how do we know what we know it sounds like a very simple question but it’s the
like a very simple question but it’s the
like a very simple question but it’s the question of epistemology and philosophy
question of epistemology and philosophy
question of epistemology and philosophy of science it’s a question that can take
of science it’s a question that can take
of science it’s a question that can take you deeper and deeper in your studies
you deeper and deeper in your studies
you deeper and deeper in your studies and it’s a question that’s accompanying
and it’s a question that’s accompanying
and it’s a question that’s accompanying me in my studies of gender race and
me in my studies of gender race and
me in my studies of gender race and ethnicity all these years so I’m going
ethnicity all these years so I’m going
ethnicity all these years so I’m going to take you through some of how do you
to take you through some of how do you
to take you through some of how do you know how do we know what we know much of
know how do we know what we know much of
know how do we know what we know much of my work has been about what’s called the
my work has been about what’s called the
my work has been about what’s called the masculine gaze which I prefer to call
masculine gaze which I prefer to call
masculine gaze which I prefer to call the indeterminate cultural gaze so it
the indeterminate cultural gaze so it
the indeterminate cultural gaze so it doesn’t appear that it’s connected to
doesn’t appear that it’s connected to
doesn’t appear that it’s connected to individual men but to the masculinity of
individual men but to the masculinity of
individual men but to the masculinity of the societies that we live in and a lot
the societies that we live in and a lot
the societies that we live in and a lot of the work that I’ve done it has come
of the work that I’ve done it has come
of the work that I’ve done it has come down to the issue of vision so I got an
down to the issue of vision so I got an
down to the issue of vision so I got an idea that I thought was going to be once
idea that I thought was going to be once
idea that I thought was going to be once and for all we’re going to see if gender
and for all we’re going to see if gender
and for all we’re going to see if gender and race are social issues or biological
and race are social issues or biological
and race are social issues or biological issues and what I decided to do was to
issues and what I decided to do was to
issues and what I decided to do was to do a research study with people who have
do a research study with people who have
do a research study with people who have been blind since birth
been blind since birth
been blind since birth having VIN blind since birth they
having VIN blind since birth they
having VIN blind since birth they haven’t seen any of the cues that those
haven’t seen any of the cues that those
haven’t seen any of the cues that those of us who are sighted used to think
of us who are sighted used to think
of us who are sighted used to think about gender and to think about race and
about gender and to think about race and
about gender and to think about race and you’re going to see how the question
you’re going to see how the question
you’re going to see how the question gets more and more complex as we get
gets more and more complex as we get
gets more and more complex as we get deeper and deeper and the gender I was
deeper and deeper and the gender I was
deeper and deeper and the gender I was one of the people that invented the word
one of the people that invented the word
one of the people that invented the word gender to distinguish the social roles
gender to distinguish the social roles
gender to distinguish the social roles from the biological role and we redid
from the biological role and we redid
from the biological role and we redid that as we just borrowed it from the
that as we just borrowed it from the
that as we just borrowed it from the Romance languages that’s why we talk
Romance languages that’s why we talk
Romance languages that’s why we talk about gender today but we talk about
about gender today but we talk about
about gender today but we talk about gender in a very different way than
gender in a very different way than
gender in a very different way than we’ve spoken about it over the years it
we’ve spoken about it over the years it
we’ve spoken about it over the years it has really morphed and changed and
has really morphed and changed and
has really morphed and changed and become very complex and so I decided to
become very complex and so I decided to
become very complex and so I decided to do this study with black people and I
do this study with black people and I
do this study with black people and I thought maybe I’ll take about six months
thought maybe I’ll take about six months
thought maybe I’ll take about six months to do it it wound up taking me 10 years
to do it it wound up taking me 10 years
to do it it wound up taking me 10 years to really um
to really um
to really um stand as much as I can as a sighted
stand as much as I can as a sighted
stand as much as I can as a sighted person what it is to be blind in a
person what it is to be blind in a
person what it is to be blind in a sighted world and the only sighted
sighted world and the only sighted
sighted world and the only sighted person in the study is me so you’re
person in the study is me so you’re
person in the study is me so you’re going to have to decide whether you
going to have to decide whether you
going to have to decide whether you trust my eyes or not and I’m going to
trust my eyes or not and I’m going to
trust my eyes or not and I’m going to ask you to hitch a ride on my eyes with
