Blind Low Vision Week: 'Blindness is not the antithesis of sightedness'

Wednesday, 5 October 2022

Michael Whittaker is a PhD student and model. He also lives with vision loss; he is pictured here with guide dog Tāne.

Michael Whittaker is multi-faceted. The 32-year-old has been modelling for 14 years and is in his last year of his PhD in English literature – and he so happens to live with vision loss. He describes his sight as seeing through a literal tunnel of central vision that has been closing for several years.

Ahead of Blind Low Vision Week he unpacks the misconceptions of living with vision loss, working in the modelling industry and why he is used to being upstaged by his dog, Tāne to Olivia Shivas.

What are some misconceptions sighted people have about vision loss?

That being blind means you can’t see anything at all. Many people who are blind have some remaining vision, like myself. I get it – it can be unpredictable and confusing for me too. Some days, I can see more than the couple of percent that’s me at my best, but in some lighting, I see absolutely nothing. I find myself having to explain myself a great deal – about what I can and can’t see, and apologising to people, and this isn’t good for anyone. Because I use a cane or have a guide dog, people usually expect total blindness and can get a bit upset or feel somehow conned if they realise I’m not “total”.

I also don’t think about blindness constantly, and it’s not all about hardships and challenges. I don't want to talk about blindness every single time. I love literature and film. I like hearing other people's stories and listening to what they’ve been up to. I enjoy the relationships I have with other people where we just talk shit and get along like normal people.

**READ MORE:

* Golriz Ghahraman feels the pressure

* Learning a language you love when you are non-speaking

* Vision impairment a barrier to the light

And how about misconceptions about working in the modelling industry

It’s not like the movies. It has its unglamorous sides. For every model who seems to – or claims to - have made it, there are a lot of people who have been let down or abused by the industry. Even for those that have succeeded in making a go of it, like me, it just means that we have dealt with a little less disappointment than the others.

Have you seen a shift in terms of representation and inclusion in the modelling industry?

I think the industry, in many ways, is responding positively to those really worthwhile and necessary calls for change. It's great to witness a shift away from a very limited representation of society. I think it's certainly moving in the right direction in terms of being a more interesting take on society, than just every model looking exactly the same.

I've been amazed with some of the brands I’ve worked with and the genuine learning that's gone on. But on the other hand, I've also dealt with people who are indifferent and careless and booking people for the sake of good press. I suppose you can find examples of both. I'm still undecided on whether it's like it's a good thing, despite people's intentions that it should be painting a more realistic picture of what the world looks and feels like.

Michael Whittaker says sighted people can support blind people by trusting an individual's awareness of their own situation.

Over time, there have been some democratising aspects of self-representation that have come through. I think people, through social media, are able to portray themselves on their own terms.

How have you adapted to living with blindness?

Adjusting to that feeling of being constantly perceived has been the biggest adaptation, and not having the reciprocity of being able to return the gaze. That's been quite tough, feeling scrutinised and still getting out in the world and not internalising other people's expectations. You just become more resilient in dealing with awkward, well-intentioned encounters with other people.

Should sighted people ask if you need help?

I think it's a case-by-case basis as to intuiting whether someone needs help, and not being insistent. I know that a lot of people in the blind low vision community don't appreciate being grabbed in particular. I’ve had people picking up my cane and just dragging me along, and I'm thinking in my head, “I do have that little bit of vision remaining, but this is really comical”. Just the absurdity of some of these situations, you have to laugh at it.

Tell me about your guide dog Tāne.

People used to say that I looked handsome on photo shoots, but now they realise I’m nothing compared to Tāne. When it comes to photo shoots, he becomes the star of the show. I’m just a prop. Blind Low Vision NZ played a huge role in supporting me to get Tāne. Blind Low Vision NZ also helped facilitate and access to some pretty amazing adaptive tech I use in my studies and at my office. Text to speech readers and magnification stuff makes a big difference in my life. They’re an organisation that is tailor-made to support and give blind people the best chance possible to thrive.

What can sighted people do to support people living with vision loss?

To trust an individual's awareness of their own situation, and their abilities or challenges so that you can support them without instructing them. Once people get to know me, a lot of those preconceptions about being blind fall away. As serious as I look in photo shoots, all self-conscious or vain, there are different aspects of my personality. But people's expectations, misconceptions or assumptions can often be diffused quite quickly by letting people express themselves on their own terms.

Blind Low Vision Week is from October 10 -16. Visit blindlowvision.org.nz for more information.