Deaf News: Instagrammer criticised for Tube prank which is “offensive to deafblind people”

An Instagrammer has faced claims he is “making fun of deafblind people”, after pretending to be blind – while using a cane for deafblind people – to prank passengers on the London tube network.

In the two videos, Boris Becker – who has over 1.7 million followers and is not to be confused with the German tennis player – can be seen wearing glasses and using a cane while walking along the carriage.

The cane shown in both videos features a red strip towards the top, which is used to signify someone who is both deaf and blind.

After faking a stumble and alarming others, Becker then removes his glasses to show that he can see before dancing.

Responding on Instagram, Glen Tomayo, who is deafblind, said the videos were “unacceptable” and “disgraceful”.

“Boris, you think it is okay to make a funny video like that? I think it is disability discrimination for blind and deafblind people,” he said.

While the majority of the comments underneath both videos express laughter, others have also raised concerns over its portrayal of those who are blind or visually impaired.

Sex, dating and relationships educator @LaLaLaLetMeExplain writes: “Mocking people with disabilities is vile. As is not wearing a mask on public transport and putting yourself dangerously close to other people without their consent.

“This is disgraceful and I’m not sure why people find it funny.”

Hermon and Heroda Berhane, who produce fashion content on their Instagram page @Being__Her, tagged Becker under Glen’s video and added: “Watch this and wake up.”

Meanwhile Richard Kramer, Chief Executive of the disability charity Sense, said in a statement: “This type of content causes much dismay and anger among disabled people.

“Using disability as a performative act is counterproductive to raising positive awareness of disability. Rather than pretending to have a disability, we’d welcome ‘artists’ to work with disabled people, and explore with them how to understand people’s lived experiences and to make their work inclusive for all.”

Becker is yet to respond to The Limping Chicken‘s request for comment.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.