ask you to hitch a ride on my eyes with
ask you to hitch a ride on my eyes with me yes I’m going to tell you some of the
me yes I’m going to tell you some of the
me yes I’m going to tell you some of the stories from my most recent book which
stories from my most recent book which
stories from my most recent book which is sight and unseen gender and race
is sight and unseen gender and race
is sight and unseen gender and race through blind eyes and I’m going to do
through blind eyes and I’m going to do
through blind eyes and I’m going to do that by taking you along with me and
that by taking you along with me and
that by taking you along with me and what the question that I’m going to ask
what the question that I’m going to ask
what the question that I’m going to ask is is seeing believing or is believing
is is seeing believing or is believing
is is seeing believing or is believing see modern visual life has changed a lot
see modern visual life has changed a lot
see modern visual life has changed a lot so the definition of vision is a
so the definition of vision is a
so the definition of vision is a different one also and I’m interested in
different one also and I’m interested in
different one also and I’m interested in what vision is becoming as we look at
what vision is becoming as we look at
what vision is becoming as we look at each other on screens rather than
each other on screens rather than
each other on screens rather than looking at each other in person lips
skip one I live in Costa Rica and the
skip one I live in Costa Rica and the first time that I went there many
first time that I went there many
first time that I went there many decades ago my friends were very excited
decades ago my friends were very excited
decades ago my friends were very excited to show me all the beautiful ecological
to show me all the beautiful ecological
to show me all the beautiful ecological sites which there are there are
sites which there are there are
sites which there are there are rainforests and there are jungles and
rainforests and there are jungles and
rainforests and there are jungles and volcanoes and so forth in Costa Rica
volcanoes and so forth in Costa Rica
volcanoes and so forth in Costa Rica they took me to a jungle and it’s a
they took me to a jungle and it’s a
they took me to a jungle and it’s a jungle that’s famous for having
jungle that’s famous for having
jungle that’s famous for having thousands and thousands of monkeys and
thousands and thousands of monkeys and
thousands and thousands of monkeys and they wanted me to see the monkeys now
they wanted me to see the monkeys now
they wanted me to see the monkeys now here’s a picture of the jungle that
here’s a picture of the jungle that
here’s a picture of the jungle that you’re looking at I couldn’t see the
you’re looking at I couldn’t see the
you’re looking at I couldn’t see the monkeys I’m a New Yorker I can see a mug
monkeys I’m a New Yorker I can see a mug
monkeys I’m a New Yorker I can see a mug or two blocks in back of me that the
or two blocks in back of me that the
or two blocks in back of me that the eyes that I have in the back of my head
eyes that I have in the back of my head
eyes that I have in the back of my head I can get a taxi to box in front I could
I can get a taxi to box in front I could
I can get a taxi to box in front I could not see the face of a monkey finally
not see the face of a monkey finally
not see the face of a monkey finally after about the third day they were so
after about the third day they were so
after about the third day they were so frustrated that one of my friends took
frustrated that one of my friends took
frustrated that one of my friends took me out she went like this see this
me out she went like this see this
me out she went like this see this flower now go a little bit to the left
flower now go a little bit to the left
flower now go a little bit to the left and you see a black dot go a little bit
and you see a black dot go a little bit
and you see a black dot go a little bit further to the left and you see another
further to the left and you see another
further to the left and you see another black dot and they see that oh I think
black dot and they see that oh I think
black dot and they see that oh I think that’s a monkey’s face
that’s a monkey’s face
that’s a monkey’s face I saw a monkey and once I saw them I
I saw a monkey and once I saw them I
I saw a monkey and once I saw them I couldn’t unsee them they were everyplace
couldn’t unsee them they were everyplace
couldn’t unsee them they were everyplace because I hadn’t been taught to see
because I hadn’t been taught to see
because I hadn’t been taught to see monkeys as a child and one of the things
monkeys as a child and one of the things
monkeys as a child and one of the things that I’m going to say to you is that
that I’m going to say to you is that
that I’m going to say to you is that vision is a language and you learn it
vision is a language and you learn it
vision is a language and you learn it before you learn to speak and you learn
before you learn to speak and you learn
before you learn to speak and you learn built-in with it all kinds of other
built-in with it all kinds of other
built-in with it all kinds of other things other than what you see I can’t
things other than what you see I can’t
things other than what you see I can’t see you very well but how many of you
see you very well but how many of you
see you very well but how many of you can see any of the monkeys in there and
can see any of the monkeys in there and
can see any of the monkeys in there and this is a trick question there are no
this is a trick question there are no
this is a trick question there are no monkeys in this picture the reason I did
