I was recently invited to a public Facebook group – Auslan Media Access. This group is about lobbying and increasing awareness of the need for interpreters in the media regarding news broadcasts and emergency broadcasts aimed at delivering information to Australians. There have been problems like news channels zooming in and cutting the interpreter out of the frame, or by blocking the interpreter with screen information or captions. There also have been problems where no interpreter has been provided at all for the broadcast.

What caught my interest were two posts on the topic of telling people “you must be civil”, that the “swearing, bullying, name calling etc reflects badly on the Deaf community”. The initial poster stated she had received private and industry messages stating things like;

“….Auslan people are militant vigilantes.”
“… they are known bullies.”

A second poster went on to post a video in Auslan (transcript also available), which made the following statements;

“Some people have been a bit negative, angry, defensive using lots of strong language and words. This makes people in authority look at deaf people as angry, negative people, as bullies.”

“I want you, YOU all, to start asking nicely for interpreters. “

This has got me thinking. While I can certainly see their intention of trying to let the Deaf community know that abusive behavior would not assist with advocacy and changes and would only reinforce judgmental beliefs about deaf people standing up for themselves… it didn’t sit well with me.

If you look at the social discourse that is out there right now in the Australian community (regardless of hearing status), over the fires and the government’s behavior, you will notice something.

The Australian people are angry.

There is a wide gamut of social discourse from positively praising the tireless firefighters to denigerating Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. There are people swearing. There are people namecalling. There are people being logical and reasonable. There are people with advocate hats on, calling for change. There are people trying to positively encourage change and action. There are people raging and being abusive. It is a diverse gamut of free speech!

This is a true reflection of our society.

That is why telling deaf/Deaf people they need to ask nicely is patronising and limiting deaf discourse. Yes, I agree education and reasonable language and advocacy is needed. But it cannot be the only side of the deaf discourse that is seen. Emotions show the impact on the deaf community. Angry, negative reactions also play a part in showing the intensity of the impact. Trying to control or remove that side to social discourse where the rest of Australia gets to react the way they want to, is bullshit.

There, I said it. And with a swearword too.

I respect that these people are trying to present a good front for the Deaf community so they can bring about positive changes to benefit d/Deaf people. However, there is something I have observed over 37 years of being deaf, and engaged in education and advocacy…

Regardless of how sweet, nice, polite or honeyed you are, if you are deaf and refusing to lay down and be silent, there will always be people who label you as militant, Nazi, rude, abusive, angry, aggressive. It is a response to your self advocacy which is designed to put you back in place.

Tone and attitude policing won’t prevent this response from the hearing world. It only serves to participate in the discriminatory and audist oppression of deaf people.

Any good customer service officer will be trained to recognise people get upset and angry sometimes, and to respond professionally and accordingly to resolve the problem. However, when it comes to deaf people, I’ve seen different treatment. I’ve seen a patronising paternalism in action, lecturing deaf people on how their behavior is rude, aggressive, socially unacceptable etc. I don’t see hearing people who have behaved far worse on other occasions treated like this. Wow!

When I am trying to educate and advocate, I will consider my choice of language and approach carefully. However, sometimes when it isn’t about education or advocacy, but just a plain good old fashioned irked complaint… I allow myself that too! Why should I have to repress my scathing comments just because I am deaf? The answer is of course, I shouldn’t have to!

Advocacy alone is not always sufficient. Sometimes advocacy needs to happen with a landscape of angry protests in the background of public discourse. These in power don’t want a society that is angry and riled up. Its bad for business and political appearances.

So for these interested in advocacy, be mindful and assertive. For these not in this role, your reactions are your reactions and you have the freedom of speech to express that any damn way you please!

A happy, assertive, fuck you all from

– deaf in Society