Lydia Callis, signed language interpreter for New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg, is getting a lot of attention these days for her interpreting during Hurricane Sandy. She’s been spoofed on Chelsea Handler’s show, she has Tumblrs dedicated to her, and she’s even been named Hot Slut of the Day by Dlisted. Why all the attention? Is it because she’s an attractive woman doing…
Tag: Deaf People
Finding My Name Sign
My first name sign was given to me by a hearing person. The A handshape tapped squarely in the feminine area on my cheek. It weathered years in a mainstreamed classroom, and traveled with me to the deaf school in eighth grade. The deaf school was also my eye-opening immersion into Deaf culture and history.…
Indiana School for the Deaf vs. Hear Indiana
Maybe you have been hearing stories coming out of Indiana and wondered what the fuss was all about. To understand the situation in Indiana, you need to know the back story. I will give you a hint upfront: oralists are up to no good. The back story begins with Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD).…
It Gets Better – on National TV
It all started with Teresa’s article last fall, “It Gets Better. It Really Does.” She called for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people to make similar videos IN ASL for deaf youth everywhere. I took her idea and ran with it, making my own video. 25 more videos soon followed. And then my video somehow made its way…
Way to Represent!
Countless deaf people tuned in last night to watch the finale of Celebrity Apprentice for one reason: to find out if Marlee Matlin won. Ah, Marlee. If she and the deaf community declared on Facebook that they were in a relationship, the status update would read, “and it’s complicated.” On one hand, she is our…
What Is Bigotry Against Deaf People? Audism.
[Editor’s note: The article you are about to read first appeared in Dailykos.com on 12/08/10. The thread referred to in the first sentence is taken from a discussion that followed a different article. Reviewing this may be helpful in establishing context.] Judging from this thread, not many people are aware about how their comments can offend and hurt those who are deaf and hard of hearing, and…
Why Deaf Women Date Hearing Men (Or Don’t!)
As a confidante of several deaf and hearing girlfriends, I have been exposed to issues that come up when dating deaf and hearing men. I decided to enlist the help of my girlfriends and find out what it is like to date a hearing man. One of the things I was surprised by during my research…
Teaching Hearing People Cued Speech…
…it’s not just about mechanics and understanding which “th” words are voiced and which are voiceless. (Yes, the “th” is different depending on the word!) It’s about collaboration, understanding, and communication. Oh, and motivation. Not mine. Theirs. But, first… a bit about me. I’m a native cuer. I’m also deaf—profoundly deaf. And I don’t exactly…