 😊
Better late than never!
"The late solana" XD
The communication thing is so true. I've lost a large part of my vision over the last couple years, and I can't recognise people's faces anymore. Like I can see where their face is, but I can't make out any details, it's all one big blur.
I notice it mostly at the barn where my family and my horses are stabled, together with a bunch of other privately owned horses, and there I'll run into the other horse owners quite regularly, and we'll say hi to each other but most of the time I've no idea who I just said hi to, because I know lots of people there and everyone sounds the same when they just say 'hi'. And most of the time I don't even mind because I'm busy anyway grooming my horse or something.
But the other day one of the girls I talk to pretty regularly added the question if I knew who she was and even just her saying more than just 'Hi' helped so much! It really makes such a big difference.
As a fellow blind person, thank you for making this video and educating! This is so helpful.
My grandmother is losing her vision and I love finding new ways to help her and make her world more accessible.
What a lovely comment. I hope there will be more people like you. Your grandmother is lucky to have you. Anyone can lose their vision, and it’s often the social and environmental barriers that isolate people once they have a disability.
As a sighted person who works in customer service and is studying to be a teacher, I think it would be very interesting and helpful to see videos from blind person's perspective how a customer service would match blind person's needs better and how a teacher could help a blind student in a classroom. Great video as always, Molly!
"It just becomes your normal" -- I'm not blind, but as someone with a chronic illness, I feel this SO MUCH. It's always a challenge to tell people about what I deal with, because for them it's not normal and a lot of people feel the need to offer sympathy or think it's awful or want to help, but for me it's just normal, and I'm still fully capable of doing everything I need to do, and it's just not something I dwell on outside of finding accommodations for myself in new situations. It's always nice to hear about the things that are consistent across different groups in the disability community, so thanks for sharing!
I feel that!!! If I tell ppl I’ve just met that I’m deaf they’ll always respond with “oh I’m sorry that’s so awful” or something along those lines. Like, it’s actually not awful it’s perfectly normal for me????
@@juliarunn5009 I love this thread. That whole sympathy thing is something I still struggle with as a blind woman. It’s especially annoying because I have gotten it from my family-ever since I was a kid till the last time I saw them a year ago. I’ve also heard other blind people have a similar reaction toward deaf or other disabled people, which I don’t get at all. Everyone has a different “normal”.
The one that gets me is that people always try to solve whatever they see as your problem as soon as you mention it. I will briefly explain my idiopathic hypersomnia to someone so that they have context for a story or for what I am doing and it frequently becomes a game of "Have You Tried [insert solution for normal sleepiness]".
I know very little about blindness (I will be watching more videos on this channel in the near future) but I cannot fathom why anyone would think that someone who has a condition that affects so many aspects of their life would somehow not have heard of lasik or glasses or whatever.
I had a class last semester on the image, and one of the "philosophical" questions that kept coming up was "what can a blind man know of an image". My friend (who has some severe vision impairment that I do not really know any details of) and I kept trying to point out that blind people exist outside of theory and that you could just ask a blind person how they experience images.
I always wondered what i as a sighted person who doesnt know any blind people could do. now i almost feel stupid and ignorant because of course its spreading awareness!!!! i never realised that to me something small like adding photo descriptions could make a huge difference. thank you for teaching me about blindness and also for teaching me what to do as a sighted person to help the blind community x
we live in a society buildt by sighted people for sighted people so it is great to help others and make everyday stuff more accessible for them
Emojis too, like typing out (smiley face)
No need to be hard on yourself!
@@why_oh_elle A society built by abled people for abled people, happy that's changing.
I started watching your videos a couple years ago and a few months later I met my blind boyfriend. I impressed him with my knowledge of sighted guide and screen readers. He has some vision, but it is really blurry and he is color blind in addition. Every single day I notice things that aren't accessible for him and other blind people thanks to my awareness from watching your videos and being head over heels in love with a blind man. Your perspective has helped me quite a bit in our relationship and I absolutely love that you make content to help sighted people interact with and ultimately create change for the blind 😊
This comment made me a little teary-eyed, not because you are dating a blind man, but because of the obvious love and insight that you have. I’m a blind woman, and while I don’t mind educating people, sometimes I feel overwhelmed with sadness that people don’t get it, or want to get it. But then there are people like you who remind me that not everyone will shut disabled people down, that generosity and caring does exist.
