Reflections on Deafhood Practice

At this juncture, one might ponder: what does 'deafhood' truly signify? Is it synonymous with 'deafness'? Is it a more politically correct term to express the same concept you're familiar with - an individual lacking hearing ability, or someone whose hearing is impaired? What about terms like 'hard of hearing' or 'deafness'? Have they adequately represented the deaf community over the centuries? Who coined the term 'Deafhood' and for what purpose?

B

The term ‘Deafhood’ was first coined in 1993 by Dr Paddy Ladd, a deaf scholar in the Deaf Studies Department at the University of Bristol in England. First explored through his doctoral dissertation in 1998, and later elaborated on in his 2003 book, ‘Understanding Deaf Culture – In Search of Deafhood‘, the idea behind Deafhood is twofold: first, it seeks to collect everything that is already known about the life, culture, politics, etc. of Sign Language Peoples (SLPs); secondly, it attempts to remove the limitations imposed on SLPs through their colonization from hearing people.

C

To comprehend the essence of Deafhood, it's crucial first to grasp the notion of colonization. For this, we need to examine two concepts: Oralism and Audism. Oralism, originating in the late 19th century, advocates reduced usage of sign language to better integrate speech and listening skills among SLPs. It treats sign language as an impediment similar to the languages of other oppressed peoples like the Maori in New Zealand or the Aborigines in Australia. Audism, coined by Dr. Tom Humphries in 1975, is more insidious, suggesting that deaf individuals are inferior to hearing individuals, viewing 'deafness' as a defect, a profound disability to be eradicated. Deafhood seeks to counter the effects of these ideologies by presenting SLPs positively, not as patients needing fixing.

D

Yet, comprehending the oppression SLPs have faced since the late 1800s and acknowledging that 'deafness' carries negative medical connotations doesn't simplify explaining what Deafhood truly entails. According to Dr. Donald Grushkin, Deafhood is a journey - physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, cultural, and linguistic - that every deaf person is invited, but not obligated, to embark upon.

E

Deafhood represents a quest for understanding: what does it mean to be ‘Deaf’? How did deaf individuals define themselves historically, and what were their reasons for existence before the concept of Audism arose? Why are some people born deaf? Is it a biological defect, or are there more positive explanations for their existence? What do terms like ‘Deaf Art’ or ‘Deaf Culture’ truly signify? What does it mean to live 'the Deaf Way'? True Deafhood is achieved when a deaf person feels at peace with their identity and connected to the wider deaf community through their natural language, though the journey to this realization may vary.

F

Beyond these questions, Deafhood also seeks to combat the influence of 'neo-eugenics'. As outlined by Patrick Boudreault at the 2005 California Association of the Deaf Conference, neo-eugenics is a modern adaptation of traditional eugenics, aiming to eradicate perceived negative human traits. Historically, deaf individuals have been targeted by eugenicists through ideologies like Audism and Oralism, and recent advancements such as cochlear implants and genetic engineering pose renewed threats to Deafhood, necessitating its protection. This entails celebrating the community's history, language, and myriad contributions, while confronting those who seek its eradication.

G

So, where do we go from here? The journey begins with decolonizing perspectives on SLPs, embracing Deafhood for its essence, shedding the negative connotations surrounding it, and acknowledging that deaf individuals are whole and complete. This is a responsibility not just for hearing individuals, but also for deaf individuals who have internalized society’s unfavorable perceptions over decades. Moreover, recognition of the deaf community's achievements and official endorsement of sign languages by respective governments globally are crucial steps forward. Essentially, we must imagine: what would the Deaf community be like if it had never been influenced by mainstream colonization? Together, hearing and Deaf communities should strive to realize this vision.

Questions 1-7

The reading passage has seven paragraphs, A-G.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

1 Examples of other groups treated the same way as deaf people

2 Why the word ‘deafness’ is no longer appropriate

3 The definition of the word ‘deaf’

4 Why deaf people might sometimes think negatively of themselves

5 How one can attain deafhood

6 Where the word ‘deafhood’ came from

7 Why deafhood is currently imperilled

Questions 8-10

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write your answers in boxes 8-10 on your answer sheet.

8. According to Dr Paddy Ladd, Deafhood

A    is a more appropriate term than ‘hard of hearing’.

B    doesn’t colonise SLPs as much as ‘deafness’ does.

C    strives to get rid of the effects of colonisation.

D    contributes positively to the life and culture of deaf people.

9. Oralism suggests that

A    SLPs have no use for sign language.

B    SLPs don’t belong in the hearing world.

C    hearing people are superior to SLPs.

D    SLPs are unable to acquire speech.

10. Aborigines in Australia are similar to deaf people because

A    eugenicists also tried to eradicate them.

B    they were also considered inferior by their oppressors.

C    their languages were also disrespected.

D    their languages were also colonised.

Questions 11-13

Respond to the queries below using terms extracted from the Reading Passage.

Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

11. What should deaf people use to communicate with each other, according to deafhood?

12. Who has used oralism and audism to attack the deaf community?

13. What does the deaf community strive to achieve for sign language worldwide?

Answers:

1. C (Đoạn C, “In that respect, sign language is dismissively regarded as a mere obstacle to listening skills and acquisition of speech-treated, in effect, in the same manner as the languages of other peoples who were oppressed and colonised”)

2. D (Đoạn D, “…and even if we acknowledge that ‘deafness’ is a medical term with negative connotations that need to be replaced, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to explain what the term Deafhood represents exactly.”)

3. A (Đoạn A, “At this point, you might be wondering: what does ‘deafhood’ mean? Is it a synonym for ‘deafness’?…”)

4. G (Đoạn G, “…removing all the negative connotations that surround it and accepting that deaf people are neither broken nor incomplete.”)

5. E (Đoạn E, “Deafhood is essentially a search for understanding: what does being ‘Deaf’ mean? How did deaf people in the past define themselves, and what did they believe to be their reasons for existing before Audism was conceived?…”)

6. B (Đoạn B, “The term ‘Deafhood’ was first coined in 1993 by Dr Paddy Ladd, a deaf scholar…”)

7. F (Đoạn F, “Deafhood is once again under threat, and needs to be protected. The only way to do this is by celebrating the community’s history, language, and countless contributions to the world, and confronting those who want to see it gone.”)

8. C (Đoạn B, “secondly, it attempts to remove the limitations imposed on SLPs through their colonization from hearing people.”

9. A (Đoạn C, “…reduced use of sign language would be more beneficial to SLPs, as it would allow them to integrate better to the hearing world.”)

10. C (Đoạn C, “…in the same manner as the languages of other peoples who were oppressed and colonised, e.g. the Maori in New Zealand, or the Aborigines in Australia.”)

11. natural language

12. eugenicists