Congrats on your bravery and honesty. I, too, am dyslexic, but in an entirely different way. I can read fast as anything but cannot spell well at all, do math well and have no directional sense. But--yes, adaptation is always important! Any way we can get through life.
Thank you. It doesn't seem like it should be a big deal, but I grew up with a lot of shame about it, so it does take a little doing to be "out" this way.
I think I remember you saying somewhere that you are dyslexic, too. It does affect people very differently (if indeed it is just one phenomenon and not a group of them with the same name). I do not spell well, either, and can't distinguish right and left, but I have a degree in math. It is a subject where my reading speed was not a limiting factor.
I have to admit, I always find it a shame that there are so many things that society makes you feel like you have to apologise for or come out of the closet. I mean, why can't people take other people as they are and not pigeonhole them just because they are queer or can't do something like you can? That's something that annoys me a lot. Everyone has something he or she is very good at and other things he or she can't do. My cousin suffers from dyslexia and dyscalculia, but he can create wonderful little things with his hands.
I find it very brave and strong of you to tell us about your dyslexia and being a queer person. It makes you the person you are and I think you're a great, kind and strong person.
And in my opinion, it is a good idea to use text-to-speech software. For me, it's the same as using a magnifying glass because something is written in very small letters.
Thank you for your kind words. It is indeed a shame that people are judged or excluded due to things like sexuality or disability. It happens, though, and I have felt nervous about discussing my use of TTS in a community as founded on reading and writing as this one.
I really think there is no reason to be nervous because you read the stories with your ears. If you were blind and would read them with your ears would be the same. At least in my opinion. If the reader enjoys a story using her eyes or her ears, where's the difference? The result is the same. :-)
Susan Hampshire is a popular actress in the UK who has often spoken out about how her dyslexia affects her. And my boss' boss (at least he was until earlier in the year when I changed roles) uses assistive technology to read stuff due to a sight impairment - no one's ever accused him of 'not reading' anything. You can take your employer to court in the UK if they don't provide assistive technology. But it's not all roses - there's still a lot of disability prejudice.
I really hate that you even thought using assistive technology means you aren't really 'reading' something. And half my office is somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Last year one of the directors came out as asexual. All of which sounds a bit like 'some of my best friend s are...', do you have that where you are? It's a thing in the UK - when someone who clearly harbours all kinds of prejudices trots that line out in defence of clearly dubious views. It's a bit of an eyeroll cliché.
In my book, if you can review a fic (which you clearly can) you have a read a fic.
Yes, we have "some of my best friends are..." in the US, too.
Thank you for your support. So far, nobody in fandom has tried to make me feel bad for using TTS. As I said above, though, I grew up with a lot of shame about my dyslexia. I come from a family where reading is highly regarded. And, of course, I didn't have all the technology then that I have now; as a kid I pretty much only read when required to, though I loved listening to others read.
Adaptive technology has made astonishing progress. As I wrote in my other post on this topic, the phone I bought for $100 can now do the work of the very expensive piece of software I was allowed to use in college, and do it better.
Comments 7
Congrats on your bravery and honesty. I, too, am dyslexic, but in an entirely different way. I can read fast as anything but cannot spell well at all, do math well and have no directional sense. But--yes, adaptation is always important! Any way we can get through life.
Reply
Thank you. It doesn't seem like it should be a big deal, but I grew up with a lot of shame about it, so it does take a little doing to be "out" this way.
I think I remember you saying somewhere that you are dyslexic, too. It does affect people very differently (if indeed it is just one phenomenon and not a group of them with the same name). I do not spell well, either, and can't distinguish right and left, but I have a degree in math. It is a subject where my reading speed was not a limiting factor.
Reply
I find it very brave and strong of you to tell us about your dyslexia and being a queer person. It makes you the person you are and I think you're a great, kind and strong person.
And in my opinion, it is a good idea to use text-to-speech software. For me, it's the same as using a magnifying glass because something is written in very small letters.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Susan Hampshire is a popular actress in the UK who has often spoken out about how her dyslexia affects her. And my boss' boss (at least he was until earlier in the year when I changed roles) uses assistive technology to read stuff due to a sight impairment - no one's ever accused him of 'not reading' anything. You can take your employer to court in the UK if they don't provide assistive technology. But it's not all roses - there's still a lot of disability prejudice.
I really hate that you even thought using assistive technology means you aren't really 'reading' something. And half my office is somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Last year one of the directors came out as asexual. All of which sounds a bit like 'some of my best friend s are...', do you have that where you are? It's a thing in the UK - when someone who clearly harbours all kinds of prejudices trots that line out in defence of clearly dubious views. It's a bit of an eyeroll cliché.
In my book, if you can review a fic (which you clearly can) you have a read a fic.
It's ( ... )
Reply
Thank you for your support. So far, nobody in fandom has tried to make me feel bad for using TTS. As I said above, though, I grew up with a lot of shame about my dyslexia. I come from a family where reading is highly regarded. And, of course, I didn't have all the technology then that I have now; as a kid I pretty much only read when required to, though I loved listening to others read.
Adaptive technology has made astonishing progress. As I wrote in my other post on this topic, the phone I bought for $100 can now do the work of the very expensive piece of software I was allowed to use in college, and do it better.
Reply
Leave a comment