Jewel Shuping embraced blindness to fulfill her lifelong desire, a stark contrast to the typical fear of losing sight for many. Living with Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), a condition where individuals feel they should be disabled despite being healthy, Jewel felt a strong urge since childhood to be blind, believing it was her true state of being.
As she grew older, Jewel fully embraced her blind identity, learning Braille and adopting habits associated with blindness. Unsatisfied with merely pretending to be blind, she sought a drastic solution. In 2006, she underwent a distressing process where a psychologist poured drain cleaner into her eyes, leading to irreversible blindness.
Reflecting on her journey, Jewel expressed contentment with her decision, despite facing estrangement from family members. She emphasized that becoming blind was not a choice but a necessity for her. Moving forward, she aims to raise awareness about BIID, cautioning against extreme measures like hers and advocating for safer approaches for those dealing with the disorder.
Jewel’s story serves as a reminder of the complexities of BIID and the importance of seeking professional help rather than resorting to dangerous methods.