The Making of a Word: Audism ...And More

[Cloggy]

We call those hearing people or anyone not knowing ASL as signing impaired.

That is the right way to describe them.

Myself, I'm Chinese-impaired.

 

[Deaf Images]

No Excuses...

I just wanted to say this...very briefly, but it's important.

Please remember that those who are hearing cannot help the way they were born, any more than anybody else can. Why discriminate against people for things they were born with and cannot change?

Hey - you do not have to make excuses for hearing people... they knew and still are ignorant. They make more excuses... I have seen it all the last 50 years.

 

[Passivist]

I do not think so....watch that video "Audism Unveiled" I went to Chicago the past weekend to watch that video. I am impressed about it and it is worthwhile watching. For more info, go to www.audism-unveiled. com.

I am working on a video project to complement with that video as well as other matters related to audism.

Please respect our rights to express this matter about audism. There is nothing you can do about it as we have the right to express our opinion about how hearing people abuse deaf. Most of you are living in ivory towers and not doing anything to help... you keep self-denial and it is your problem.

It is time to "STAMP OUT AUDISM!"

Thanks

"Audism spreads while good Deaf people do nothing!"
quoted by Paul J. Kiel

*****

How sad........ perhaps the true interpretation would be stamp out deafisms. You simply do not fight discrimination or ignorance (Which is what the issue is about), by responding in kind. Two wrongs don't make it right, you are as bad as they are. Try understanding the world and what it is about, some will like you some won't, some will hate you, some won't, there's no law in the universe that will change that, live with it. The deafie answer, let's call THEM names too, progress ? I think not. These people are feeding deaf insecurities by suggesting 'fighting back' is defending deaf culture and language, when in fact it promotes division, feeds paranoia, and more apathy and hostility toward it. All these people here promoting live and let live, how 'silent' their voices are now, while these hate-mongers/anti-hearing losers in the deaf community continue.

 

[rockdrummer]

I do not think so....watch that video "Audism Unveiled" I went to Chicago the past weekend to watch that video. I am impressed about it and it is worthwhile watching. For more info, go to www.audism-unveiled.comI am working on a video project to complement with that video as well as other matters related to audism.
Please respect our rights to express this matter about audism. There is nothing you can do about it as we have the right to express our opinion about how hearing people abuse deaf. Most of you are living in ivory towers and not doing anything to help... you keep self-denial and it is your problem.It is time to "STAMP OUT AUDISM!"Thanks"Audism spreads while good Deaf people do nothing!"quoted by Paul J. Kiel*****

First of all, Audism applies to how deaf treat deaf, and how deaf treat hearing as well has how hearing treat deaf. A good start would be to use the word as it's originator intended and use it in the context of it's definition.

Secondly, good luck in your efforts to stamp out ignorance, prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping and all of the other characteristics that make a person an audist. The deaf community is not the only ones that suffer these injustices. Just ask any minority. There will always be people in the world (in all walks of life) that will propagate these types of things. You will never stamp it out. A better approach might be to start an awareness campaign. At least you will address the folks that possess these characteristics out of ignorance. I have changed my outlook on the deaf community now that I am more educated on the subject. It was unintentional and out of ignorance that I displayed audist attitude in some cases. There is a good majority of people that you can reach but market it as an awareness campaign rather than trying to stamp something out. You may have better response and success. All the best.

 

[Mookie]

First of all, Audism applies to how deaf treat deaf, and how deaf treat hearing as well has how hearing treat deaf. A good start would be to use the word as it's originator intended and use it in the context of it's definition.

Secondly, good luck in your efforts to stamp out ignorance, prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping and all of the other characteristics that make a person an audist. The deaf community is not the only ones that suffer these injustices. Just ask any minority. There will always be people in the world (in all walks of life) that will propagate these types of things. You will never stamp it out. A better approach might be to start an awareness campaign. At least you will address the folks that possess these characteristics out of ignorance. I have changed my outlook on the deaf community now that I am more educated on the subject. It was unintentional and out of ignorance that I displayed audist attitude in some cases. There is a good majority of people that you can reach but market it as an awareness campaign rather than trying to stamp something out. You may have better response and success. All the best.

