Wednesday 3 January 2018

The Great Cane Debate

As part of RNIB’s How I See campaign, they released a video that debates whether the cane, (a mobility aid used by visually impaired people) should be the standard black and white, (black handle with white body) or whether it is ok for the cane to be colourful. You can view the video here.

There is a fear that if the cane is not the standard black and white then the public may get confused with regards to what it symbolises. In my opinion, I believe it is more than acceptable for a visually impaired person to use whatever colour cane they wish as long as it is being used in the correct manner. Just because blind people can’t see should they be subjected to a colourless black and white world? People without a visual impairment use cars and other means of transport to get around. If a lorry is white or red, we still know it is a lorry and if a person is using a wheelchair is it important that it has blue or pink rims? No. Other people are allowed to customise their mobility aids, so why can’t we?

To emphasise my argument, I thought I would share my cane journey with you. I was first introduced to a cane at about the age of twelve. I had no interest in using an object that screamed ‘I have a visual impairment’. In an act of rebellion I remember storming out of my house and walked to a friend’s without using my cane. Worried for my safety my dad jumped in his car and curb-crawled behind me, which prompted a member of the public to stop me and alert me to the fact that a man was following me! After that incident, I reluctantly agreed to use my cane outside of school. When I was around my friends I wouldn’t use it properly at all and would often use it as a comical prop. In particular I recall pretending that my cane was like a dog lead and I was being dragged along by said dog much to my friends amusement. I had to try and make the cane cool.

By the age of sixteen my sight had deteriorated to a level where for my safety I was encouraged to use my cane at school. So I began using it at the start of sixth form, which at my school was also the year you no longer wore school uniform. I hated sticking out like a sore thumb with my cane and as Christmas approached I decided if everyone was going to be staring at me, then I would give them something to stare at. I purchased some white tinsel and wrapped it around my cane from head to foot. It helped my confidence when I received positive feedback about something I despised using.

By the age of nineteen I had lost any useful vision, so could no longer distinguish colours or shapes. I guess out of rebellion to losing my colour vision I ordered a pink cane (black handle with pink body). It had to be imported from Canada. I wouldn’t call myself a trend setter, but I was one of the first people to start using a coloured cane in Britain. For me the pink represented that despite being blind I still cared for coloured things in the same way I did as when I had vision. Not once when I used my pink cane did someone not know what it represented. It was also useful when with other visually impaired people because I knew which cane was mine!

A couple of years ago I changed my cane to an accented one instead. So, my current cane has a blue handle and white body. This is because I feel I have matured and the new style has more of a professional appearance. All pink is cool and fun, but a blue and white combination spells sophistication. It still offers a sense of individuality.

Customising my cane over the years has helped me to accept my visual impairment. We are all individuals and should be allowed to express ourselves in whatever civilised way we choose. That’s how I see it anyway!