I have been watching several vlogs on the topic of “disability” labels. I wanted to share that I do understand where most of the Deaf people are coming from. I do not consider myself as a person with a disability and I am a Deaf person which I am comfortable with.
Let me play the devil’s advocate for this topic so maybe we can think why we acquired this “disability” label.
The United States government tends to fund a certain group of people who were not able to obtain employment or use the public services. A lot of Deaf and hard of hearing people in the past were not able to find employment because of communication issues. To the Deaf community we can communicate fine and have no issues; however, the general public finds this problematic because they cannot sign and trying to mouth words or gesture with the Deaf which creates a barrier for them. This perception has been with us since America was founded. This kind of attitude that was formed that time and still continues with us today.
The “disability” label does give the Deaf a lot of advantages and opportunities in life. Most Deaf people do not realize this and let me elaborate this in a bit.
A lot of Deaf people received federal and state financial assistance from vocational rehabilitation services, social security benefits, special education services, interpreting services (schools, hospitals, courthouses, business, and local-state-federal agencies) because of the “disability” label. If it was not for that “disability level” we may never get interpreters, funding for NTID, Gallaudet, and CSUN, or be able to get the Federal Schedule A appointment, and so forth.
A lot if television programs are closed captioned, most sporting events have closed captioned, public broadcasting programs have captions and all of these exist because of the “disability” labels.
We do not have to be associated with the “disability” label in our lives; on the other hand, we need to get services in order to become successful in life and the “disability” label does help the Deaf to get far in life and without this label we would not have VRS, Relay Services, Deaf education programs, SSI/SDI, vocational rehabilitation services and etc.
Are we ready to drop the “disability” label and compete with the hearing world without any financial assistance from our local, state and federal government because we are a cultural group and not a disability group? The cultural model in politics will bring us back to the Stone Age and the disability model is a safety net for the Deaf population that needs assistance.
I can see what, why, and where the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) stands on this so called “disability” label and it is to protect the Deaf people from being deprived from opportunities in life.
Sometimes, we have to sit back and look at the whole picture and understand why this so called “safety net” disability label is needed until technology has removed all forms of communication barriers in America.
To the hearing world, we are a person with a hearing and speech disabilities and to the Deaf world we are a member of the minority cultural/linguistic community.
Something to think about…