Yawns....excuse me.

How well do you know about deaf culture? What is your experience and extension knowledge with deaf society excluding your kid? How often have you met any deaf educational professor?

Maybe you may need to watch the deaf film…..


Director:
Nicholas Philbert

Cast:
Florent Desjardins;
Jean-Claude Poulain

‘In the Land of the Deaf’

By Richard Harrington
Washington Post Staff Writer
October 07, 1994

Nicholas Philibert's award-winning French documentary "In the Land of the Deaf" does much to dissolve borders of ignorance that keep the hearing from appreciating the culture and the language of a constituency (130 million strong worldwide) that might be more easily recognized if it were ethnically or racially defined, or perhaps had its own cuisine.

But this sensitive documentary makes it clear that the deaf are, in all but one sense, no different from any other group, embracing the same range of personalities, sharing the same dreams, experiencing the same emotions. Like any group with a crucial commonality, the deaf are also unique.


Philibert approaches their world in a surprisingly sensible manner, letting his subjects sign for themselves. There is no intrusive narration and no heavy-handed polemic, just the observed expression of children learning to speak, a young couple getting married and a marvelous teacher of sign language with time and memories on his hands.


Jean-Claude Poulain, who teaches sign language to hearing adults, provides both historical context and insights into complexities of deaf culture. The fiftyish Poulain recalls that when he was a child, his hands were tied behind his back in an effort to make him talk; now Poulain is a quiet crusader in the deaf-rights movement, pushing for bilingual education (French/sign). Blessed with a poignant Jacques Tati face that reflects immense passion and pathos, Poulain is a story-signer of the highest order. At one point, referring to his hearing daughter, he confesses, "I had dreamt of having a deaf child -- communication would be easier. But I love her all the same."


Offhanded but revealing, that twist is repeated later when a young man in a bar signs family history, noting that he comes from five deaf generations that have included the occasional hearing child ("poor thing"). The more common situation of deaf children born into hearing families is revealed in the recollections of several college-age kids who grew up feeling excluded.


But Philibert (who is not deaf) is not out to demonize the hearing. The only villain here is ignorance. Philibert suggests the complexities of both emotions and politics in the world of the deaf, and some of the film's most poignant moments capture the interaction of teachers and youngsters struggling patiently to create public sound out of private silence.


All the kids are engaging, but one in particular, 6-year-old Florent, is a genuine heartbreaker. Blessed with huge, inquisitive eyes, Florent is first seen struggling with a tear-drenched writing assignment; at film's end, though, he's revealed as a playful, loving and loudly mischievous child, dealing with his condition, not burdened by it. "I look so I can hear," Florent explains, and you understand why he's been blessed with those eyes.


The importance of sight and sightlines is apparent. After all, sign language is a matter of hand-eye cooperation. Every gesture tells a story, and Philibert captures the rush of signs, the liquid loquaciousness of chattering hands, the body French of subjects whose mode of expression is as varied, lively, intense, rich and witty as any with sound attached.


And, Poulain explains, there's a practical edge to consider: There may be different dialects of sign language around the world -- he signs specific examples -- but common grounds allow for quicker communion than might be possible for the hearing, with their disparate languages. In this documentary, there is sign language, spoken French and English subtitles that cover the first two elements. And gradually, it is the sign language that comes to seem clearest, demystified by Philibert's respectful attention and empathy.


There's one other charming tableau involving a young deaf couple, Hubert and Marie-Helene (95 percent of the deaf marry within the culture). Philibert captures their wedding, where natural nervousness is heightened by the challenge of an essentially literary ritual, and later includes their apartment search (made difficult because of intense communication problems with a landlord) and the arrival of a baby. But the traditions and centeredness of the deaf community are most apparent in a scene from the wedding party, which includes both deaf and hearing folk, and features loud music and dancing. At one point the music stops, but Hubert and Marie-Helene keep on dancing, secure in themselves and their silent world.


"In the Land of the Deaf" is not rated and doesn't need to be.



© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

 

[Deaf Images]

::rolling Eyes::

How sad........ perhaps the true interpretation would be stamp out deafisms. You simply do not fight discrimination or ignorance (Which is what the issue is about), by responding in kind. Two wrongs don't make it right, you are as bad as they are. Try understanding the world and what it is about, some will like you some won't, some will hate you, some won't, there's no law in the universe that will change that, live with it. The deafie answer, let's call THEM names too, progress ? I think not. These people are feeding deaf insecurities by suggesting 'fighting back' is defending deaf culture and language, when in fact it promotes division, feeds paranoia, and more apathy and hostility toward it. All these people here promoting live and let live, how 'silent' their voices are now, while these hate-mongers/anti-hearing losers in the deaf community continue.

Say what you want....you sound like you are living in Ivory Tower...You call deaf losers? thats interesting. You can stay on sideline and watch.

Thanks!

 

[Deaf Images]

Clear definition of audism

First of all, Audism applies to how deaf treat deaf, and how deaf treat hearing as well has how hearing treat deaf. A good start would be to use the word as it's originator intended and use it in the context of it's definition.

Thanks and yes, I plan to make a video to get attention of those not realizing their behavior patterns... so i think this is a catchy title "STAMP OUT AUDISM!"

To reflect on that word, audism, I looked it up and it says "audism, n - the motion that one is superior based on one's ability to hear or behave in the manner of one who hears" by Tom Humphries, 1975.

There are plenty of audists around that need to be "deprogrammed"

 

[Rose Immortal]

Hey - you do not have to make excuses for hearing people... they knew and still are ignorant. They make more excuses... I have seen it all the last 50 years.

DO hearing people really know all they should? Are hearing children taught all they should be? If they aren't, then I think that's the fault of the schools. I would argue that aside from those children whose parents teach them additional things on their own, that many kids aren't taught. Look how few schools are teaching ASL along with the other languages they offer, for instance.

Honestly, I believe that most social issues can be fixed through education. If you want to do something helpful, then help spread ASL education into more schools. If I had actually HAD such an opportunity as a child, I would've gladly taken it.

 

[rockdrummer]

Yawns....excuse me.

How well do you know about deaf culture? What is your experience and extension knowledge with deaf society excluding your kid? How often have you met any deaf educational professor?

I am not sure what your question has to do with my post. I don't claim to have an intimate knowledge of the deaf culture. I do know more today than I did 2 months ago but I certianly can't claim I have profound knowledge in this area. Please advise on how your question applies to my post.
Thank you

 

[rockdrummer]

Thanks and yes, I plan to make a video to get attention of those not realizing their behavior patterns... so i think this is a catchy title "STAMP OUT AUDISM!" To reflect on that word, audism, I looked it up and it says "audism, n - the motion that one is superior based on one's ability to hear or behave in the manner of one who hears" by Tom Humphries, 1975. There are plenty of audists around that need to be "deprogrammed"

DI you can call it whatever you think will work. To me "Stomping something out" carries undertones that may turn some folks away but regardless of what you call it, I commend you for your efforts. I am familiar with Tom's paper on Audism. It is where I finally found the (only) definition. And yes, your excerpt from the definition is correct but only partial. One must read the definition in its entirety to get the full description. As a reminder of what it says, I will paste it below.

