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Why Are Men Less Interested in Learning Sign Language?

Source: Why Great Sign Language Interpreters Are So Animated
https://cdn.theatlantic.com/media/mt/food/g1%20615.jpg

As a sign language teacher, I would notice that so many women are more interested to learn sign language than men. All my classes tend to be dominated by women. I don't know why it happens. We discussed how to recruit more male prospective students in our class but it was tough to find it and still accept the dominated women. For example, a class has 20 students consisting of only 3 men and 17 women.

I was reading two websites that linked wondering about what women are more interested to learn sign language than men. There were just opinions and not research. I taught students of the fifty-fifty by 2 women and 2 men of 6 students and it was in 2021 when we limited the students' quota due to pandemics.  That was far fair in my teaching experience. I have never seen all male-dominated in my sign language class. You can read the links here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/asl/comments/dm37uc/why_are_there_so_many_less_men_who_learn_asl/

https://patenttranslator.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/why-are-all-sign-language-interpreters-women/#:~:text=the%20first%20reason%20is%20that,%2C%20analyzing%2C%20and%20signing%20simultaneously.

I'm a teacher, not a researcher so I'm going to write it as my opinion based on my teaching experience. To me personally, women multitasker, socialize, and express more than men who have less expression, socialize, and do not multitasker typically. Women love sign language because it looks funny, the facial expression, considered sign language is cool, and other personal opinions. Men do not tend to be many moving a lot and aren't more expressive. That was I asked about it them. Sign language interpreters are dominated by women and only below 5 men sign language interpreters in Jogja. Meanwhile, the Deaf population in Jogja is dominated by men than women. Doesn't it ironic?

I was just looking at the ASL interpreters' statistics and it was shocking to me. Based on Zippia in Sign Language Interpreter Demographics and Statistics in the United States (source: https://www.zippia.com/sign-language-interpreter-jobs/demographics/), an updated study shoots-up that only 24.1 % of males, smaller than are 75.9% of females in 2022. I believe female interpreters have dominated jobs in the industry in Indonesia neither professional nor voluntary.

I'm going to be glad to teach them regardless of what their gender is, but I always wish for more fair and more male students in my class. But, it looks impossible because every sign language opened, would more women want to learn sign language. I've read it on Reddit, and that was one of the comments that said that not just sign language but all foreign languages are also dominated by women students, and women are dominated working as an interpreter. I don't know if that is true or not, but absolutely very true if that is sign language. 

However, that'll be great if women have more chances than men. I'm going to support female rights, such as equal pay, getting more leaves, being fully paid during leaves, protection, and some kinds of stuff because this is extremely crucial. Like I always root for women's sports because I want to see all girls playing sports. 

For me, I don't know because no one research says it yet and I only can assume it based on my teaching experience. I would appreciate it if anyone wants to learn sign language and just join us. Sign language is fun, trust me.

Thanks, everyone!

Comments

Esfie Lukmawati said…
Yes, sign language is fun!
June 15, 2022 at 11:51 AM
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