monkeys in this picture the reason I did
monkeys in this picture the reason I did it is because I’m very competitive I
it is because I’m very competitive I
it is because I’m very competitive I didn’t want anybody to see monkeys if I
didn’t want anybody to see monkeys if I
didn’t want anybody to see monkeys if I couldn’t see it so those are the eyes
couldn’t see it so those are the eyes
couldn’t see it so those are the eyes that you’re hitching a ride on and I
that you’re hitching a ride on and I
that you’re hitching a ride on and I want to talk to you about how I enter
want to talk to you about how I enter
want to talk to you about how I enter the blind world and what I found out in
the blind world and what I found out in
the blind world and what I found out in the blind world now I decided to do it
the blind world now I decided to do it
the blind world now I decided to do it naively so I didn’t read a lot about – I
naively so I didn’t read a lot about – I
naively so I didn’t read a lot about – I didn’t approach it as a disability I
didn’t approach it as a disability I
didn’t approach it as a disability I approached it as a difference and I’m
approached it as a difference and I’m
approached it as a difference and I’m using the word blind because my blind
using the word blind because my blind
using the word blind because my blind friends asked me to use regular language
friends asked me to use regular language
friends asked me to use regular language that it’s very important to them not to
that it’s very important to them not to
that it’s very important to them not to be known as individuals with visual
be known as individuals with visual
be known as individuals with visual impairment but just to talk regular so
impairment but just to talk regular so
impairment but just to talk regular so for those of you or who are thinking
for those of you or who are thinking
for those of you or who are thinking about that I’m going to call it the
about that I’m going to call it the
about that I’m going to call it the blind world I entered the blind world
blind world I entered the blind world
blind world I entered the blind world and I was hopeful that I was gonna I
and I was hopeful that I was gonna I
and I was hopeful that I was gonna I wasn’t as utopian as I can be but I was
wasn’t as utopian as I can be but I was
wasn’t as utopian as I can be but I was hopeful that I was going to find a
hopeful that I was going to find a
hopeful that I was going to find a different organizing system that I
different organizing system that I
different organizing system that I wasn’t going to find gender and race I
wasn’t going to find gender and race I
wasn’t going to find gender and race I wasn’t naive enough to think that I
wasn’t naive enough to think that I
wasn’t naive enough to think that I wasn’t going to find any kind of
wasn’t going to find any kind of
wasn’t going to find any kind of discrimination among people but I
discrimination among people but I
discrimination among people but I thought it would be something tactile or
thought it would be something tactile or
thought it would be something tactile or kinesthetic or something different from
kinesthetic or something different from
kinesthetic or something different from what the sighted people have invented so
what the sighted people have invented so
what the sighted people have invented so here I go into the blind world after
here I go into the blind world after
here I go into the blind world after about two years of knowing people they
about two years of knowing people they
about two years of knowing people they began to invite me to come to their
began to invite me to come to their
began to invite me to come to their homes it took that long before they were
homes it took that long before they were
homes it took that long before they were comfortable having me come to their
comfortable having me come to their
comfortable having me come to their homes and this is one of the first
homes and this is one of the first
homes and this is one of the first places that I went to this is in one of
places that I went to this is in one of
places that I went to this is in one of the hottest climates
the hottest climates
the hottest climates in California and this woman told me
in California and this woman told me
in California and this woman told me that she said to me I have a very lush
that she said to me I have a very lush
that she said to me I have a very lush backyard it’s just beautiful we’re going
backyard it’s just beautiful we’re going
backyard it’s just beautiful we’re going to sit in the backyard and we’re going
to sit in the backyard and we’re going
to sit in the backyard and we’re going to have lemonade and we’re going to talk
to have lemonade and we’re going to talk
to have lemonade and we’re going to talk and that’s going to be our day I pulled
and that’s going to be our day I pulled
and that’s going to be our day I pulled up and this is what I saw I thought I
up and this is what I saw I thought I
up and this is what I saw I thought I was in the wrong place but I when I
was in the wrong place but I when I
was in the wrong place but I when I found out it was in the right place I
found out it was in the right place I
found out it was in the right place I still felt hopeful because I felt like
still felt hopeful because I felt like
still felt hopeful because I felt like maybe we do have parallel experiences
maybe we do have parallel experiences
maybe we do have parallel experiences and she’s spending the day in a lush
and she’s spending the day in a lush
and she’s spending the day in a lush backyard and I’m spending the day in a
backyard and I’m spending the day in a
backyard and I’m spending the day in a sad life either that or you know the
