THE VOLUME 39 COVER OH MY FUCKING GOODNESS GUYS

THE VOLUME 39 COVER OH MY FUCKING GOODNESS GUYS

Since a few people have asked for white cane awareness day , here are some tips on how you can respect and help white cane users:

Don't panic or try to dart around us as fast as you can if we're coming your way. Try saying hi and telling us what side you're yielding on instead. Edit: if you can't move out of the way, that's fine, please give a verbal heads up! We don't mind accommodating other disabled people at all .

Don't do that thing where people try to go completely silent and unnoticed. It's more helpful if we can know where other people are in a space, and it's pretty freaky when people intentionally try to hide from us.

Don't touch our canes without asking, especially if we are actively using it. Our canes are our way of interacting with the world and staying safe, interruptions are disorienting and dangerous. It would be like getting poked in both your eyes.

Don't ask us if we're lost just because we have a cane.

Politely offering help for things like crossing a street is great, but always respect it if we say no and never just grab us.

If we have a funky coloured cane or decorations on it, compliments are definitely welcome!

Watch your toes for your own sake. We don't want to whack you but it happens sometimes!

Be patient if we take longer to navigate or explore things. Sometimes it's necessary and other times it's our way of making up for what we can't see with what we can feel and hear.

Other white cane users, please feel free to add on and thank you for being considerate!

PSA

fun fact (not fun at all fact actually) :

aromanticism and asexuality are still treated as issues to be fixed in most therapy settings, at least in the western psychiatric institution. i cannot fucking mention my aromanticism or asexuality to a therapist or it’ll immediately become their primary concern and goal to fix. whether or not i have a partner/am trying to have a partner is actively being used as an indicator of my wellness, regardless of if i WANT one. i cannot have access to needed mental health ressources because of fear of conversion therapy. aro and/or ace conversion therapy is the norm in most psychiatric institutions and we are getting told by the rest of the queer community that our oppression isnt real and that there is no link between our struggles and theirs.