Frustrated!

[JennyB]

Good point. On the other hand...if you go to Gally, it's gonna be easier to network and thus get jobs and stuff like that. It can be a bugger finding jobs in the mainstream. You can always do a semester "abroad" at Gally maybe?

Actually, jobs and networking aren't really a concern for me. I have my own business already which I am growing throughout University and I am at the point where if I were to graduate tomorrow could do this full time easily. I also am already well respected in my field.

Academically my name is already out there, especially in Linguistics.

 

[deafdyke]

Oh that's good!!!!! And you're not having any social issues or anything? It's just that one 'terp? Is there an organziation or something you could complain to?

 

[JennyB]

Oh that's good!!!!! And you're not having any social issues or anything? It's just that one 'terp? Is there an organziation or something you could complain to?

Oh - within the school there are social issues galore. I have friends in the Deaf community though so it's all good.

I actually had another terp quit on Friday. Not too sure why as she did it all through my accessibility services person and never talked to me. I saw her today in the community and she said hi to me and all seemed fine Now we are desperately try to find an interpreter for each of my classes. That's a bit of a pain in the butt.

I think I will complain to AVLIC which is their national association here. Interpreters aren't regulated in Canada though, which makes it harder.

 

[deafdyke]

Oh - within the school there are social issues galore. I have friends in the Deaf community though so it's all good.

Oh the usual drama?
Yes I well remember the drama......but at least you have a lot of friends in the local eaf community.

 

[JennyB]

Oh the usual drama?
Yes I well remember the drama......but at least you have a lot of friends in the local eaf community.

Um, not so much drama. More fear. They are all absoluted fascinated or terrified by me. Those that are terrified ensure to keep several feet of distance between us, never make eye contact, and move when I sit beside them.

Those that are fascinated do amazingly stupid things like fingerspell entire conversations to me, ask me stupid questions, and in general do stupid things.

 

[Reba]

Um, not so much drama. More fear. They are all absoluted fascinated or terrified by me. Those that are terrified ensure to keep several feet of distance between us, never make eye contact, and move when I sit beside them.

Those that are fascinated do amazingly stupid things like fingerspell entire conversations to me, ask me stupid questions, and in general do stupid things.

Um, well, your signature does say, "Fear me!"

 

[JennyB]

Um, well, your signature does say, "Fear me!"

Haha..and they do. They do...Here is a funny story...

In one of my lectures last year, with about 300 people, I spend the first half of the course sitting in the far left corner. There were only 4 seats there and then aisle and no one ever sat with me. I sat there because the professor taught from that area. On the other side of the aisle there were about 15 seats and those were always full.

Half way through a different professor came in to teach the last half. She stood in the middle of the room so I moved. Suddenly the 4 corner seats were taken. I come in the next week and there is only one person in the middle row. I sat beside him and he gave me this nervous look and moved over a seat. I followed and moved over a seat. We did this 3 times before he stopped moving. My interpreter was killing herself laughing. I traumatized the poor guy.

For the record, I don't smell!

 

[jillio]

Haha..and they do. They do...Here is a funny story...

In one of my lectures last year, with about 300 people, I spend the first half of the course sitting in the far left corner. There were only 4 seats there and then aisle and no one ever sat with me. I sat there because the professor taught from that area. On the other side of the aisle there were about 15 seats and those were always full.

Half way through a different professor came in to teach the last half. She stood in the middle of the room so I moved. Suddenly the 4 corner seats were taken. I come in the next week and there is only one person in the middle row. I sat beside him and he gave me this nervous look and moved over a seat. I followed and moved over a seat. We did this 3 times before he stopped moving. My interpreter was killing herself laughing. I traumatized the poor guy.

For the record, I don't smell!

I would have loved to see that!

 

[Grummer]

me too.
typical really though, it seem weird that despite the so-called 'heightened enlightenment' of realising deaf people can be Deaf, or that there is a certain 'threat' of being accused of discriminating on grounds of 'disability' or plain prejudice, the reverse happens!, they fear more or rather become more avoiding. It's not nice, and even so its not nice at all, Id still would have liked to see what happened in your lecture. Imagine this, if someone recorded this on video...then report this... imagine what the reactions might be like... on the fantasy-world where we would think of the 'ideal' to justice in a form or another, would be like saying this video would be 'proof' of mass discrimination on that one person - you. Can't imagine the fear of fiscal envelope they (the whole university, including students, even this one guy) might face...dammit
I know i admit i went to a flights of fancy here but its just something to ponder eh?
but I dare say, I congrad you Jenny-B for being brave and having this "I dont give a fuck attitude' in your what-seem-to-be-intention-to-show-how-mean-they-really-are tactics. I honesty dont have the guts nor imagination do this, even if it was plainly right under my nose, I am always in fear of the hearing people, whereas you showed clearly it doesnt have to be this way, we can stand up and say no, the truth is you fear me cus im different so 'fuck you', and get over it, I am in this lecture doing what the rest of you are doing, why dont you realise I have the mission, goal to better the world, how come you all don't face it and include me as i am happy to include myself to this activity of learning. My role is that I am a student, maybe I have something to offer, maybe you can offer me your own slants of academic insights?

Kudos to you Jenny-B.
that story is one of the best, even so its 'small' or 'not of great significance as an event' not so! reality is, this particular incident showed just how real prejudice really still exist, right here today, in 2009. We still got a fuck of a lot of work ahead of us! dissapointing and at same time im pleased you showed that we can.

