It was beyond my understanding. Hearing this, I felt sorry for the blind man for a little bit. And then I found myself thinking what a pitiful life this woman must have led. Imagine a woman who could never see herself as she was seen in the eyes of her loved one. A woman who could go on day after day and never receive the smallest compliment from her beloved. A woman whose husband could never read the expression on her face, be it misery or something better. Someone who could wear makeup or not – what difference to him? She could, if she wanted, wear green eye-shadow around one eye, a straight pin in her nostril, yellow slacks and purple shoes, no matter. And then to slip off into the death, the blind man’s hand on her hand, his blind eyes streaming tears – I’m imagining it now – her last thought maybe this: that he never even knew what she looked like, and she on an express to the grave.
I believe that this is not only ableist, but a very dangerous mindset to have thinking that people with disabilities cant have a successful love life.
Connecting this to the documentary, Crip Camp is also not only delved into the issue of disabled people being seen and respected but also demanding to live the same lives as those who are non-disabled which includes love lives and having families.