This article was on the BBC and I thought many of you would find it quite interesting. First, there are evidently two visually-impaired people on Big Brother in the U.K. - and one of them has albinism. Second, the reaction to this has been interesting, both from the "public" and the "low vision or blind" community. Some of the points that were made I can relate to rather well.
I'm always happy to answer questions from the public. I really am - honest. I'd rather someone ask me something straight up than sit and wonder and make the wrong conclusions. At the same time, many of us with a disability of some sort can sometimes feel a lot of pressure to sort of be one-person walking public relations firms. It gets old. Sometimes I'm just sick of anwering questions. I know I shouldn't get that way, but sometimes that's just the mood I'm in and I have to take a minute and just get over that.
I also well know the feelings discussed about someone from the low vision or blind world getting in the limelight. There are so many negative images out there and when someone ends up in the spotlight I think we all say a little prayer that they represent us well and don't do any damange. Talk about pressure for the poor schmuck in the limelight.
At any rate, here it is:
Gimmick or ambassadors for the blind?
The arrival of a blind contestant in the Big Brother house has already sparked a great deal of interest. But Damon Rose (right), who is himself blind, says he will be under great scrutiny.
Even in the run-up to the Big Brother launch, with national papers reporting the rumours, there was internet buzz between blind people.
A young blind woman posted to the messageboard of the BBC's Ouch! disability website: "I hope he or she is aware that they are representing the visually impaired community and give us a good name. I hope that they don't have awful blind habits, such as rocking or not looking at people when talking to them. I would like to hope that they will be normal."
She was hoping for a good portrayal, one that wouldn't negatively affect what others think of her when they meet her in the street or see her in front of them at a job interview. The worry is that that becomes the prevailing public view.
There are very few blind people in television. If there was a "good" one one week and a "bad" one the next, it just wouldn't matter as much. If it is a bad portrayal that is the last chance for another five years.
On the mainstream messageboards, among Big Brother fans, the reaction went along the lines of "let's all vote him out now, we know he'll get the sympathy vote if he stays in" or "as I suspected, yet more weirdoes. What will the producers do next?".
Michael, 33, from Ayrshire, was thrown into a house with eight other excitable contestants, with new people being added every five minutes as the launch show continued.
Five days in, if he's been able to track and remember the voices of the other 15 housemates, he's a better man than me - I've certainly not achieved this as a viewer.
Albino contestant
In fact, blind friends and I have often commented that it's not worth trying to listen to the first week of Big Brother as you just can't tell one person from another - all loudly clamouring for airtime at that early stage. And Michael is in the midst of it whilst also trying to orientate himself in the house without injuring people with his cane. I don't envy him.
And then there is Darnell, a black British albino man originally from Ipswich. It isn't universally known that if you have albinism, the preferred term in the community, it also spells sight loss. So there are two people with significant vision problems in the house. Count them. It's never been heard of before.
What a great format to throw disabled people into. I'm now able to sit at home and inspect others as they come to terms with their own lack of knowledge around blindness. But perhaps more interestingly, I'm sitting there watching Michael, who I suspect could well be over-egging the situation, taking advantage of the fact they assume blind people can do very little. People don't realise a blind person can hold down a job.
I loved the way he dodged cleaning up the kitchen with a swift: "What's that smell? Ugh, I hate Dettol." He wasn't questioned and no ill feelings were held against him.
He could get away with blue murder. Personally, I'd have gone for the "cleaning fluid hurts my eyes" approach, and "show me this strange thing you call coffee?"
Gamut of opinion
But he will be capable of independent living. He can cook, we should see him washing his clothes, there is no reason why he couldn't find his way around independently. I'm looking for the moment he strikes out and starts getting around on his own.
We have already seen a range of opinions about our blind man. In the diary Room, Kathreya was overjoyed Michael was able to use the swimming pool. Mario railed against a fellow housemate who attacked Michael for wearing her knickers, saying: "He's got a disability." And Alexandra, who involved herself in the knickers argument, used some very choice language to describe Michael, saying she didn't care whether he was blind or not.
We went from cuteness to patronising to contempt all in one show. It was beautifully topped off, with Michael finally asking the girl who he'd seemingly been arguing with for hours "what's your name again?" Classic blindie. I both cringed and loved his honesty.
But will Michael and Darnell get on or clash? Darnell, 26, has already admitted he has a disability, for those of you who didn't guess after watching him walking into other people on Thursday night's launch show. He has said he has a downer on himself because of his lifelong condition. On the other hand, Michael is positive about who he is, although he's only been blind 10 years.
Fellow housemate Mario has taken it upon himself to be Michael's carer. Though his heart is in the right place, and Michael is clearly appreciating the help at this stage, if he had heard all of Mario's slightly precious and patronising comments, he might not be as happy.
