So you’ve seen the title of this and you are wondering how I have any right to talk about ASL (American Sign Language). I’m not deaf. I’m not hard of hearing. Why would I care? Well, I was a dedicated fan of Switched At Birth from ABC Family (now Freeform). That television show touched on so many hot topics over its seasons on air. It touched on racism, rape, consent, abortion, mental illness, and what might not be deemed a successful career. One of the topics touched on within a few seasons was that deaf or hard of hearing people rarely have any way to communicate with first responders and often get inadequate care or end up in danger of receiving the wrong drugs.
That’s why I believe first responders or police should have at least a loose understanding of sign language. Even a basic understanding of some signs will be a benefit. They’ll be able to know that the person is deaf and simply getting angry and shouting at them will not help. Of course, the biggest problem with police officers is that they require someone’s hands to be still. Surely, you see the problem. Deaf people cannot communicate if their hands are stuck on the wheel. That’s a problem.
As for EMTs or nurses or emergency room personnel, they should also have a better understanding of sign language, especially medical sign language. Should a deaf person come into the ER, and they have an allergy to penicillin or any other drug, they wouldn’t be able to tell anyone. So, if penicillin is administered, and they suffer a severe allergic reaction, whose fault is it?
Deaf people don’t travel around with an interpreter 24/7. They want people to know their language. They need people to know their language. They can’t make someone know their language, as you can’t make anyone learn another language. But, if someone knew it, it would surely make their day go a little bit smoother. Doesn’t anyone want an emergency room visit to go easier?
To be honest, not only these people should learn sign language. Everyone can learn sign language. Just by learning a little bit at a time, it will help any deaf person you come in contact with. It may seem difficult at first, but dedication will go a long way. Any language can be mastered with enough dedication. But, sign language is much more beneficial for anyone. Even hearing parents teach their babies sign language before they can even talk as just a simplified way to know what they want. Deaf dogs are often taught sign language commands.
If you still can’t envision the point I’m trying to get at here, put yourself in their shoes. Imagine what it is like to go around everywhere, not able to hear a single thing in a world where everything is engineered for those who can hear. You’re pulled over by a police officer because you were speeding. He comes up and requests the usual information. But, you can’t hear a single word. You see his mouth moving, but you can’t hear anything. You try to sign that you can’t hear him, that you’re deaf. He gets freaked out by your moving hands and eventually, it all goes downhill. All because the deaf world clashed with the hearing world. It’s saddening that this is the world we must live in. Learn the language, or at least enough to be of some help to those who cannot hear the world around them. They need your help. Additionally, by learning sign language will open you up to a new world of deaf culture that you never knew about.
One last parting advice, don’t treat deaf people as less than someone who is hearing. They’re still people. They still have a mind. They still know what looks people give them in pity. The only thing is that they cannot hear. They speak with their hands and that doesn’t make them any less than someone who speaks with their mouth.