I honestly had no idea about alt text on instagram, I'm an avid pet instagramer and let me just say how sorry I am for not using it up until now. Thank you Molly for informing me about this I shall be adding alt text from now on :)
Hi:
I’m not Molly, but I’m also a blind woman. It’s great you’re adding alt text on IG; this is such a huge issue, and as someone who loves photography, I often find the Instagram experience frustrating due to things like lack of alt text. Then when I politely point it out and offer to help, I’m shut down. One person even blocked me from following her again... all because I said I did not understand what she was posting.
Don’t worry that you didn’t do before; it’s fine not to know. It’s not okay to ignore it once one does.
I love that you make these videos. I grew up with a friend whose mother is blind. So many of these things are normal for me , but I know this is not the case for most people. So I want to say thank you for making these videos.
I’m not blind, but I have my own mental deficiencies (nothing outwardly obvious) that I’ve learned how to deal with and compensate for throughout my life, so your last point really resonated with me.
Awww! Lavender has gotten so big! 🤩🐝
My grandmother was blind and I learned so much from her, but I wish I had your channel as a resource while she was still here with us! Molly, you're amazing.
I think Lavender needs her own, smaller chair, right next to Molly's chair so they can both chill on camera at the same time!
You know Lavender would still sit in the BIG chair, as she is the Queen!
I am an email marketing graphic designer and I always make sure to add the alt text for any image I have in a client's email! I'm glad to hear that it truly helps others.
I’m so happy you said that your perspective was only one of million’s of blind ppl’s, that’s one of my goals as a disabled deaf person, to teach that all is deaf ppl are very different bc we’re all unique human beings who happen to be deaf.
Thank you molly for bringing this up! Very much appreciated! Please everyone that blindness is a spectrum and if you know someone legally blind or visually impaired, please do these things for them as well.
Thanks for talking about this Molly. As a fellow blind woman, I agree with what you have to say. I think I’m going to share this video on Facebook and Twitter to help educate more people.
I work in a hospital and I actually always do the sighted guide technique even for just elderly people. I didn't know what I was doing, it just kinda felt like the most efficient and polite thing to do. Thank you for this video, I always like learning new ways to help people feel more comfortable.
Anyone remember when lavender was born and Joey said she was funny looking?? And now look at her beautiful Queen 👑 😻
Lavenders and the new feature in Molly‘s videos just like gallop
Finally I'm not late❤looking fowards to this video Molly, love from Italy!
When molly played the example of alt text on her phone I could not even tell what it said. It talked so fast haha
My 3 year old nephew is legally blind. I love watching your videos to get a better understanding of what he is going through and how to help him.
Molly, what you said at the end about discrimination in the job world really spoke to me.
I once had a phone interview for a job I was very much qualified for. The employer was so excited about my skill set and experience. He basically gave me the job over the phone but said he'd really like to meet me to do a bit of a tour of the work space and a bit of an in person interview.
I showed up and toward the end he asked why I wasn't looking him in the eyes during the interview sometimes. I then explained that I have a visual impairment which makes it hard, especially when I'm nervous (in an interview) it gets worse. I explained that my vision has never had an effect on my work ethic or the work I produce.
I didn't get the job. Funny how I was literally perfect for the job and basically hired until he found out about my vision.
Things like this are why there are Human Rights boards/tribunals.
I agree there is a reason why we have human rights in this world and you will qualify for the job and as far as I concerned why he did this discrimination you didn’t get the job because your visual impairment well - discrimination and I don’t care if they said they did the right things it’s still discrimination I need to stop and he is employers need to be held accountable there needs to be something in either you and Ciara PD or the 88 that says you can bring these people to court or you can make them accountable because I’m sick couldn’t get away with it and I’m blind and visually impaired as well I also have autism and I wanna fight for my fellow blind people so they’re never mistreated in this world ever again or made to feel that they’re powerless
I already knew to lead by elbow but I didn’t realize there was a non-verbal way to indicate a narrow space. I love your content.
A lady I met through work and I both have a level of face blindness, we were both so delighted to meet and be able to find ways to make each other’s life easier. Hey molly, it’s Dylan from science class. Exactly, very helpful. Even though we both have reasonably good vision we can’t process all the information. We tended to meet in a group of old men and neither of us could tell them apart. It was a game of guess the beard every time!
your makeup is amazing in this video! the colors complement each other, your top, your hair and your complexion perfectly.