'This is real'
Thousands of blind viewers round the country are screaming at their TV sets right now. "Michael, be more independent. Show what blind people can do." But it's difficult. He knows he's being watched by millions and doesn't want an embarrassing situation or fall so he's happily staying close to his new-found friend.
I'm always happy to answer questions from the public. I really am - honest. I'd rather someone ask me something straight up than sit and wonder and make the wrong conclusions. At the same time, many of us with a disability of some sort can sometimes feel a lot of pressure to sort of be one-person walking public relations firms. It gets old. Sometimes I'm just sick of anwering questions. I know I shouldn't get that way, but sometimes that's just the mood I'm in and I have to take a minute and just get over that.
I also well know the feelings discussed about someone from the low vision or blind world getting in the limelight. There are so many negative images out there and when someone ends up in the spotlight I think we all say a little prayer that they represent us well and don't do any damange. Talk about pressure for the poor schmuck in the limelight.
At any rate, here it is:
Gimmick or ambassadors for the blind?
The arrival of a blind contestant in the Big Brother house has already sparked a great deal of interest. But Damon Rose (right), who is himself blind, says he will be under great scrutiny.
Even in the run-up to the Big Brother launch, with national papers reporting the rumours, there was internet buzz between blind people.
A young blind woman posted to the messageboard of the BBC's Ouch! disability website: "I hope he or she is aware that they are representing the visually impaired community and give us a good name. I hope that they don't have awful blind habits, such as rocking or not looking at people when talking to them. I would like to hope that they will be normal."
She was hoping for a good portrayal, one that wouldn't negatively affect what others think of her when they meet her in the street or see her in front of them at a job interview. The worry is that that becomes the prevailing public view.
There are very few blind people in television. If there was a "good" one one week and a "bad" one the next, it just wouldn't matter as much. If it is a bad portrayal that is the last chance for another five years.
On the mainstream messageboards, among Big Brother fans, the reaction went along the lines of "let's all vote him out now, we know he'll get the sympathy vote if he stays in" or "as I suspected, yet more weirdoes. What will the producers do next?".
Michael, 33, from Ayrshire, was thrown into a house with eight other excitable contestants, with new people being added every five minutes as the launch show continued.
Five days in, if he's been able to track and remember the voices of the other 15 housemates, he's a better man than me - I've certainly not achieved this as a viewer.
Albino contestant
In fact, blind friends and I have often commented that it's not worth trying to listen to the first week of Big Brother as you just can't tell one person from another - all loudly clamouring for airtime at that early stage. And Michael is in the midst of it whilst also trying to orientate himself in the house without injuring people with his cane. I don't envy him.
And then there is Darnell, a black British albino man originally from Ipswich. It isn't universally known that if you have albinism, the preferred term in the community, it also spells sight loss. So there are two people with significant vision problems in the house. Count them. It's never been heard of before.
What a great format to throw disabled people into. I'm now able to sit at home and inspect others as they come to terms with their own lack of knowledge around blindness. But perhaps more interestingly, I'm sitting there watching Michael, who I suspect could well be over-egging the situation, taking advantage of the fact they assume blind people can do very little. People don't realise a blind person can hold down a job.
I loved the way he dodged cleaning up the kitchen with a swift: "What's that smell? Ugh, I hate Dettol." He wasn't questioned and no ill feelings were held against him.
He could get away with blue murder. Personally, I'd have gone for the "cleaning fluid hurts my eyes" approach, and "show me this strange thing you call coffee?"
Gamut of opinion
But he will be capable of independent living. He can cook, we should see him washing his clothes, there is no reason why he couldn't find his way around independently. I'm looking for the moment he strikes out and starts getting around on his own.
We have already seen a range of opinions about our blind man. In the diary Room, Kathreya was overjoyed Michael was able to use the swimming pool. Mario railed against a fellow housemate who attacked Michael for wearing her knickers, saying: "He's got a disability." And Alexandra, who involved herself in the knickers argument, used some very choice language to describe Michael, saying she didn't care whether he was blind or not.
We went from cuteness to patronising to contempt all in one show. It was beautifully topped off, with Michael finally asking the girl who he'd seemingly been arguing with for hours "what's your name again?" Classic blindie. I both cringed and loved his honesty.
But will Michael and Darnell get on or clash? Darnell, 26, has already admitted he has a disability, for those of you who didn't guess after watching him walking into other people on Thursday night's launch show. He has said he has a downer on himself because of his lifelong condition. On the other hand, Michael is positive about who he is, although he's only been blind 10 years.
Fellow housemate Mario has taken it upon himself to be Michael's carer. Though his heart is in the right place, and Michael is clearly appreciating the help at this stage, if he had heard all of Mario's slightly precious and patronising comments, he might not be as happy.
'This is real'
Thousands of blind viewers round the country are screaming at their TV sets right now. "Michael, be more independent. Show what blind people can do." But it's difficult. He knows he's being watched by millions and doesn't want an embarrassing situation or fall so he's happily staying close to his new-found friend.
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