sad life either that or you know the
sad life either that or you know the alternative hypothesis was she has no
alternative hypothesis was she has no
alternative hypothesis was she has no idea what her backyard looks like and I
idea what her backyard looks like and I
idea what her backyard looks like and I wasn’t ready to go that for the next
wasn’t ready to go that for the next
wasn’t ready to go that for the next thing that surprised me was the
thing that surprised me was the
thing that surprised me was the interiors of the places where people
interiors of the places where people
interiors of the places where people lived and it surprised me because it
lived and it surprised me because it
lived and it surprised me because it looked just like every apartment I had
looked just like every apartment I had
looked just like every apartment I had ever seen and I thought I was going to
ever seen and I thought I was going to
ever seen and I thought I was going to see the blind world and what I saw what
see the blind world and what I saw what
see the blind world and what I saw what I saw was a world that was designed for
I saw was a world that was designed for
I saw was a world that was designed for sighted people so I knew these people
sighted people so I knew these people
sighted people so I knew these people well enough by then that I could say why
well enough by then that I could say why
well enough by then that I could say why do you have pictures on the wall you
do you have pictures on the wall you
do you have pictures on the wall you don’t know what they are the firt why or
don’t know what they are the firt why or
don’t know what they are the firt why or the colors coordinated and so on and
the colors coordinated and so on and
the colors coordinated and so on and each and every one of them said to me
each and every one of them said to me
each and every one of them said to me that a sighted person did it for them
that a sighted person did it for them
that a sighted person did it for them and they did it so that a sighted person
and they did it so that a sighted person
and they did it so that a sighted person would be comfortable in there so now I
would be comfortable in there so now I
would be comfortable in there so now I started to get worried
because now I started to think that what
because now I started to think that what they’re doing is trying to fit into our
they’re doing is trying to fit into our
they’re doing is trying to fit into our system rather than have their own so I
system rather than have their own so I
system rather than have their own so I began to ask questions about gender I
began to ask questions about gender I
began to ask questions about gender I found out some very interesting things
found out some very interesting things
found out some very interesting things about gender and I’ll tell you just a
about gender and I’ll tell you just a
about gender and I’ll tell you just a few of them that I have time for today
few of them that I have time for today
few of them that I have time for today one of the things that I found most
one of the things that I found most
one of the things that I found most interesting is more and more blind women
interesting is more and more blind women
interesting is more and more blind women are using eye makeup and how they do
are using eye makeup and how they do
are using eye makeup and how they do that is they have a sighted friend put
that is they have a sighted friend put
that is they have a sighted friend put it on for them how they do clothing is
it on for them how they do clothing is
it on for them how they do clothing is that the women have Braille tags that
that the women have Braille tags that
that the women have Braille tags that make the clothes match and the men
make the clothes match and the men
make the clothes match and the men mostly were just I just
mostly were just I just
mostly were just I just everything in brown so I know everything
everything in brown so I know everything
everything in brown so I know everything matches with everything and Jesse he was
matches with everything and Jesse he was
matches with everything and Jesse he was one of the first characters in my book
one of the first characters in my book
one of the first characters in my book did in fact wear brown pants and brown
did in fact wear brown pants and brown
did in fact wear brown pants and brown plaid shirts for the whole time that I
plaid shirts for the whole time that I
plaid shirts for the whole time that I knew him so I was beginning to see more
knew him so I was beginning to see more
knew him so I was beginning to see more and more how the people that were not
and more how the people that were not
and more how the people that were not sighted were trying to cater to people
sighted were trying to cater to people
sighted were trying to cater to people who were sighted rather than developing
who were sighted rather than developing
who were sighted rather than developing their own universe one of my blind
their own universe one of my blind
their own universe one of my blind friends was a lesbian and she asked her
friends was a lesbian and she asked her
friends was a lesbian and she asked her friends how she can look like a lesbian
friends how she can look like a lesbian
friends how she can look like a lesbian so that if she’s walking down the street
so that if she’s walking down the street
so that if she’s walking down the street other lesbians will see her she wanted a
other lesbians will see her she wanted a
other lesbians will see her she wanted a relationship they told her to cut her
relationship they told her to cut her
relationship they told her to cut her hair short now what I started to realize