I as a wheelchair user lived in student living and lived together with a deaf person and she asked us always to tip her on the shoulder or arm when we wanted to talk to her, so she could turn around and see the person. So she often bumped into me while I tried to tip her on the arm to talk to her, because she didn’t see or heard me coming! But was always funny.
But trying to lead a bind person as a wheelchair user is also very difficult, I always need both arms for driving my wheelchair, but he could put a hand on my shoulder, that worked, only problem is I’ve to say something before stopping and that’s difficult in public because often people walk zick zack before you or stop right before you and it’s very difficult to not bump into them, but when than a blind person is following you that’s way worse. I mean it’s not optimal to lead a blind person as a wheelchair user, but disabled students at Uni often stocked together and when there’s nobody else there to help them I of course try. I also read often blind students the text, because mostly they where not given adaptive texts before, so they couldn’t do anything when there’s nobody reading them the text, nor they don’t even understand than what the Professor even talked about, what’s not good. And I also would lend my assistance out for the blind students, when I don’t needed her, when they had no assistance, but needed one.
i have never got to know a blind person and have physical health problems which leave me mostly at home not really meeting anyone but i cant tell you how much i enjoy learning from these videos. your doing such a great job spreading all this awareness, even to people like me who dont really meet many new people in general. i honestly love these videos thank you x
I'm not blind or anything, but when Molly was talking about like helping someone who's blind, it made me think of something. If you're like in a crowded kinda place or somewhere where it's a bit noisy, I feel like it be a good idea to say something like while you're helping them like "Hey it's pretty noisy, can you hear me ok?". Like if I was helping a blind classmate get to their class I'd probably feel the need to ask that cuz the hallways can be busy n noisy and they gotta be able to hear you if you're guiding them and trying to tell them room 108 is the third door down this hall. :)
That’s a good idea; but also, keep in mind that it can depend on the person. I’m blind, and on the rare occasion that I go human guide, if it’s really loud, I’ll just ask the person to repeat him/herself.
As someone who loves to go out to a cafe etc. with a friend of mine who's blind, but did not know all the ins and outs of doing sighted guide that you expalined some of here, I usually just try to verbally explain things as we walk to and from places:
"Blablabla chitchat... Oh, staircase. Three steps... Aaaaaaaand back to the chitchat... Teen on a bike coming this way, let's move a little to the left... More chitchat!... A bunch of tables and people standing around blocking our path, well, that's just lovely, you get behind me and we'll zigzag through them... *Deep concentration* Ah, here we are, and there's just one step. Let me get the door for you before you step up!"
Your videos always make me feel happy. And I really need it now that my depression is extremely bad.
Aw
You’re amazing Molly! I have work during disability claims for 18 years and my ex-husband was visually impaired so I have had some interaction with the blind community. Thank you so much for clarifying such important things and how to assist our blind friends
Still wanting the Christina Ha collab where she teaches Molly how to cook, even though I'm pretty sure Molly just has no interest in learning to cook whatsoever lol.
it’s always so important to be aware of what other people face constantly. i don’t see recognizing someone by their face as a privilege, but it is! and im so lucky and happy to be in a fully able bodied.
I really missed those type of videos 👌
I am really glad for those videos, because I've only met two blind people in my whole life, and they were actually very "stereotypical blind people" I don't know how else to say that in English, I don't mean in offensively in any way. Just that by meeting both of them I've totally closed my mind and viewed blind people in very limited way, because they were exactly how I would imagine if I didn't meet them. And then I found Molly and realised how super wrong I was, and that there is a whole spectrum and I've only seen a tiny percentage of what I thought blindness actually is. So thanks Molly, now I know better
Funny story - I attend church with a man who is blind. He is a drummer and I am a singer. Sometimes we serve on the music team together. One morning, we were on the platform which has a black floor and all of the cords which are black seemed to fade into the floor for me. I kept muttering to myself "there's a cord, oops that's another cord, okay there's another one" and my blind friend said "you know, I know where all the cords are" . I said completely without thinking "oh I'm not trying to help you, I am trying to help myself because I keep tripping over them". He thought that was so funny. So I would add a 6th suggestion - treat blind people like people. It's much easier that way.
The sighted guide section was so detailed and helpful!
