Wednesday, February 6, 2008

From a "hearing-loss" perspective regarding discrimination from the Deaf Culture

In 1988, students were outraged that a hearing person had been chosen to lead Gallaudet called "Deaf President Now"(DPN). They demanded a “deaf president now,” shutting down the campus, marching through the streets of Washington — and they won. There was another issue that lead to protests as a cultural battle led by deaf extremists that a person is "not deaf enough" become a president which was a protest campaign to remove the appointment of a new president, Jane K. Fernandes, because she is “Not Deaf Enough” to lead Gallaudet. Those who are against Fernandes claim it is isn’t because she is “Not Deaf Enough” but because she doesn’t have enough experience as a Deaf person to understand the true needs of the Deaf even though she was born Deaf and her mother and brother are Deaf and she uses sign language.

Anyway,she volunteered by stepping down and I. King Jordon, a Deaf man who signed, was anointed the first “Deaf President” of a Deaf University.

There are those who have AG Bell's views and there are those who have Deaf extremists' views. There are many of us who are in the middle. I am like "Jane K. Fernandes" who is not "deaf enough".

3 comments:

Casdok said...

Descrimination by the descriminated is just crazy. I have seen this in the autistic world to. Its so sad.

Unknown said...

Good post Jim, I couldn't have said it better.

Ironically, I. King Jordan was late-deafened (a motorcycle accident when he was in his twenties, I believe), yet he was "deaf enough".

whimsical brainpan said...

I remember this.

I find it simply amazing that disabled people discriminate against one another.

Another great post!