Something of an epiphany occurred while I was gone. Think about this. At the IFHOH (International Federation of Hard of Hearing People) Congress, people gathered from all over the world to discuss issues that impact ALL deaf, hard-of-hearing and Deaf people worldwide. It didn't matter whether we spoke, signed, were late-deafened, wore hearing aids, cochlear implants, or not. . . All were accepted and all communication modes accommodated. Some of us wore FM induction loops--smart-links or pocket-talkers, some had FM capability programmed into their implants, some used interpreters, some used computer assisted real-time (CART), some used plain old pen and paper to communicate.
Right after that conference, I went to another convention for a small group of HH/deaf/Deaf people--the Say What Club. Again, signers mixed with oralists. All workshops and ceremonies had an interpreter, CART, and looped rooms so everyone could understand. At parties, people used their FM systems, wrote on tablets, signed--some in different languages. All felt welcome and respected.
Being around all that positive energy was rejuvenating. I really needed that.
Being around all that positive energy was rejuvenating. I really needed that.
So -- My epiphany. The deaf/HH community is united and getting stronger by the day. The majority of us agree on issues of inclusion and access. It's a great big world out there, and I'm just so damn happy to be a part of it.
15 comments:
I am so glad to read your post!!!
There has been so much animosity in the community relating to oralists, signers, implanters - so wonderful to see us all working together... You made my day!
Isabella
P.S. I agree that cats are the best pets! I am a vegetarian too! I am learning asl too and after years of struggling - It feels GREAT to communicate so easily!
Kim, after the recent pissing contest over DeafRead, DBC, and Deafhood, it's so refreshing to know that when actual deaf or hard of hearing human beings get together, they can get along! I'm also inspired by the fact that an organization for hard of hearing people makes accommodations for *all* the attendees. Whenever I see someone's vlogs or blogs about NAD or other gatherings of primarily ASL users, you'd never see a hard of hearing or oral person speaking, only deaf people signing. I wonder if NAD provides CART, FM systems, or oral or cued speech interpreters too?
Yeah,
I've been to events that encompasses all kinds of deaf people that require all kinds of services and we all get along.
Nothing like what you see in blogosphere.
Refreshing, I agree.
Candy~
Kim, I hope you're not laboring under the misapprehension that Deaf people can't get along with others. In person we really get along with others very well. It's just in the blogosphere that a few have made it look like we can't get along.... which is untrue.
Anyway, I'm glad you had a great time. :)
I've rarely found the same type of aggrevation these days on the street as you get online, but ! on the street deaf people don't really talk deaf issues, they usually, talk about social things not political things, so not an exact comaprison.
I can keep social and political apart. In a 'group' setting, no-one wants to stand out, so they would be unlikely to raise contention anyway. I blogged a while ago about the group ethos actually stifiling discrourse in part. Odd man out in a deaf group situation is a serious issue, you can become really isolated, so zip it, to keep the peace there.
Of course it is great to socialise and not get into involved or heated debates. Deeper thinkers who want to effect changes or raise serious issues of discrimination, go thefore to meetings and argue the case, or online, or both.
We didn't get to where we are now by sitting down and talking to each other, we had to convince mainstream and others, we needed access, equality, and independence, if possible, it didn't always work by begging for it !
Socialising is one thing, discussing politics is I think different, hence the need, to be able to seperate them properly, or row all the time. Of course if a 'silent majority' is too silent, then people will assume they don't really exist, or have a view at all.... which then becomes labelled apathy.
One meeting, like a swallow, doesn't make the summer, you need to do this every day, every week, every year.... fact is atthe end of the day,they go seperate ways.
Hi Isabella,
Thanks for stopping by! I don't know if NAD provides all that, but DeafRead doesn't. I wanted to go to their convention last Feb. My blog had been nominated for an award. I wanted to meet all the other Deaf bloggers and Human Editors. Put in my request for CART about two months in advance. When I hadn't heard anything after several weeks, I finally asked one of the human editors why I wasn't accommodated. He said he could type the words out on his laptop.
Transcriptionists don't type on laptops. They use a special machine and codes so they can type at 180 WPM-- the speed of most conversation. I declined and felt unwelcome.
Anonymous-- :-) Oops-- I mixed up my comments between yours and Isabella's. See above.
Isabella-- I checked out your website. Wonderful idea!! I love poetry and dabble in writing it from time to time.
Hey Candy-- Yeah I've been to lots of conventinons and they're so much fun. In the interest of keeping my post short I didn't mention everything I go to, but I've been to an HLAA Con and an huge annual event held here in Seattle called Ears, Hearing and Beyond. Additionally I'm aware that ALDA makes an effort to accommodate everyone. They're starting up a new chapter near me. I go to the SWC events every year. They're my favorite.
I'm tired of fighting with people-- no need and it never goes anywhere.
MM-- These are all great points. I want to say that yes-- HLAA, ALDA and SWC discuss issues all the time. Both HLAA and ALDA have monthly meetings. SWC is an on-line listserv, so discussions go on all day, everyday. The conventions aren't entirely social. We have morning workshops each day. Not everyone agrees. Things can get heated-- and they did at one point over a certain speaker-- which I plan to blog about later in the week.
Because we socialize on a regular basis through annual conventions and regular "flings" and also since we expect people to provide a bio before joining, we don't get "anonymous" comments. I realize list-servs are an older technology, but they do offer some benefits over the blogging in that people who habitually flame others (does anyone say "flame" anymore?), they can be kicked off for not disrupting a list.
There's nothing wrong with voicing a different opinion, but people need to be respectful of others.
As to the IFHOH-- that is not a social event. It's an opportunity to discuss issues all day long. Again, people tend to offer constructive criticism in person, rather than insults because their reputations are on the line. Also when you've paid hundreds of dollars to participate you don't want to be asked to leave.
Many people are not what they appear in the blogosphere.
Kim, this is the first blog that I've seen that talks about the CHHA-IFHOH Congress in Vancouver. I was there. It was my first time attending anything like this.
One of the many realizations that I had there was it was my first time being in a situation where the majority of the people at the event was hard of hearing. I've been in situations where most people were hearing or Deaf.
Onto reading the rest of your IFHOH related blogs.
Hi Jonathan,
I've been to lots of events that were mainly attended by HOH people, however this was unlike anything I've ever been to before because of the international factor. To have so many people discussing the same issues worldwide was an incredible experience for me.
I'd never even heard of IFHOH before until you blogged about it. most enlightening and informative ... makes me want to go, and join SWC too!
Anon-- I'll be posting about the SWC workshops within the next few days. It's easy to join. Just go to saywhatclub.com and follow the links to membership. As to the IFHOH, that event takes place all over the world. I was lucky they had just three hours from my home. I had not heard about it until this year. :-)
I have to agree with you 100% The HLAA convention really openned my eyes. I left really missing being around others like us. I miss you :(
Hi Abbie,
I really enjoyed our lunch together. You're SO FUN, and I laughed the next time I logged onto your site to see you were STILL looking for a big red dog. hahahaha! While most the people in SWC are my age (and HLAA too, I think?), it seems more and more younger people are joining these organizations now because there are many younger oral deaf people with cochlear implants who don't seem to fit in with NAD. HLAA was pretty much non-existent when I was younger and I felt very alone. I loved looking at your HLAA pics with Jennifer and Mike and the others. Maybe next year I can go to an HLAA Con. Don't know where it will be yet. Would love for you to come join SWC!! We need more young people too!! Know that if you ever want to come to the northwest, my home is open to you. :-) And I have a cute unattached son about your age too. ;-)
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