I'm so glad you discussed this. My uncle has glaucoma and has been blind most of his life. And he is very capable to do anything. People don't realize sometimes that your eyes don't work but you can 'see' in other ways. My uncle can build just about anything. A tree house, a 10 foot tall prop farris wheel with rotating seats. Really you name it and he can make it. He mostly just uses his hands to figure things out. And he has talking tools and stuff like that. I think it's amazing that you're helping people become more educated. As a sighted person it was hard for me to learn how to help my uncle without over stepping and doing too much. Keep being amazing!
My mom’s been such a great sighted guide for me growing up.
I didn’t get a cane 🦯 until last summer. I’ve been so dependent on her for so many things that I didn’t realize I needed one until I moved out into my own apartment.
And it was a struggle to accept it. I could accept that I needed large print, the preferred seating, that I’ll never drive (technically I can get a daytime license but the cons outweigh the pros), that I’m low vision but I couldn’t accept needing help crossing the street or traveling on my own without a guide. I’ve done it for so many years that I didn’t think I needed help but I was relying on help without realizing it.
I’m definitely done with everyone’s comments about it tho. The asking someone with me about why I need my cane. Can’t you just get Lasik? Can you fix it? Do you really need it?
Those are such senseless questions. I don't think the majority means harm by them, just very uninformed. Obviously, if Lasik helped, one would get it done. If you didn't need a cane, you would not use it. And so forth. I think some are asking out of curiosity, but the wrong way! They may want to know how the case helps a blind person, and instead ask if you need it. Many jumble up words, when asking things.
I have mental health issues, I can't say how many people have said I should get demons exorcized. Or stay away from me as if it's contagious, or I may suddenly have a breakdown, leaving them not knowing what to do, forget me lol. Also in a wheelchair, get a lot of they whys and why don't yous , I will pray for you when there isn't anything more that can be done. I am accepting of how I am , and moved past it.
Then of course anyone with a disability runs into mr or miss rude. Asking obvious personal questions they must seemingly know are inappropriate to ask anyone. However they ask anyway. Or the whisperer that assumes you can't hear, and look or point and say your this or that . Like look she's blind , feel like saying look she's a Moron..but I don't. They show their stupidity without me speaking for them , how I see it. You are so happy and upbeat, and positive learning from your videos, though just found them.
Do you feel many maybe are inclined to stay back as deaf people have a culture of their own, wish to not have cochlear in plants put in, and often refuse help. I do signing, and involved with deaf communities, where this is often the case. As to Lasix surgery I am meaning, if you ask some deaf people of an implant would help, they will say or sign yes, and also they wish to remain as they are, and not get the implant..curious of your thoughts on that.
I realize I write rather broken up, and skip around not always clear. Comes with my disorders. My apologies.
Stay the sweet Molly you are love that name too..blessings until my next video.
Girl. That lesson on sighted guide is so helpful. I had no idea about any of that, and granted I’ve never yet needed to assist a blind person, but I feel better now that I know how. Thank you for helping us help you! That’s a really cool thing for you to teach.
Great points. As a visually impaired person, sometimes I wish more people understood this. The other one I seem to get a lot, especially as I work in a church, not by church members, but by other community members, is the fact that they feel like they need to pray for me to get my vision back. Not all blind people want their vision back.
I get that too. It’s unnecessary. God allowed me to see beyond my blindness. We don’t need a cure. We’re not broken.
Although I know how to be a sighted guide. My dad had a business one of his clients was blind. He used to come in with his wife. somehow she knew how to guide him looking like he was escorting her. It was so cute. They were a wonderful couple.
That’s so cute Omigosh 🥺🥺
I LOVE Android!
Also Audible! I'm blind in one eye so it's just easier for me to listen to audiobooks instead of straining my eyes, and I finished yours very recently which I loved!
Me too!
Looking at that picture I realised I've got to the stage where I can read braille as easily as normal letters. I feel like I've developed a really niche super power
Meh. Matt Murdock can read by feeling the impressions of the ink on the paper! XD
But serioulys, a good skill set.
I’m a special education major and for a class we had to choose a children’s book that features diverse characters and one group chose a book that had blind characters and they all had sunglasses and I cringed and that group didn’t even talk about that so they didn’t see that it was wrong.
