Audism .....
Dismantling attitudinal barriers ...
What is audism? A simple definition would be that it is a negative or oppressive attitude towards deaf people by either deaf or hearing people and organizations, and a failure to accomodate them. People who have audist attutides are considered to be audists. For example, the refusal or failure to use sign language in the presence of a sign language-dependent person is considered audism.
According to an article in Capital D Magazine (vol. 1, issue 1) (now apparently defunct), Tom Humphries invented the word "audism" in 1975 to mean an attitude that people who hear and speak, or have good English are superior.
Audism in Deaf Culture
Audism has been the subject of plays, including the "Audism Monologues" produced by LightKitchen. In the Audism Monologues, true stories are told of deaf people experiencing oppression. At the second national professional development conference of the American Sign Language Teachers Association, Elizabeth Lucey presented "Oppress-Me-Finish: Combating Audism in the ASL Classroom." In addition, at the Deaf Way II (2002) Genie Gertz presented "Dyconscious Audism: The Conceptual Incarceration of Deaf People in a Hegemonically Hearing-Oriented Culture."
Gallaudet University library offers a detailed fact sheet on audism.
The Buff and Blue student newsmagazine of Gallaudet University had an editorial, "Does Audism Exist on Campus?" in its November 11, 2002 issue. This article examined the question of whether audism existed at Gallaudet University itself, based on the experiences of a deaf student, Brendan Stern. Mr. Stern wrote a web essay on audism, "Autism, Anchovies, and Audism," in which he cites more examples of alleged audism at Gallaudet University and complains about Gallaudet's communication policy, which he says does not make signing mandatory at all times.
Harlan Lane's book, the Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community, is primarily about audism.
What can you tell me about the Deaf Community?
We give the title Deaf (with capital D) to all those who identify themselves as members of the Deaf community – who are sign language users and who are culturally Deaf. This is equivalent to American (where the first letter is a capital) to refer to the fact that they are culturally American – use the language and have American values.
The Deaf community consists of those people who term themselves Deaf. That is Deaf with a capital D – like people living in America are called American a capital A. The Deaf community is made up of people who consider their identity to be Deaf. They are usually sign language users and they are likely to meet frequently with other Deaf people in the Deaf clubs which exist in every town and city in the USA.
Is it like a social club?
Yes, but then it is much more. It is through the Deaf clubs and Deaf meeting places, that Deaf people come in contact with future partners – it is where they meet and get married and bring their children later on.
So how come there are no Deaf equivalents of Chinatown – where all of the people live together?
Deaf people are distributed throughout the community as a whole – they do not live in a single area of a town, where there are only Deaf people, The main reason for this , is that most Deaf people were born into hearing families and they have strong roots within the community as a whole. Deaf people meet other Deaf people socially but do not at present, see the need to live next door to other Deaf people.
How can we describe the Deaf Community?
The usual question is – how many Deaf people are there? Many different estimates can be found – but they are often wild estimates.
However, since Deaf children are usually born in hearing families the impact of Deafness extends way beyond the core Deaf community.
What do you mean – Deaf children in hearing families?
It is not a precise figure but it works like this:
90% of Deaf children are born to hearing parents
90% of Deaf people who marry, marry other Deaf people
90% of the children born into those marriages are hearing
In practice, only one in 20 Deaf children are born to families with both parents Deaf. So it is relatively rare to find Deaf families which go back generations with all members Deaf. However, they do exist and there are records of Deafness in the same family back to the 1820s or so.
It is generally said (quite accurately) that Deaf people are under-employed rather than un-employed. Deaf people usually leave school with fewer qualifications than hearing young people, are less likely to take further study and are more likely to find themselves in positions where they are unable to be promoted.
In the past, Deaf people were usually placed in apprenticeship schemes involving the manual trades. These placements were often successful in that Deaf people stayed in the jobs for 30 or 40 years – making furniture, repairing shoes, laboring and so on.
So how were they underemployed?
Deaf people have the same level of intelligence as hearing people – they just don’t speak or hear well. As a result we might expect that they should be found in all areas of society - since they are physically and cognitively able. However, there are relatively few in the professions, in business and management and relatively more in the trades and lower socio-economic groups.
Deaf consumerism?
The Deaf community was recently nationally researched and have developed a good picture of life. Deaf people tend to have similar consumer goods to hearing people (washing machines etc) although more video players than CD (audio players), more computers.
Deaf people use the same banks and building societies as hearing people and are just as likely to take foreign holidays. They are probably under-insured as compared to hearing people which is problematic as they seem to be more likely to be burgled than hearing people.
Deaf people drive cars and are generally just as mobile as hearing people in all transport.
What about access to information?