THE MAKING OF A WORD: AUDISM By Tom Humphries
The other day I experienced a need to have an English word that is to deaf people what“racism” is to Black people. After some consultation with friends about various possibilities, Idecided on the word audism from the Latin “audire” (to hear). I think the definition of audism mightbe listed in a dictionary as:Audism (o diz m) n. the notion that one is superior based onone’s ability to hear or behave in the manner of one who hears.From audism we can derive “audist” which needs no explanation.Having coined this word, I immediately felt better for it. Why would one feel better forhaving invented a word that carries such negativity? Why invent a word that might be used in thefuture in conflict situations? I think I felt better because I have experienced again and again the fullpower of what I will now call audism. Recently, I have begun to recognize it for what it is andneeded a name for it in the worst way. Naming it makes it somehow less frightening. But it is noless a problem now that it has a name.It is only in the past few years that I have been able to recognize some of the forcesworking against me as a deaf person as being audism. Most of my life, I have been an audistmyself, and even now still have some behavior and values that are basically audist. I believe thisto be the result of being brought up as a hearing person with basic hearing person behavior andvalues.What is this audism? It is the bias and prejudice of hearing people against deaf people. Itis the bias and prejudice of some deaf people against other deaf people. It is manifested in manyways. It appears in my own life in the form of people who continually judge deaf people’sintelligence and success on the basis of their ability in the language of the hearing culture. Itappears when the assumption is made that the deaf person’s happiness depends on acquiringfluency in the language of the hearing culture. It appears when deaf people actively participate inthe oppression of other deaf people by demanding of them the same set of standards, behavior,and values that they demand of hearing people. It appears in the class structure of the deaf culturewhen those at the top are those whose language is that of the hearing culture or closest to it. Itappears when deaf people in positions of power keep that power by oppressing other deaf people.(The oppression is rationalized in various ways such as not being fluent in the language of thehearing culture, not having the ability necessary to perform in the hearing culture, i.e., speech, nothaving the credentials of the hearing culture, not having the experience necessary to fill a position.)It appears when deaf and hearing people have no trust in deaf people’s ability to controltheir own lives and form the systems and organizations necessary to take charge of themselves asa group to seek social and political change. It appears when deaf persons in power are in realityholding this power only as long as they continue to play the hearing role. It appears in many other ways subtly and obviously, directly, and indirectly, intentionally and unintentionally, consciously andunconsciously.It occurs in the form of tokenism. Again and again, organizations and committees havegotten their token deaf person or two and considered themselves to be doing a good deed. Thereis never any thought of a majority of deaf people in these organizations and committee. One deafperson is still one vote. And what is one vote? Another form of tokenism is in the hiring of schoolsand colleges which have deaf student bodies. Where do you have a school or college with amajority of deaf faculty? You don’t. But you do have institutions feeling pride of 25% of theirfaculty is deaf. What kind of pride is this? 25 percent?It occurs in one million and one excuses and rationalizations. Some examples are:“The deaf must learn English (forget ASL) because when they grow up they will have to function inthe hearing society and need it to find good jobs, find happiness, and have full and useful lives.”“We want to hire more deaf people but there just are not any deaf Ph.D.’s”“But he/she can’t use the phone.”He/she is nice and very intelligently but his/her English is just terrible.”“Oh, you have such beautiful speech. What is your hearing loss?”“He/She’s a very exceptional deaf person.”“But we don’t need a TTY. There are no deaf people in this office.”“But I don’t need a TTY. My wife/husband can hear on the phone.”“I really can’t stand him/her. He/She’s deafie deaf.”“He/she doesn’t understand being deaf. He/She wasn’t born deaf.” (To a person deaf for 22years.)“But why should I sign? He/She’s not interested in our conversation. He/She’s not watching me.”“ASL isn’t an academic language so we can’t use it to teach high level subjects.”How can we give a liberal arts degree to someone who can’t read and write?”“No, no, no. Language work isn’t college level work. What? P.E.? Of course it’s college levelwork.”You get the idea? Most of these statements could be made by either hearing or deaf people. They are endless. They are subtle. They are blatant.So ends my little treatise on audism. Is it a work worth maintaining? Do we really need aname for all I have described here? I think I’ll keep it for awhile. It helps to deal with the anger andfrustration.

 

[rockdrummer]

Who has a dogma like that? If anyone does have that belief the label "audist" would seem to fit. The only people I've ever seen who believed that were "Hearing" people. Is that who you were referring to?

I am sorry but you will have to ask neecy who she was referring to. Based on your question in the previous post, I was just trying to help by clearifying the word dogma and how Neecy used it in the posting you had questioned.

 

[Mookie]

I am not sure what your question has to do with my post. I don't claim to have an intimate knowledge of the deaf culture. I do know more today than I did 2 months ago but I certianly can't claim I have profound knowledge in this area. Please advise on how your question applies to my post.
Thank you

That's what I thought so....