I was the campaign manager/assistant to my State Representative Michelle Caldier and when we would go to unfamiliar territory she would have me guide her in a way that felt the most comfortable to her, and that was having her stand on my right side, having her left arm on my right shoulder and then she'd stand side by side or very close behind, and that was most comfortable for her, so that if she happened to fall she could try and get her right arm out to help stop her from seriously hurting herself. She also would ask for just the general lay of the land, like have me tell her that there are stairs and there's about 5 stairs, etc. or that there is a little incline coming up, and that way she could just know to walk a little more conscious- but like you were saying at 12:44- she didn't need like an extensive description or anything like that!
Just wanted to share my experience working with an amazing woman who just like you, unless you know them personally you would've never knew they were blind.
I loved the details about being a sighted guide! Not that I especially expect to ever need these skills, but it’s nice to know if the situation ever arises.
Sighted guide is useful for more than just people who are blind/visually impaired. You can also use it for anyone who you are trying to help find a location. If they aren't blind/visually impaired you probably don't need to say "stairs" but the elbow technique is useful. It's a way to guide someone so you don't get lost but it is also not super commitmental, so the person your guiding can let go at any time if they no longer need or want your help.
As someone who suddenly went blind in one eye literally overnight a couple of years ago and always had perfect vision before, never even needing glasses… I can say how much I took my sight for granted until that very day!
This is fascinating, thank you! I used to work in retail and we had a regular customer who was blind. I always felt awful as I didn't know how to guide him around the store and didn't want to be patronising or do the wrong thing. I'm so glad I know now about the elbow and how to use that! Thank you so much :). X
Thank you so much for this video Molly. I am a receptionist and I encountered a blind woman the other day. She was super sweet and I was able to help guide her to the building she was going to. I’m also creating a company on Instagram, so the alt text thing was super helpful. It is so important for people to be educated on different disabilities.
OMG! My daughter has the problem that the other students at school will say hi to her and she has no clue who they are. I try my best to describe the child however that usually doesn't work so well. Your are so right that blind people are more than capable and usually find unique and unexpected solutions to things. My daughter likes to say that she can't see the box so it can't hold her back!
I recently got a new blind coworker and your videos have taught me really well on how best to be respectful to her and her needs. Now she's a good friend and is even helping me out with a research paper on accessibility in media, specifically online media and how she navigates it.
I didn’t know that the audio description was a thing on Instagram! I will definitely be doing this from now on!!
The section for sighted guides was so helpful! All the little tips and tricks like putting our arms behind us for you, and how to deal with stairs (and the difference between going up and down them). Thank you for sharing!
My mom and dad still undermines me. It was more frequent when I was a kid. They’re still learning.
I came to your videos because my 85 year old father is going blind. He is definitely in the acceptance stage, or more accurately the angry stage. He doesn’t think he can do any of these things and soon he will have to have someone feed him and wheel him around. I am grateful for your videos because even though he will never be as capable as you and most others at least I can get ideas on how to help him and what things might help him. I am going to look up Mobility and Orientation training for him.
Great links in the video description on how to provide effective alt text! Thanks for the informative video Molly. It's exciting to see technology companies incorporating accessibility into their products in intuitive ways! Inclusivity is the future ❤️
PREACH!
Chrome recently introduced live captions! Not perfect, mind you, but a start.
Your ability to come up with random example names on the spot without breaking your flow amazes me.
Girl this was so relatable. The amount of people who just grab my arm if i ask for sighted guide is ridiculous. Also same i forget about my blindness half the time 🙂
Molly's Gallop/Lavender voice is my absolute favourite
Was about to say ‘wow you should be a motivational speaker’ until I remembered, you are a motivational speaker 🤦♀️😂
Lovely how people have post notifications turned on just to dislike this amazing girl's content. Thanks for giving her more views!!
I’m always scared of tapping or touching a person with blindness cause I’m worried I might tap too hard and they get scared-
I would say something before tapping them to alert them. If you don't know them, I would just say "excuse me," and then tap them so they know you're talking to them. If you're afraid of startling them by saying something, one thing I do to make people aware of my presence in a room (whether they're blind or sighted) is to sniffle. That way if I'm walking quietly and they haven't noticed me, that will subtly let them know that there's someone else there.
Tapping is fine. What will really scare most of us is grabbing. It makes us think somebody is about to attack us.
@@annasenk3754 ohhh that’s really smart thanks!
