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Michael Scalia is a Vision Australia Career Start graduate and lives with retinitis pigmentosa. Here he shares his thoughts on a recent TikTok trend and the broader representation of people who are blind or have low vision.
Tik Tok is no stranger to controversy, with millions of users across Australia and around the world, sparking numerous innovative and unusual trends in pursuit of virality and social status.
However, a concerning viral trend where children pretended to be blind sparked outrage in October.
Highlighted by blind YouTuber Molly Burke, parents were seen in these clips encouraging their kids, who were clearly not blind, to ‘act blind’ to win a prize for a non-existent competition. Videos varied, with some asking for empathy from Disney to win tickets to Disneyland, while others aimed for cash prizes.
The ‘blindtok’ community was left outraged, especially as these kids were reinforcing negative and false stereotypes. One video showed a child say they couldn’t tie their shoes or read.
Soon, the rest of the blind and low vision community would follow suit.
A different blindness and low vision support organisation issued a media release that highlighted the harmful effects of the trend, calling for TikTok to remove the content.
Within a few days of the campaign, the social media giant did exactly that.
Despite the outcome, as someone living with low vision, I wonder how much damage has been done?
Personally, I don’t hold any gripe towards the children, who are young and don’t understand the impacts of what they’re making a mockery of. The parents, however, don’t get a free pass. They should know better.
What might seem like fun and games or a joke to some can be cruel and insensitive to many, especially when it comes from able-bodied people with no lived experience of low vision or blindness.
The virality of these negative stereotypes promotes the narrative that people who are blind or have low vision are fragile, lacking independence and seeking pity.
When in reality, most people live comfortable, independent lives—working, having partners and kids—and can tie their shoes without assistance.
Many of your favourite celebrities and heroes are blind or have disabilities.
World Champion Surfer Matt Formston, musicians Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Paul Stanley of KISS, Rachael Leahcar, Tennis Champion and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott are just some of the many people with disability who excel in their fields.
The truth is, we exist, thrive in our fields, and are just like everyone else. We do our best each day. No pity needed.
I would like to see more education for these parents and the wider community, so they understand that their words are harmful, think before they speak, and get some exposure to the blind and low vision community.