I encourage you to research on deaf issues before you obtain the right answers from the educational books. You may have got some wrong impressions from AD people do not have much perfect knowledge in profound deaf fields. I have noticed that there are not 100 perfect solutions from AD.

You need to go to the university library and start to research the deaf culture and deaf society....

What is so different sound from the drumming beats between Heavy Metal and The Blues? You knew perfect as well...

 

[rockdrummer]

Hey - you do not have to make excuses for hearing people... they knew and still are ignorant. They make more excuses... I have seen it all the last 50 years.

Here is yet another word that gets used out of context constantly. It is not possible to KNOW and be IGNORANT. Ignorance means you don't know. People that know better and are still audists would not be called ignorant. That is giving them way to much credit. For clearification I am posting below the definition of the word ignorant.

Main Entry: ig·no·rant
Pronunciation: 'ig-n(&-)r&nt
Function: adjective
1 a : destitute of knowledge or education <an ignorant society>; also : lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified <parents ignorant of modern mathematics> b : resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence <ignorant errors>
2 : UNAWARE, UNINFORMED

 

[rockdrummer]

That's what I thought so....I encourage you to research on deaf issues before you obtain the right answers from the educational books. You may have got some wrong impressions from AD people do not have much perfect knowledge in profound deaf fields. I have noticed that there are not 100 perfect solutions from AD. You need to go to the university library and start to research the deaf culture and deaf society....What is so different sound from the drumming beats between Heavy Metal and The Blues? You knew perfect as well...

Pardon my stupididy. I still don't have a clue on how this applies to my posting. What is your point? Are you saying that because I don't know deaf culture that I cant start a thread on Audism? If that is not the case then please explain your point to me because I am not getting it yet. Thank you for your patience with me on this.

 

[Mookie]

Here is yet another word that gets used out of context constantly. It is not possible to KNOW and be IGNORANT. Ignorance means you don't know. People that know better and are still audists would not be called ignorant. That is giving them way to much credit. For clearification I am posting below the definition of the word ignorant.

Main Entry: ig·no·rant
Pronunciation: 'ig-n(&-)r&nt
Function: adjective
1 a : destitute of knowledge or education <an ignorant society>; also : lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified <parents ignorant of modern mathematics> b : resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence <ignorant errors>
2 : UNAWARE, UNINFORMED

You do not have to explain the defination for us. If you learn in ASL, the defination would be entirely more different than hearing world dictionary...

 

[Mookie]

Pardon my stupididy. I still don't have a clue on how this applies to my posting. What is your point? Are you saying that because I don't know deaf culture that I cant start a thread on Audism? If that is not the case then please explain your point to me because I am not getting it yet. Thank you for your patience with me on this.

I do not have much time to instruct you too much. I strongly suggest you to enroll the college and take a deaf culture with deaf professor. Your jaw will drops when you learn so much...

 

[rockdrummer]

You do not have to explain the defination for us. If you learn in ASL, the defination would be entirely more than hearing world dictionary...

If that is the case then you need to go back to the begining of this thread and read my first couple of posts. Then you will hopefully understand why I am doing this. I welcome your rebuttal after reading my posts.

Thanks again.

 

[Mookie]

If that is the case then you need to go back to the begining of this thread and read my first couple of posts. Then you will hopefully understand why I am doing this. I welcome your rebuttal after reading my posts.

Thanks again.

Is that audism attidule that you are giving me?

 

[rockdrummer]

You do not have to explain the defination for us. If you learn in ASL, the defination would be entirely more different than hearing world dictionary...

I am sorry but I do have to explain the definition to anyone (deaf or hearing) that is using words out of context. You must agree that using words out of context adds no value to a conversation but clouds and confuses the issue. It's not a hearing to deaf thing. It's something I do regardless of who uses words out of context. Including my boss.

 

[rockdrummer]

I do not have much time to instruct you too much. I strongly suggest you to enroll the college and take a deaf culture with deaf professor. Your jaw will drops when you learn so much...

Thank you but I am not asking you to instruct me. All I have been asking you is how your comments applied to my post. I am still waiting on a response to that question.