‘Unique’ is the best term that can perfectly describe the beautiful month of September, a month that holds the honor of being Deaf and provides an opportunity for society to promote the positive aspects of Deafness and encourage social inclusion.
Deaf awareness is linked to two Deaf employees from the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Library in Washington D.C. The two staff members began teaching their colleagues sign language to ease the communication process.
Deaf Awareness month is a brainchild of the World Federation of the Deaf. It came to be in 1958. This month fundamentally calls for intervention from the governments, non-governmental organizations and the society at large to offer support to the deaf community.
The phenomenon of Deafhood was invented by Doctor Paddy Ladd who also formed the blue ribbon community.
The color blue is a representation of sign language and a portrayal of how important deaf communities cherish their language.
Deaf awareness seeks to promote positive aspects of Deafness and social inclusion of the deaf community. It aims at reducing the barriers to education and employment for those who are Deaf.
It highlights the vitality of ensuring there is equal access to members of our communities.
World day of the Deaf is the last Sunday of September. It airs out the challenges of the deaf while striving to offer solutions in a bid to aid those who are challenged.
Many individuals who are Deaf prefer being referred to as “hard of hearing” or “Deaf” compared to “hearing impaired” which deduces that there is something wrong with them.
Audism is a concept that insinuates that those who can hear are superior to those who cannot. It was devised by American Communication and Language Research in 1975. Tom L. Humphries came up with the term in his doctoral documentation.
It is discrimination against the Deaf including those who were diagnosed from birth or otherwise. It is wrong to feel condescending towards our brothers and sisters.
Let us join hands as we usher in Deaf awareness to fully support the deaf in our community. Let us raise the blue flag high and create well informed perceptions of the deaf.