Did I Over React?

Emmer

Emmer

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So I was in ASL class tonight and someone from either the forensics or the speech department (I didn't catch that part) came in to talk to us about an "amazing opportunity."

She is going to do some sort of play on "Deaf Side Story." Something like West Side Story but about Deaf culture? I am somewhat confused as to what it is (no one really understood, so it wasn't just me!), but apparently it is a combination of a play, a musical, a book review, and improv acting. She has read the book Deaf Side Story and now knows everything about Deaf culture!

At first I thought it could be interesting, until I found out that the lady running it is hearing and barely signs. All of the people in the play are hearing. They have one ASL instructor who is going to work with them to teach sign. But it is ALL hearies. :hmm:

I started asking questions. Starting with if they had any Deaf. Then why don't they find someone to help them? Why doesn't she use people of the Deaf culture for the skit (they are too far away? :eek3:). I got upset because it just didn't seem right to me. What she told me is that she can't just go into the Deaf community and say, hey I want to do this musical thing and expect people to join her.

By the end of her talk thing, everyone in the class was snickering awkwardly at my questions. :Oops: Once she left, they all told me I was awkward and was wrong. They started whispering about me and how they were embarrassed that I would act that way.

I felt very shameful for speaking up like I did after their response, but did I over react? What would you have done if some hearing person announced in ASL class (level 1, we've had 3 classes only!) that she wanted the hearing people who hardly know sign to come and do this play about Deaf culture which they generally know nothing about. And there isn't even going to be a representative of the Deaf culture to correct them if they mess something up.

It just seems so off to me. I have been to and lived in a Muslim country for three months, fully immersed in the culture, but there is NO possible way that I could ever undertake the task of trying to explain the Muslim culture with a play, musical, whatever to others. The lady would like to go to California or something and do it at a national conference.

Okay, rant over...thoughts?
 
Wirelessly posted

You did the right thing. I would have done the same. It's not right to try to be something you're not without having actual firsthand experience. Just knowing basic asl doesn't count. They don't know what it's like to be deaf. The woman in charge of the play shouldnt have felt afraid to go out in the deaf community and ask. I know a lot of deaf people who love to act. The play is gonna bomb. Sorry to say.
 
you were right to react that way. i think it's ridiculous for the skit to not have any deaf people in it.. and obviously it's going to suck because the person running it knows NOTHING about the Deaf culture.
 
Doing a 'Deaf' play without Deaf people is like using birth control when you are trying to get pregnant. Neither makes much sense. :shock:

You did the right thing.
 
Emmer :wave: I agree and was thinking would done similar to what you did.

I think your Muslim comparison is very appropriate.
 
Emmer, I am proud of you. But did you take this opportunity to prepare a measured response to your ignorant classmates? A little explanation on your part would go far in educating them about Deaf Culture 101. Do you know what to say? If not, educate yourself for that purpose. I am still a babe in the woods when it comes to Deaf culture but I sure hate it when hearing folk presume to know so much about it. Hang in there, we are on your side!
 
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You totally did the right thing. I hate this appropriation of Deaf culture that hearing people tend to do, particularly newbie ASL students. I'm not sure what they feel gives them the right to do creative projects on subjects they have little to no experience with. Seems like they are sentimentalizing deafness, and that just perpetuates more problems for us.
 
You were correct and I stand up in solidarity with you!

I am reminded of old movies when Hollywood would take any actor, slap makeup on them and make them Native American, Black, Asian or Middle Eastern. Was it right? Heck no!

That "play" isn't going to be very good. And your classmates were 1000% wrong for not supporting you. They are just as incorrect as the woman who is trying to do the play.

Stuff like this makes me so angry!:mad:
 
emmer, if you have any deaf friends you should ask them to come to your class and help with the skit.
 
No, you didn't overreact. The response you got is more than disturbing.
 
Kind of reminds me of the "Black Like Me" book and movie, where the main character is a white man that paints himself to look like a black man. Hard to really get the full experience of being black in a few weeks' time.
 
I think I would have found some deaf people in the school and asked them whether they would like to join. I would have then talked to the teacher about getting them in the play.

Basically, you told the people around you that because they were not deaf they couldn't do the play. Naturally, they were offended, in the same sense you were offended that there were no deaf people in the play, understandably.
 
No you did nothing wrong!! I think it was great that you spoke up, it was too bad no one else had the guts to say anything! This remind me of when of the old cowboys and Indians movies and the Indians where any other race but Native American. And what did that woman mean that about the deaf and hoh people being too far and that she could not just a go and talk them ! This person is trying to made herself look like she is going the 'poor misunderstood' deaf and hoh people a great favor and be our spokesperson!! If I was there I would had backed you up!
 
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good!

rockwell.jpg
 
Emmer, you said the right thing! It's hard being the lone voice in a crowd. We are proud of you!
 
Jiro I like that pic to illustrate a point - where did you find it?
 
Here is what I would do.....Go to the Deaf community and let them know of this situation and let them organize a protest for opening night performance by having signs made up and peacefully draw attention to those attending the play. Ask everyone to boycott the play until the Deaf are included.

BTW: you have a bunch of as wholes for classmates
 
lanapoo said:
Wirelessly posted

You did the right thing. I would have done the same. It's not right to try to be something you're not without having actual firsthand experience. Just knowing basic asl doesn't count. They don't know what it's like to be deaf. The woman in charge of the play shouldnt have felt afraid to go out in the deaf community and ask. I know a lot of deaf people who love to act. The play is gonna bomb. Sorry to say.
Click to expand...

You said it better than I can, and I agree.
You did NOT over react. To me there is no such thing as over reacting. It is after all only human to react to things. To suppress that is unhealthy. Never be afraid to speak up on anything.

The students acting the way they did, shame on them. I wouldn't let it bother you. Hard to do but they are obviously not decent human beings if they snickered at your questions in front of you. Its not worth you feeling bad about yourself.

::hugs::
 
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