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The 18th Letter: What Do You Think About Deaf Power?



Deaf Power promotes the history, languages, and values of Deaf communities all over the world. As both sign and symbol, it spreads our culture pride. (link: www.deafpower.me by Christine Sun Kim and Ravi Vasavan).

Why I write Deaf Power on this blog? I'm a Deaf person and user of sign language, I have much experiences and moments about Deaf identity. Being Deaf identity, I facing discrimination and racism all over the environment and community. I was being Deaf person at five days after birth. The first thing was a medicine and hearing therapy. The doctor and parents were wanted to change my lack into hearing person. So, I was spending time my childhood with medicine and went to hospital. I just got little educated by my mom or my family. I didn't know who was educating me like that. My first life was very a bit little words I've gotten in my life.  I just knew some of words. If you want to compare, you'll be better than me about language. I think so.

I facing two sides in my world. My parents and public community. My parents think Deaf people should be hearing and talking without sign language. In public community, I never get Deaf life support. A sign language isn't mandatory language for Deaf people. It's like our rights was interrupted. We forced to speaking oral method. The teacher claims hearing people can't speak sign language. We were brainwashed at the moment. We believe hearing people can't speak sign language. 

My mom always talked me, "You're Deaf, how are you being independent people in your home? How do you hear an emergency voice? You can't. You need people." And even, she is an over protect mom type. She is too worries me until now. Even though, I could live alone about two years. And, I always want to be independent people like many people. Why? I'm a Deaf, I feeling must to show my Deaf paradigm which people don't think so. Yeah, my parents is audism. Audism is  a form of discrimination aimed at persons who are deaf and the actions that deaf persons do to assist in communication with others. (Tom Harrington and Jacobi Laura, April 2009. What is Audism: Introduction. Gallaudet University: Washington DC, United States).

In public room, I've met many people who didn't know about Deaf. They are assume wrong something. "You're Deaf. You should use hearing aids. Where are your hearing aids?", "You should going to doctor.", "Can you speaking oral method?" The conclusion is Deaf as a disease not as a culture. The Deaf accessibility is  rarely something in Indonesia. Only little Deaf accessibility. We have sign language interpreter on television but only TV news program and smallest sign language interpreter size. I can't understand what are they saying because it's small size. We just get fully Deaf accessibility on Youtube but not all of it and some places. 

I felt angry why I live here, why are everyone never know about Deaf, and why  are my parents also never know about Deaf. The point is people don't know about Deaf. However, I educated by my activists friends who joined Deaf organization. Advocate is one of that best way and solution. We haven't law background or communication studies but we can do it nicely. I obviously get success and failed. Sometimes, I've run out of money and time for that activity. But, I like it because it's my job and my dream to be Deaf equality in Indonesia,

Deaf power is my life and my struggle to realize Deaf equality and reject racism and discrimination. Deaf power invite people want to show justice and equality in all subjects and facilities. We never need Deaf myth and paradigm but we just need two words. Two words is a popular thing. Only two words who needed, With Deaf power campaign, we can get fully Deaf rights and Deaf accessibility in our community. Hearing people will learns us about life experience and they will make unity with us to reject audism and support equality and justice. 

Finally, I want to fight and angry as a Deaf person. I want to join Deaf Power campaign. I hope people or my parents will realizes mistakes before. I hope so. Someday, we will success. Clearly and Best Act for Justice and Equality.

People will understand us soon.

Thank you, everyone!

<0/
*DEAF POWER*

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