We understand the importance of representation, and that’s why at Bold Blind Beauty, we believe that real beauty goes beyond physical appearance. We stand for A.I.R. (Access, Inclusion, and Representation)TM, and our April cover model, Marie Elise, embodies this belief wholeheartedly. We want to create a world where everyone feels seen, heard, and appreciated for who they are.
Advocacy work is still so necessary, to help ensure disability becomes seen not as a disaster,
~Marie Elise | @beyondmyblur
but simply as a natural and neutral part of human diversity.
Editor’s Note
At Bold Blind Beauty, our mission is rooted in Access, Inclusion, and Representation—values that challenge stereotypes and amplify the authentic voices of those on the blind spectrum. This month, our April Monthly Beauty, Marie Elise @beyondmyblur, takes on a topic that strikes at the heart of how society perceives disability: the party game ‘Shit Happens.’
As I shared in response to Elie’s Instagram post, none of us can truly know how we would react in a disability-related situation unless we experience it firsthand. Games like ‘Shit Happens,’ along with many disability simulations, can be misleading and even harmful. They risk reinforcing misconceptions and perpetuating the idea that disability is only about hardship or tragedy. This idea continues to fuel high unemployment rates and social exclusion within our community.
When people “think” they understand disability based on a game or a brief simulation, they often walk away with a skewed perspective, believing they’ve grasped what it means to live with a disability. In reality, these experiences rarely capture the complexity, resilience, and richness of disabled lives. Worse, they can set us back by spreading inaccurate information and deepening societal barriers.
Part 1 of Marie Elise’s thoughtful response is included below. Don’t miss Part 2—“Blindness and Betrayals: A Miserable Game”—now available on YouTube. Marie Elise’s voice is a powerful reminder that the lived experiences of people with disabilities cannot be reduced to a game or a momentary exercise in empathy. True understanding comes from listening to real stories, challenging our assumptions, and centering the voices of those who know disability best—the people who live it every day.
Let’s continue to break down barriers by seeking genuine connection and understanding, not shortcuts or simulations. Together, we can reshape perceptions and build a world where everyone is valued for who they are.
Stephanae McCoy
Editor-in-Chief, Bold Blind Beauty
Beyond Sight Magazine Cover
The Blind Spot: Rating Life’s Challenges
During a recent trip to Spain, I played the game ‘Shit Happens’ with some
friends. In this card game, featuring 200 everyday and outrageous misfortunes,
Players are challenged to rank each scenario on a “misery index” from 0 to 100.
To my surprise, one of the highest-ranking cards was ‘going blind’, scored at a
staggering 99.5 — only 0.5 points below ‘being buried alive’, which topped the
scale at 100.
As someone living with vision loss, I couldn’t help but pause at that number. Is
going blind, truly that close to the worst thing imaginable, or do we — as a
society — still have a lot to learn about what it actually means to lose one’s
vision?
Surely, the latter. Ranking it this high, in my opinion, says more about our
collective fear of disability than about disability itself. That fear is rooted in a
lack of knowledge, in ableism — and yes, even in games like this one, however
silly or deceptively insignificant they may seem.
As one of my followers, @rex_and_ayo, commented so insightfully: many
factors can influence how someone experiences vision loss, from access to social security and emotional support, to their country of residence, ability to
work, and much more. And yes, at the beginning of someone’s vision loss
journey, it can absolutely feel like a 100.
But that doesn’t change the fact that games like Shit Happens fuel the narrative
that blindness is nothing but a tragedy, one that apparently leaves little room
for a full and meaningful life.
To me, that 99.5 is more than just a number on a card. It’s a reminder of why
advocacy work is still so necessary, to help ensure disability becomes seen not
as a disaster, but simply as a natural and neutral part of human diversity.
Marie Elise’s Bio
Marie Elise (32) is a travel writer, speaker, and content creator from the
Netherlands. At the age of 16, she was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a
condition that causes progressive loss of central vision. A passionate explorer,
she founded Beyond My Blur, a platform for visually impaired travelers. On her
website and social media, Marie Elise shares non-visual travel stories – rich in
sounds, scents, textures, and flavors – alongside accessibility insights for each
destination. Through her work, she aims to inspire people of all visual abilities
to consciously connect with their senses and push for a more inclusive travel
industry.
Connect With Marie Elise
- Website: www.beyondmyblur.com
- Instagram: @beyondmyblur
- E-mail: beyondmyblur@gmail.com
- TikTok: @beyondmyblur
- LinkedIn: Marie Elise Aarts
Image Description
- “Seek, Discover, Enjoy:” Marie Elise, wearing a bright orange jumpsuit and a long black sweater, is standing in front of a large sign at Amsterdam Airport that reads: “Seek, Discover, Enjoy.” She has her right arm raised in the air, and in her left hand, she’s holding her symbol cane. The letters on the board are white, set against an orange and pink background.
- Fiery Red Lip: A half-body shot of Marie Elise smiling straight at the camera with her hands in her pockets, standing against a beige-colored background. Marie Elise has her brown hair up and is wearing fiery red lipstick. She has on a green t-shirt with a drawing of a mountain range and a silver necklace with an eternity symbol pendant filled with the ashes of her dog. She is also carrying a backpack, of which the straps are tied around her chest and waist.
- Beyond Sight Magazine’s cover shows Marie Elise, standing on top of a hill at Schönbrunn Palace, is posing for a photo with her arms raised in the air. She is wearing red shorts and a red lace crop top, and she has her symbol cane in her left hand. She’s also wearing a large black sunhat. Behind her is the famous yellow palace, Schönbrunn, located in Vienna, as well as some grass from the hill she is standing on. The text reads Beyond Sight Magazine | Monthly Beauties | April 2025 | Marie Elise | @beyondmyblur | A Project of Bold Blind Beauty.
- “Going Blind:” Marie Elise, wearing a long-sleeve black top with caramel-colored dots, is looking down at a card she is holding in her right hand. The card reads “Going Blind” in yellow letters and features a white symbol of a person holding a cane.