by Rob Hill
The newest special interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind is Blind Friends of Lesbians and Gays, known by the acronym “BFLAG.” Questions about our affiliate have been coming up at chapter meetings, in private conversation, and in public and private commentary on the various e-mail lists and other media since the ACB board of directors welcomed us into the organizational fold in February 2000. I would like to answer some of the most frequently asked questions and address the concerns that have been raised about our organization and our inclusion as a special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind.
Who Are These “Lesbians and Gays?”
We are people whose sexual orientation is not the heterosexual orientation which society generally defines as the norm. We have not chosen to define ourselves as lesbian or gay — we are lesbian and gay because that’s who we are.
During the ACB convention in July of this year, BFLAG hosted a lecture by Gregory Phipps, who is a member of the sociology department of the University of Louisville. Phipps discussed the larger culture’s understandings and misunderstandings about homosexuality. His presentation included research findings which indicate that sexual orientation is in no way a matter of choice, but rather a consequence of complicated genetic and environmental factors, which are not subject to individual decision-making or control. He pointed out that many gays and lesbians may attempt to reject who they are in order to try to conform to the larger culture’s pressure to be heterosexual.
Every young person, Phipps said, grows up hearing countless messages about the romantic feelings that he or she is expected to feel for members of the opposite sex. For a person who does not experience such romantic attractions, the implicit expectations which accompany all these messages and the pressure to conform with what society defines as normal can feel like trying to press one’s right foot into a left shoe and a left foot into the right shoe, and then trying to walk through each day — smiling as though one’s feet don’t hurt. No matter how much a person may try to fit society’s definition of normal, no matter how successfully he or she manages to navigate through the world in shoes — or roles — that aren’t the right fit, at the end of the day, it is impossible to shed one’s sexual orientation.
Phipps’ presentation made clear that cultural misunderstanding has led to the rejection of gay people by some and to outright violence toward gays by others. It seems only natural and fitting that many people who are gay and lesbian find comfort and solace when they have an opportunity to know and socialize with other people who may have experienced self-doubt, stereotyping, rejection, or other consequences of living in a heterosexual society as homosexuals.
The Beginnings of BFLAG
BFLAG began at a meeting held during the 1996 ACB convention in Tulsa, where a convention meeting room was set aside for gay blind people to meet to discuss common issues and experiences.
Leah Gardner, BFLAG’s vice president, says of that notice of the first meeting of the focus group, “Perusing a ‘Braille Forum’ article containing notes of special interest for convention goers, I was amazed to see a notice announcing meetings for a group called Blind Friends of Lesbians and Gays. I can’t even begin to express the relief I experienced when I discovered that a group had been established to address the unique concerns faced by visually impaired gays and lesbians.”
The experience of getting to know other gay and lesbian people who were also blind was a meaningful one for those who first ventured forth to find one another and share mutual concerns. Subsequent meetings were held during each succeeding national convention. Each year, the size of our group was larger.
One year, an attorney from the largest gay and lesbian community center in the country talked about hate crimes against people with disabilities, and against people who were homosexuals. Another year, a representative from the National Library Service delivered a bibliography of talking books that are related to gay themes. Each year, those attending the gay-focused gatherings had the chance to socialize and to discuss problems and mutual concerns.
At the 1999 ACB national convention, the people who attended the gay-focus meeting voted formally to pursue affiliation with the council. The ACB board accepted BFLAG’s application in February of 2000.
Why ACB?
Some have wondered why an organization of the blind would be an appropriate home for blind gays. Some have asked why an organization of people who are gay might not be a more logical group with whom to affiliate.
Statistics which describe demographics and distributions of populations provide an important component of the answer to these questions. The most widely quoted estimate for the prevalence of homosexuals in the general population is one gay person in each group of 10 (i.e., 10 percent). An estimate of the prevalence of blind people in society at large is one in 500. It’s clear that there are far more people who are gay in an organization of people who are blind than there would be blind people in an organization of people who are gay.
ACB points with pride to the diversity among its members and affiliates. Its including an affiliate that addresses the needs of yet another marginalized group is one more sign that ACB is a leader, and that the American Council of the Blind is of and for all people who are blind.
What Will BFLAG Do for Its Members?
BFLAG will be an advocate. BFLAG will work for access to goods and services which the sighted gay community takes for granted. It will encourage the publication, in accessible format, of news magazines and newspapers that specialize in gay matters. It will seek publication in accessible format of catalogs of gifts and greeting cards designed for the gay community. A newsletter for BFLAG members will provide information about community and commercial resources.
BFLAG will provide personal encouragement and support for its members, who must cope with the consequences of our visual impairments in addition to the ramifications of living in a society that is not always welcoming of our presence. Many disabled people live with a sense of isolation from mainstream society. Disabled people must often go out of their way to accomplish goals the able-bodied take for granted. People who are gay must often take special steps to avoid persecution and to accomplish goals the non-gay population takes for granted.
One often unspoken benefit of being a member of ACB is that members can know they are among a group of people who share similar experiences and similar frustrations. This ability to associate with colleagues who may share a similar history, and similar concerns on two levels is doubly — or perhaps exponentially — more important for people who are not only visually impaired, but also gay or lesbian. BFLAG offers members the comforting realization that others share some of the anguish and some of the successes that many might have otherwise thought they were going through alone. For example, BFLAG’s 2000 convention program included two very successful evening meetings set aside for personal support and discussion. BFLAG’s e-mail list will offer members another way to share with one another.
Membership in Blind Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Membership in BFLAG is not limited to people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual. Anyone who affirms the constitutional purposes of BFLAG may join, and all are welcomed.