Cutting a haircut with glasses that you can only see through a few percent. Hairdresser Jan Dortmundt accepted the challenge from Pauline van Heuven from Haarlem, who is visually impaired. Her dream is for Haarlem to become the most accessible city in the Netherlands, but there is still a lot of work to be done. To draw attention to her goal, she regularly places her ‘experience glasses’ over his or her eyes with a fellow townsman.
“When you put on these glasses, you see the world as I experience it,” says Pauline. Her eyes were always fine, but due to a hereditary defect, her vision continues to deteriorate. Now she only sees four percent.
Today it is her hairdresser Jan’s turn to wear the experience glasses. He’s a bit nervous, because cutting someone with glasses that you can barely see through is something he’s never done in his more than 40-year career. “You will experience problems with depth”, Pauline warns in advance. “And I don’t want a short haircut Jan, be careful”, she laughs. And then it’s time.
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Hairdresser Jan cuts Pauline with only four percent of his sight – NH Nieuws
In addition to hairdresser Jan, many Haarlem residents have now worn Pauline’s glasses. “People from Haarlem, both large and small. The reactions are very diverse. People often become a bit nervous and a bit giggly. But that is all allowed. It is all very positive, they get a good picture of ‘my world’.”
She shares the videos on social media. “I hope this will increase awareness towards people with disabilities. And thereby also create wider support for accessibility,” she says.
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To change people’s behavior a little bit in a positive way, that’s what Pauline tries. If she sees that there is room for improvement in the city in terms of accessibility, she starts a conversation. If, for example, there are bicycles or construction scaffolding on the white guide lines for the visually impaired. “It is not unwillingness, but ignorance. People often do not know about the walking lines,” she says. The Houtplein and the Stationsplein to be redecorated† I don’t see the guide lines anywhere on the drawings. Then I investigate who is responsible and then I have a chat with that.”
Participate in municipal elections
In order to put accessibility more on the agenda in Haarlem politics, Pauline has run for election for the Jouw Haarlem party. She is at the bottom of the list, but hopes that preferential votes can get her to an end. “Because it’s about more than just lowering a simple sidewalk. It’s much more than that. It goes hand in hand with participation and inclusiveness.”
If the municipal elections are a success for her, she will of course also keep an eye on accessibility in the council chamber. “But for me you don’t have to tear down a monumental building, you know. As long as the right guidance is there, it’s completely fine.”
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