 

[JennyB]

Thanks Grummer!

My experience is that people leave high school and suddenly are terrified of disability or perceived disability. On the weekend I was out with a girl who has Down Syndrome. A young girl, around 4 or 5 years old, came up to me and asked me why my friend looked "different". I explained that she has Down Syndrome and that can make people look a little different sometimes. People are born with it, the same way people are born with red hair or blue eyes. Then I said "I am Deaf. That means I can't hear like you can and that makes me a little different. How are you different?" She thought for a moment and said "I was born really early and that made me smaller." I asked "Can you do everything your friends can even though you are a bit smaller?" She said "yes". I said "Same with the differences that _____and I have. We can do it all even though we are a little different." She smiled- satisfied - and walked away.

Her mother looked at me horrified and apologized profusely. As she was walking away she started to scold the girl. At 5 years old this was already being conditioned that recognizing and interacting with difference is "wrong".

People are fed that their entire lives. When they are finally set free into independence (aka University or College) they go back to these entrenched values that they have been conditioned with. They were taught not to ask questions, not to interact, not to stare, and to outright avoid. They remember the scolding and the negative consequences and from there stems the fear.

That's my theory.

 

[jillio]

Thanks Grummer!

My experience is that people leave high school and suddenly are terrified of disability or perceived disability. On the weekend I was out with a girl who has Down Syndrome. A young girl, around 4 or 5 years old, came up to me and asked me why my friend looked "different". I explained that she has Down Syndrome and that can make people look a little different sometimes. People are born with it, the same way people are born with red hair or blue eyes. Then I said "I am Deaf. That means I can't hear like you can and that makes me a little different. How are you different?" She thought for a moment and said "I was born really early and that made me smaller." I asked "Can you do everything your friends can even though you are a bit smaller?" She said "yes". I said "Same with the differences that _____and I have. We can do it all even though we are a little different." She smiled- satisfied - and walked away.

Her mother looked at me horrified and apologized profusely. As she was walking away she started to scold the girl. At 5 years old this was already being conditioned that recognizing and interacting with difference is "wrong".

People are fed that their entire lives. When they are finally set free into independence (aka University or College) they go back to these entrenched values that they have been conditioned with. They were taught not to ask questions, not to interact, not to stare, and to outright avoid. They remember the scolding and the negative consequences and from there stems the fear.

That's my theory.

What a terrific way to explain it to the child. I am certain that your explanation will stick with her for some time to come, and be responsible for a degree of tolerance on her behalf.

 

[Grummer]

I agree that Jenny's kindness to sow the seeds of self-empowerment and at same time, self-awareness need not to be faced with fear. This sort of message to the child is sure quite profound. I'd try my damnest to remember this excellent way of explaining to another child or anyone with a "disability" but duh I still have um to be brutally honest a self-esteem problem but I'd hope in future that sure as hell I'd wished I had an deaf or blind adult (yes blind even so i could *hear a little while profound i just had that 'right' speech-sound perception that an audiogram dont explain... (at that im sure many of you are similar)* or a dwarf because those words of wisdom are so clear and so *basic* as it is so profound it would be one of the things I'd remember for a long time as I *grow up as as if I had hypotheically this same experience the little girl with downs sydrome did) my mentality would not be all of it 'why me?' but instead the mentality would then be " oh i understand im just a little different they seem afraid cuz they dont know me' i mean like if this was adopted way earlier, it makes a hell of a difference. This 'domino effect' or even like 'the butterfly effect' film, having all this different ways of dealing with encounters as you growing up affects the rest of the life entirely. This can shape how you'd feel about your life as does how others reacts to you,also that you have a 'chance' to tweak a way with people, acquiring skills to get past their ill-judgements. Kinda feel sorry for the girl, as her mother is um, a bitch, not then again not all of her own fault, shes been fed a lot of crap from misinformed (sic) professionals so these damages are done.

 

[defgrl]

Wow!

Hey, I really admire your perseverence! And your answer to that little girl was FANTASTIC!

 

[Dixie]

Thanks Grummer!

My experience is that people leave high school and suddenly are terrified of disability or perceived disability. On the weekend I was out with a girl who has Down Syndrome. A young girl, around 4 or 5 years old, came up to me and asked me why my friend looked "different". I explained that she has Down Syndrome and that can make people look a little different sometimes. People are born with it, the same way people are born with red hair or blue eyes. Then I said "I am Deaf. That means I can't hear like you can and that makes me a little different. How are you different?" She thought for a moment and said "I was born really early and that made me smaller." I asked "Can you do everything your friends can even though you are a bit smaller?" She said "yes". I said "Same with the differences that _____and I have. We can do it all even though we are a little different." She smiled- satisfied - and walked away.

Her mother looked at me horrified and apologized profusely. As she was walking away she started to scold the girl. At 5 years old this was already being conditioned that recognizing and interacting with difference is "wrong".

People are fed that their entire lives. When they are finally set free into independence (aka University or College) they go back to these entrenched values that they have been conditioned with. They were taught not to ask questions, not to interact, not to stare, and to outright avoid. They remember the scolding and the negative consequences and from there stems the fear.

That's my theory.

I think you hit the nail right on the head JennyB. It all starts with childhood experiences that scared us that causes us to become a bit fearful of something as adults.