They are generally much less likely to know their rights in regard to all transactions – this is not surprising given that most knowledge is written and most accessible information is in written leaflets and on the Internet. Deaf people typically do not understand the bills they receive from telecoms companies, from Utilities and from the Local Governemnt, Deaf people commonly request “Deaf-friendly” materials and text – which usually refers to more visually appropriate information and usually simpler English structures.
These ideas expressed are very common among Deaf people.
"My supervisor and myself could not communicate with each other. But if I think about it, I don’t think attending a hearing school really helped me to prepare for the hearing world. I should have been allowed to have a chat, like my hearing colleagues, but my way of communicating was mistaken and judged unfairly. I was not treated the same as others. My supervisor and I hated each other! I remember my last day there my supervisor came up to me and said I would not have any success in life… Of course I just ignored her. I feel my oral education really made a mockery out of me, when I tried to talk to people they didn’t understand my voice. So then I was forced into a situation of having to write things down. Often people would say to another person what is she trying to say? It was really embarrassing." (Deaf)
"It is very common that Deaf people have a hard time finding jobs. They are being discriminated and there’s no proof if why they were not hired. We are stuck. I am still working and am afraid to look for another job because of this. I stay where I am.
Companies and employers don’t want to hire deaf or provide interpreters for meetings or trainings. Very hard times now. Always have to educate people about how to communicate with deaf individuals and it’s not easy to get through those with closed minds and unwilling to learn.
Pray for the best and that will change. Peace." (Deaf)
Inevitably, the accounts of job problems came around to interpreters.
The lack of interpreters and poor communication led one participant to this simple life plan.
"I remember a time when I needed to go to a meeting about my pension. Human resources promised me that I would have an interpreter provided for this meeting that I had to attend. I remember asking someone about my interpreter but I was told to go into the meeting as the interpreter would be along shortly. Well I had no interpreter because someone forgot to book them. So I sat in a meeting not knowing anything about the new changes to my pension plan. Many times they have promised to provide an interpreter but have not delivered, I normally have to make do with writing things down. It’s really impossible for me to get an interpreter!" (Deaf)
Typically, Deaf people complain about lack of qualified interpreters. While older Deaf people usually had to do without interpreters (all through their working lives), the younger Deaf people had used interpreters in college and expected them in job interviews. Lack of interpreters made everything more difficult – the interviews, the training, the meetings and the job itself.
Deaf Awareness...
Often people mention situations being deaf-friendly or people being Deaf aware. By this they mean a number of things – the facial expression used when greeting, the consideration in making sure the person understands even if it requires repetitions or writing down, simplifying the interaction and/or the paperwork and so on. One HOH person thought there was a process of educating the employers which could be done personally.
"What I'm hoping is that I will manage to educate my employer to ensure that I just don't rot in my job that I'm given support to enable me to grow with it. More training, um, improving my skills, in order to be able to be promoted to bigger more responsible position. So, for instance, during my induction, where we were introduced to various parts of the company, some people were speaking very clearly, and I could understand them, but there were instances when it was just a sheer waste of time because they didn't make any effort to try and speak clearly. So that I could follow ... yeah ... unfortunately, when I returned from induction, there was still a pile of work waiting for me on my desk that I had to get through!" (HOH)
There was some discussion among the young Deaf about the need to educate others in the workplace. It was pointed out that Access Training, ADA or other programs might pay, although there was a concern about being singled out or it affecting other people’s work. Many were unsure about the outcomes.
"Now at my new job, Deaf Awareness Training is being given to my firm, it’s a big firm, but only members from my department will attend. …… meeting those who have not gone on the courses is a nightmare!! The over exaggerated facial expressions and gestures!" (Deaf)
There were other examples of major problems at work in relations:
"I think some of the frustrations I have experienced in the past have been around not passing on information…people always say I’ll tell you later and never do… And I hate it when people want to get your attention and as they are frustrated that you can’t hear them shouting at you, they resort to throwing things at your head. I had to put up with a lot of discrimination while I was in the building industry." (Deaf)
Another said...
"We were divided up into teams of six and I was the only deaf person out of around 30 hearing people. At times I would stop working and ask others what was being said in the office. (Through pen and paper) I would always get in trouble for this and would be accused of not getting on with my work." (Deaf)
There were other examples of lack of consideration for Deaf employees..
"I started my current job about a year ago and I can remember we were all outside when I looked up everyone had gone…I checked my clock it wasn’t break time of any sort then I looked around and saw all the men were over at the office. Some were staring back at me but because no one had asked me to follow I stayed where I was….when they returned I asked what had been discussed that I was aware I had missed…I got a summary of a twenty minute conversation and was just told our contracts would be extended indefinitely…but that was all." (Deaf)
HOH were more likely to assert themselves.