@@jamesdean6939 yeah 😭😭😭 don’t wanna scare someone
This is not a one size fits all, I personally do not like being touched in anyway, keep your hands to yourself, just be polite, excuse yourself introduce yourself, don’t touch people, it’s a good way to get a salted back😮
Can't emphasize more what you were saying about anyone who thinks I may need assistance asking before trying to guide me, especially when I'm using my guide dog! People see my dog and assume I can't do things, and will suddenly grab my elbow to guide me...Well intentioned, but never ceases to startle me and misses the point about why my dog is even there!
when you started talking about not needing unsolicited medical advice I was like oh my god yes ! I have a liver disorder that people love love love to tell me how to "fix" it. But I have been in and out of hospitals since I was 10. If that thing you have suggested would fix it I would have done the thing. It's frustrating !
This is such a little thing but I feel like sharing.
I was doing my grocery shopping yesterday and when taking my cart back to the bay, I saw a wheelchair compatible cart. I'd never seen one before. I was fascinated by the design and thought it was great that it just existed.
I'm a [mostly] able-bodied person and this accessible cart had the words "Please return to the store immediately" printed on it and so I simply walked it back.
I'm not trying to pat myself on the back or anything, I'd hope that any halfway decent person would do the same. All I'm trying to say is that the awareness is growing, especially with the help of creators like Molly and Jessica Kellgren-Fozard. A few years ago, I doubt I would've given that cart a second glance, let alone taken it back myself.
I don't know, I just stan personal growth, I guess.
We stan personal growth 👊
Kitty is adorable 🥰
Hi Molly, I want to say thank you for teaching me the best ways to help team blind,without offending any person of team blind. Molly you taught this old dog a new trick. Thank you.
This was so helpful! Also, I get people trying to cure me all the time. Type 1 diabetes CANNOT be cured either!
I always like talking with people that are different because they have the ability to teach me new things.
I remember those new things every time I meet someone that needs help. I also have to say that luckily most of the people I ask questions about their disability do not mind it, especially if they notice that I try to understand or learn things that can help them. Most of them even will start talking about other things that are wholesome. My best conversations have been with people that are remarkably different. Be it blind, deaf or even just mental health related issues, I always enjoy being a helper. One word can make or break someone.
What I have noticed and would want to be informed about is that for example at train stations there are not always options for blind/deaf people to really find their way. (Some railway stations are better then others and some blind people have more experience and are fully able to find their way) In my country there are of course staff members that might help those that have more trouble but more often then not they are late or just not understanding enough. Would it be an option to have places in which for example students and others that use the train can meet people and help them on maybe the same or another train if needed. It makes it more visible for people that can see and maybe even less awkward for those that want to help but find it hard to do so. I know for one that I can only recognize people needing help because I always scan the crowd and my mom ensured that we would learn the basics in recognition. Plus I am not afraid to ask if they need help. But it would make it easier if it is visible especially in busy places where people get overlooked. I mean railway stations that might not be familiar. Since I know that a lot of you can manage.
I do not want people to think that I think they are not able to do something when they can! I just want to know more about what we can do to make it easier or just nicer for blind people.
What do you guys think?
Lavender knows she's a princess and she's claiming the throne before her subjects lol I can't believe how big she got, like she was just a kitten and now she's all grown.
That thing about saying something you talked about is just good practice anyway. My sighted ass will forget someone’s name, barely remember where I met them and what we discussed. But I’ll be able to say “I’m really sorry, I’m blanking on your name, but we talked about that rock band playing at Red Rocks. Could you remind me of your name?” It makes the person know that you deemed them important enough to remember.
I may have mentioned this before, but cats are out to get us! No matter how cute they are! 😉 Lavender probably wants to use your UA-cam fame as a stepping stone for her own career!
Cats are swell,
Cats are great,
Rated one to five,
A cat's an eight.
@@harveyabel1354 That’s adorable!
I was diagnosed with rp when I was 15 at sick kids in Toronto Canada. I am now 55 and my family never talked about my vision loss ever. So I kept it hidden for 40 years.
I love you so much molly!! And so happy for your success!!💜❤💚
Aw, thank you
Thank goodness for you, Molly! You’re so lovely in teaching us so much about the blind community. Most of us wouldn’t have a clue otherwise, and with you here, we really don’t have a good reason. 💕 You’re such a gift!