hair short now what I started to realize
hair short now what I started to realize at that point I’ll say one other thing
at that point I’ll say one other thing
at that point I’ll say one other thing before I say that is another one had a
before I say that is another one had a
before I say that is another one had a friend who had Trent just transitioned
friend who had Trent just transitioned
friend who had Trent just transitioned from male to female and she said to me
from male to female and she said to me
from male to female and she said to me he seems like exactly the same person
he seems like exactly the same person
he seems like exactly the same person because it’s the same voice that I
because it’s the same voice that I
because it’s the same voice that I really had to think about for a lot for
really had to think about for a lot for
really had to think about for a lot for a long time how visual the things that
a long time how visual the things that
a long time how visual the things that we do in gender and gender transition
we do in gender and gender transition
we do in gender and gender transition are how we’re signalling to each other
are how we’re signalling to each other
are how we’re signalling to each other and performing to each other visually
and performing to each other visually
and performing to each other visually that effort that were somebody different
and so I was beginning to see more and
and so I was beginning to see more and more and more deeply into what I wanted
more and more deeply into what I wanted
more and more deeply into what I wanted to see about vision and more deeply into
to see about vision and more deeply into
to see about vision and more deeply into what I wanted to learn about gender
what I wanted to learn about gender
what I wanted to learn about gender these are my students in Costa Rica and
these are my students in Costa Rica and
these are my students in Costa Rica and they’re all sighted and I asked them to
they’re all sighted and I asked them to
they’re all sighted and I asked them to do a day where they dressed as masculine
do a day where they dressed as masculine
do a day where they dressed as masculine Lea’s Pam behaved as masculine Lea as
Lea’s Pam behaved as masculine Lea as
Lea’s Pam behaved as masculine Lea as possible and you know they were all this
possible and you know they were all this
possible and you know they were all this kind of thing and these are exactly the
kind of thing and these are exactly the
kind of thing and these are exactly the same students the next day doing all
same students the next day doing all
same students the next day doing all this kind of thing so they were able to
this kind of thing so they were able to
this kind of thing so they were able to decode what the visual code is they knew
decode what the visual code is they knew
decode what the visual code is they knew enough about and their gender students
enough about and their gender students
enough about and their gender students too and their I didn’t want to ask the
too and their I didn’t want to ask the
too and their I didn’t want to ask the blind students to divine the people to
blind students to divine the people to
blind students to divine the people to do this
do this
do this but I did ask my students to do this and
but I did ask my students to do this and
but I did ask my students to do this and this is what they came up with those two
this is what they came up with those two
this is what they came up with those two pictures are the same person I’ll go
pictures are the same person I’ll go
pictures are the same person I’ll go back for a second and that shows how
back for a second and that shows how
back for a second and that shows how much how a visual and how much you can
much how a visual and how much you can
much how a visual and how much you can make the appearance of gender just with
make the appearance of gender just with
make the appearance of gender just with makeup and sew and clothing and so on
makeup and sew and clothing and so on
makeup and sew and clothing and so on now I’d like to talk to some to you some
now I’d like to talk to some to you some
now I’d like to talk to some to you some about race or what I like to call
about race or what I like to call
about race or what I like to call racialization and a lot of people that
racialization and a lot of people that
racialization and a lot of people that work in the field called it call it
work in the field called it call it
work in the field called it call it racialization because it’s been
racialization because it’s been
racialization because it’s been developed by society just as well I’m
developed by society just as well I’m
developed by society just as well I’m going to try to prove that to you I
going to try to prove that to you I
going to try to prove that to you I teach a course in gender and race ins or
teach a course in gender and race ins or
teach a course in gender and race ins or gender and ethnicity and sometimes when
gender and ethnicity and sometimes when
gender and ethnicity and sometimes when the combination is right which it was
the combination is right which it was
the combination is right which it was this year that I’m going to talk about I
this year that I’m going to talk about I
this year that I’m going to talk about I had a Greek man and a Mexican man in the
had a Greek man and a Mexican man in the
had a Greek man and a Mexican man in the class and somewhere in the middle of the
class and somewhere in the middle of the
class and somewhere in the middle of the class I asked them to put their hands in
class I asked them to put their hands in
class I asked them to put their hands in arms in the middle the skin of the Greek
