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…
Accept-It! said,
February 19, 2010 at 6:08 am
If you have the deaf ears, it is disabled from perfectly-functional hearing.. Accept it and shut up!
Ann_C said,
February 19, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Deaf Herbalist,
You’ve presented the catch-22 conundrum that the deaf community faces everyday. As long as there are communication barriers and the need for interpreters in the hearing world, the d/Deaf will always be viewed as “disabled” by government entities, never mind that we are comfortable in our own skins being d/Deaf amongst our own.
The disabled community has for years been attempting to eradicate the concept of disability as a negative concept. The very word itself indicates “something wrong” in the minds of those who are able-bodied and have all five senses intact. Government assistance needs to viewed as a means to a life of independence, not of dependence on others, usually family members. The question of “what is normal?” also needs to be re-defined into a a humane “what is quality-of-life for every person?”, whether he is hearing or d/Deaf or in a wheelchair, etc. That will take a major sea change in the way people who are able-bodied and have all five senses intact think.
And WTF, Accept-It!, you’re an insensitive clod.
Joseph said,
February 22, 2010 at 10:17 pm
In the case of the Deaf community, we are currently both. Disability is both a cultural as well as a physical label. American culture identifies Deaf people as disabled. Deaf people do not identify themselves as disabled. This would be a problem if life was simply a two-sided debate. But I think maybe we all need to start realizing life is a little more complicated than that. Both things are true.
In the case of NAD, functioning in the middle – I’m guessing they nearly have to use both forms of language, with a preference for culturally-oriented, empowerment language where possible.
Dua said,
December 14, 2010 at 11:39 pm
I realize this post is pretty old but I am currently taking an intro to deaf communities class because of my interest in sign language and my final is tomorrow! Yikes! Anyway, I couldn’t remember what the catch-22 thing was so I googled and this came up.
The idea of Deaf pride is a very hard one for me to fully understand and accept. I realize that just because you can’t hear, it doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything else. But in the end… you canNOT hear, amirite? You still can’t do something. The whole idea of Deafhood is based on what you CAN’T do and not what you can do. Something that is completely and totally involuntary, not a culture built around something you chose to be or do but something thrown onto you by being deaf, i.e. NOT being able to hear.
I don’t mean to disrespect the Deaf world but it’s really hard to understand it!