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Dr Amy Kavanagh

@blondehistorian.bsky.social

3.9K followers 2K following 790 posts

Blind activist, Mama, accessibility professional and Londoner. Guided by the Diva Retriever. Sharing my blurry world view

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · Nov 19

Hello!

I’m Amy a blind disability activist.

Follow me for posts about:
♿️ disability
🧑‍🦯 accessibility
👶🏼 disabled mum stuff
🦮 cute guide dog
🏙️ London life

Stuff I love includes:
🎮 gaming
🎭 theatre
📜 museums & history
🍻 a decent pint
🍽️ delicious food
🚂 public transport

Say hello & please share!

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 1h

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When you sign up you can choose your preferred formats to receive information.

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 1h

As a blind person I constantly received communication from essential services like banks or utility providers that I can’t read because it’s not in an accessible format.

Yet when I ask for an email version or the information over the phone I’m told it’s not possible.

But there is a solution. 3/

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 1h

This is the experience for many disabled people when trying to understand printed letters.

It could be notifying you that the water is going to be shut off for 24 hours.

Perhaps it is a final demand for an overdraft payment because you’ve not responded to other letters. 2/

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 1h

What does this letter say?

Imagine this letter contains essential information and you can’t access it.

You can’t decipher the blurred text, the paper colour makes the type disappear, and the few words that you manage to read are worrying or confusing. 1/

Purple and blue text on a white background. The image is of a blurred indecipherable letter, text is greyed and blacked out, words emerge like offer or overdue. Tables and figures are partially visible.

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 4d

Agreed

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 4d

Isn’t it just?

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 4d

Yeah you’re not born with those attitudes

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 4d

Yup.

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 4d

Yup what are they around

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 4d

Small child at gym softplay: why are you so fat?

Me: I’m having a baby very soon.

Child: well you’re fat and you should exercise.

🫠

I nearly argued with a 5 year old that I’d just done 26 laps in 33 minutes at 37 weeks pregnant but it felt a bit redundant…

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 7d

Yup. “Ava wait for dinner! Until after television!”

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 9d

She’s getting used to being told off by the toddler for incomprehensible reasons 🤣

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 10d

I read some advice that it’s good to randomly tell the newborn to “wait for” something so that the toddler feels less conflict & impatience.

So we’ve started practicing with Guide Dog Ava.

“Ava wait for your dinner!”

But Ava’s just like “ummm sure I wasn’t doing anything?”

A confused Guide Dog Ava lies on her grey round bed. She’s a golden retriever with a puzzled expression

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 10d

Entirely possible. But the age gap was quite significant and the bloke was entirely backing off the whole time!

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 10d

The energy of the whole studio is lovely. Just really welcoming and supportive. I can transfer to the Mummy and Baby class after Baby arrives!

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 10d

Luckily she didn’t! Just some occasional big sighs

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 11d

I’ve always been so intimidated by Yoga. After a really mean experience at university.

But the pregnancy yoga class I’ve joined is in this really inclusive welcoming studio. It’s lovely!

The teacher is extra descriptive for me and Guide Dog Ava enjoys a big snooze on her own mat.

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 11d

Agreed, and there seem to be certain social spaces they flock to and live out that anger!

Like we’re all just enjoying our coffee and cake here in this department t store cafe. Chill.

Reposted by Dr Amy Kavanagh

Andy Walsh @englishscribe.bsky.social · 11d

LAST FEW TICKETS! Games Writers' Networking Event- London, Friday October 3rd from 18.30

A friendly chance to meet fellow interactive narrative people for chat, networking and venting. Space is limited so please only register if you can make it. See you there!

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/game-write...

Game Writers Networking Event!

A gathering for gamewriters and all those working in interactive and immersive narrative.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 11d

No idea. Didn’t hear the beginning of it. But the man said at least twice something like “no don’t worry you don’t need to move”
Or “it’s ok you don’t have to move”.

But she was determined to act like she was being ejected from the whole building

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 11d

The wild huffing and puffing, muttering “well I suppose I WILL MOVE THEN”.

She’d committed to it and didn’t seem able to back down.

The man just stood there like “I don’t understand why this is happening” and then walked away, to the other side of the cafe!

While the woman still carried on.

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 11d

I’m a huge fan of an M&S cafe, especially as a toddler parent!

But there always seems to be at least one irrationally irate older woman.

Today the lady was enraged about moving tables. When the gentleman her fury was focused on kept saying “but you don’t need to move”.

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Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 12d

Thanks! I loved that photoshoot.

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 15d

Because they cannot understand the difference between correlation and causation

Dr Amy Kavanagh @blondehistorian.bsky.social · 15d

I’m very sad that they are continuing to be gaslit by politicians who have intentionally misused data to cause further harm.