arms in the middle the skin of the Greek
arms in the middle the skin of the Greek man was darker than the skin of the
man was darker than the skin of the
man was darker than the skin of the Mexican man but the Mexican man is a man
Mexican man but the Mexican man is a man
Mexican man but the Mexican man is a man of color and the Greek is a white man
of color and the Greek is a white man
of color and the Greek is a white man and that tells you something very
and that tells you something very
and that tells you something very profound about our racial system some of
profound about our racial system some of
profound about our racial system some of you may recognize this this is Levittown
you may recognize this this is Levittown
you may recognize this this is Levittown on Long Island I thought I’d use the
on Long Island I thought I’d use the
on Long Island I thought I’d use the actual slide system in New York and this
actual slide system in New York and this
actual slide system in New York and this is when they were first building it this
is when they were first building it this
is when they were first building it this is after World War 2 they first decided
is after World War 2 they first decided
is after World War 2 they first decided to build Levittown and we’re
to build Levittown and we’re
to build Levittown and we’re racialization comes from is your
racialization comes from is your
racialization comes from is your American government because they decided
American government because they decided
American government because they decided there were going to only let white
there were going to only let white
there were going to only let white people live on Long Island and how they
people live on Long Island and how they
people live on Long Island and how they did that is that it had to sit down and
did that is that it had to sit down and
did that is that it had to sit down and go through all the groups and they had
go through all the groups and they had
go through all the groups and they had to declare the Irish the Italians and
to declare the Irish the Italians and
to declare the Irish the Italians and the Jews to be white and we weren’t
the Jews to be white and we weren’t
the Jews to be white and we weren’t white before the 1950s which is a little
white before the 1950s which is a little
white before the 1950s which is a little bit disorienting for me because it means
bit disorienting for me because it means
bit disorienting for me because it means my childhood I was a person of color and
my childhood I was a person of color and
my childhood I was a person of color and now I’m a white person so you think that
now I’m a white person so you think that
now I’m a white person so you think that these things happen subtly and happened
these things happen subtly and happened
these things happen subtly and happened you know from the ground up and they
you know from the ground up and they
you know from the ground up and they happen from the government down you can
happen from the government down you can
happen from the government down you can read a lot about slavery and how
read a lot about slavery and how
read a lot about slavery and how racialization was introduced as a way of
racialization was introduced as a way of
racialization was introduced as a way of making Irish men feel better than black
making Irish men feel better than black
making Irish men feel better than black men a few a couple of more things about
men a few a couple of more things about
men a few a couple of more things about race I was disappointed to find that the
race I was disappointed to find that the
race I was disappointed to find that the blind people were trying as hard as they
blind people were trying as hard as they
blind people were trying as hard as they could to learn about race let me stay in
could to learn about race let me stay in
could to learn about race let me stay in live at town while I tell you the story
live at town while I tell you the story
live at town while I tell you the story the blind people were trying as hard as
the blind people were trying as hard as
the blind people were trying as hard as they could to learn about race and they
they could to learn about race and they
they could to learn about race and they were doing it the way some of us who
were doing it the way some of us who
were doing it the way some of us who were sighted do over the telephone they
were sighted do over the telephone they
were sighted do over the telephone they were listening to voices and they really
were listening to voices and they really
were listening to voices and they really wanted to know about race it because
wanted to know about race it because
wanted to know about race it because they really wanted what they said to me
they really wanted what they said to me
they really wanted what they said to me is that they wanted to be able to speak
is that they wanted to be able to speak
is that they wanted to be able to speak sighted language and they were learning
sighted language and they were learning
sighted language and they were learning to speak it but not fluidly so one of my
to speak it but not fluidly so one of my
to speak it but not fluidly so one of my blind experts complained to me that they
blind experts complained to me that they
blind experts complained to me that they lived in the south for a couple of years
lived in the south for a couple of years
lived in the south for a couple of years and when they were in the South white
and when they were in the South white
and when they were in the South white people in black people sound the same
people in black people sound the same
people in black people sound the same she couldn’t tell them apart so in