"Well there is no use in staying silent ... if you feel you are being unfairly treated. But the way you put it across is very important; you have to keep on - you have to ... really have to keep on about it ... You need to get it in the public arena so that a lot of people know about this problem - and when they realize it may apply to them as they get older - they will see something is done to improve matters for all." (HOH)
Hard-of –hearing people tended to be more knowledgeable in regard to disability issues and in relation to procedures to deal with problems (because they can read more about it) while Deaf people tend to have to complain generally.
Boring or limited jobs...
Another recurring theme was the quality of work which Deaf people were offered – Deaf people get poorer jobs or jobs which are boring.
It is commonly reported by participants that Deaf people are good workers and are able to concentrate when others are distracted (by sound). However, that may mean that Deaf people are thought to be appropriate for work in noisy environments or in repetitive jobs.
One HOH person said that... "For me it took a long time to really understand what Access to Work means ... because it was never explained before ... you feel no control ... nothing ... no communication with deaf people about access to work, usually someone has told you about it, but then you can feel more assertive, speak up" (HOH)
Another person increasingly felt a need for support without seeing it as an issue for Access to Work. "In my company like now, I feel some difficulty because I'm deaf; my manager wants me to have more responsibility, interacting with more people ... but he doesn't talk to me about it - I am aware that there are some areas where I'm held back professionally." (Deaf)
"ATW provides you with lots of things you have no need to feel embarrassed about it, you can get a pager fire alarm etc. If a fire goes off you don’t need to rely on anyone, you just leave the building. It’s simple you just say I need blah, blah, blah and they will provide you with it and that is all." (Deaf)
However, there seemed also to be problems for HOH people to deal with the system.
"I have ... colleague Dan who is also deaf and has been working for the company for 4 years already. I asked whether he applied for Access to Work and he said, what??? ... he couldn't be bothered...so again it seems that complacency and pride seem to be our biggest enemies. "(HOH)
Throughout there was a sense that the HOH were more able to influence change than the Deaf people, who typically felt powerless to correct the problems they experienced, even when it was protected by ADA.
Money and Promotion
Usually Deaf people believe they earn less than hearing people. On average they are right. One can argue that this is because they have less responsible jobs, but it can also be because they have difficulty with the promotion process.
"I do think hearing people earn more than deaf people. eg. I see some people who are doing the same job as me, then they get promoted very quickly…I seem to be stuck in the same position…deaf people just get pushed to the back of the queue when it comes to promotional opportunities. Now I just accept it that my path is the long and difficult one, I just try to be pleased for other hearing people when they are excited about moving up the ladder… But I know we deaf people are always passed over for career opportunities. I just let them get on with it, as I know I’m growing too old for it all now anyway." (Deaf over 35)
It is clearly very difficult – on the one hand, Deaf people are just as competent as hearing people, but promotion often means becoming a supervisor and monitoring and interacting with more people. This may be more difficult for a Deaf person unless there are systems in place to support the process. Often this is not the case and this affects the choice of the person who takes on the role. Deaf people are excluded.
Feelings in the workplace
For many, the workplace creates stress and produces uncertain outcomes. It is necessary for Deaf people to have different work patterns or to take time out.
One HOH copes by becoming aloof:
"…. for instance I cannot hear phone or voice, therefore I take everything at face value ... which means that sometimes I may come across as a cold, calculating, android!!!!! - and also because I'm busy, in my work, and cannot hear the gossip! - I really feel sort of excluded." (HOH)
"I lost my hearing 3 years ago ... when I went back to work, they asked me if I needed anything; I said I want a pager to help with the fire alarm - 3 1/2 years later no pager ….when I say I need help they put obstacles in the way -…. (Deaf)
For signing Deaf people the frustration is considerable.
"…. quite recently staff members have chosen not adhere to the rule of speaking one at a time, although I have reminded my colleagues on many occasions. So I asked my interpreter to walk out of the meeting and I also left out of frustration." (Deaf over 35)
These public displays are relatively rare but even so, in many firms Deaf people are seen as difficult and bad-tempered.
In the future...
There was some optimism expressed by the older Deaf people.
"I used to think I wanted to work as a policeman, doctor or aeroplane pilot…but then I knew it was impossible…I am deaf and there are a lot of barriers you have to fight…. limitations are placed upon your options, to working in an office, etc etc. However that was how it used to be but with improvements in technology and access improving, perhaps deaf people can do all those jobs?" (Deaf over 35)
Positive comments came from the HOH.
"I have deaf support at college ... I have hearing support and I have note takers. I would never done the course without these helpers …. last year, I was adult learner of the year for south west; without help from tutors and hearing support I wouldn't have made it…" (HOH)
On the basis of the experiences of Deaf people, we can see that there remain huge problems and dissatisfaction. There is quite a lot still to be done to make the workplace fair for those who do not hear well.