she couldn’t tell them apart so in
she couldn’t tell them apart so in essence what they were doing is trying
essence what they were doing is trying
essence what they were doing is trying just as hard as they could to develop
just as hard as they could to develop
just as hard as they could to develop the prejudice of the sighted in the
the prejudice of the sighted in the
the prejudice of the sighted in the service of this that last picture is
service of this that last picture is
service of this that last picture is just another picture of what vision has
just another picture of what vision has
just another picture of what vision has become this is my last visit to my
become this is my last visit to my
become this is my last visit to my family and they’re happy to see me and
family and they’re happy to see me and
family and they’re happy to see me and you can see their on devices which
you can see their on devices which
you can see their on devices which raises the epistemological issue what is
raises the epistemological issue what is
raises the epistemological issue what is seeing you so what I found about the
seeing you so what I found about the
seeing you so what I found about the blind experts is that they wanted to
blind experts is that they wanted to
blind experts is that they wanted to they were passing the way other groups
they were passing the way other groups
they were passing the way other groups have passed in the United States and
have passed in the United States and
have passed in the United States and first I thought of it as passing the way
first I thought of it as passing the way
first I thought of it as passing the way Jews did by changing their last names
Jews did by changing their last names
Jews did by changing their last names the way light-skinned blacks have done
the way light-skinned blacks have done
the way light-skinned blacks have done the way many gay people still and
the way many gay people still and
the way many gay people still and transgender people still do they were
transgender people still do they were
transgender people still do they were trying to fit in and they were trying to
trying to fit in and they were trying to
trying to fit in and they were trying to be speak the sighted language they
be speak the sighted language they
be speak the sighted language they called it a language and I decided they
called it a language and I decided they
called it a language and I decided they were right it is a language and they
were right it is a language and they
were right it is a language and they were trying to speak it and they weren’t
were trying to speak it and they weren’t
were trying to speak it and they weren’t speaking it fluently but they were
speaking it fluently but they were
speaking it fluently but they were speaking it so I learned quite a bit
speaking it so I learned quite a bit
speaking it so I learned quite a bit about blind people I learned I think
about blind people I learned I think
about blind people I learned I think that gender and racial ization
that gender and racial ization
that gender and racial ization are invented and I think that the blind
are invented and I think that the blind
are invented and I think that the blind taught me an enormous amount about
taught me an enormous amount about
taught me an enormous amount about sighted and how unconscious we are about
sighted and how unconscious we are about
sighted and how unconscious we are about what’s built into our vision because of
what’s built into our vision because of
what’s built into our vision because of how early we learn it and I think the
how early we learn it and I think the
how early we learn it and I think the blindness people on the planet are those
blindness people on the planet are those
blindness people on the planet are those who are sighted and what I think is that
who are sighted and what I think is that
who are sighted and what I think is that our eyes are colonized and we’re not
our eyes are colonized and we’re not
our eyes are colonized and we’re not aware of it
aware of it
aware of it we see what we already believe and so
we see what we already believe and so
we see what we already believe and so for those of you who are interested in
for those of you who are interested in
for those of you who are interested in resisting that colonization I have a few
resisting that colonization I have a few
resisting that colonization I have a few suggestions the first is what my field
suggestions the first is what my field
suggestions the first is what my field would call consciousness the second is
would call consciousness the second is
would call consciousness the second is what every field has borrowed as
what every field has borrowed as
what every field has borrowed as mindfulness which really means pay
mindfulness which really means pay
mindfulness which really means pay attention you don’t just look at things
attention you don’t just look at things
attention you don’t just look at things pay attention to how you’re seeing it
pay attention to how you’re seeing it
pay attention to how you’re seeing it and why you’re seeing it and the third
and why you’re seeing it and the third
and why you’re seeing it and the third way that I would think of it being
way that I would think of it being
way that I would think of it being called is as stay woke so I asked you to
called is as stay woke so I asked you to
called is as stay woke so I asked you to stay woke and most of all in my language
stay woke and most of all in my language
stay woke and most of all in my language I ask you to always keep looking for the
I ask you to always keep looking for the
I ask you to always keep looking for the monkeys thank
”
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