can we heal the trauma within "Deaf elitism"?

my second video on the topic offers another piece to this dialogue, but it is still only a small part of the topic. many more perspectives to consider, namely by BIPOC and deaf grassroot. i invite further dialogue, for our community health ❤

see my first video here:    • The "Deaf Elite" Spectrum  


SOURCES:
1. Milan Conference https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Second_I....
2. A. G. Bell wanting to ban deaf marriage https://www.pbs.org/.../throughdea......
3. IDEA https://www.handsandvoices.org/.../ed...
4. Gallaudet as a result of Civil War https://www.jstor.org/stable/26190659...


[TRANSCRIPT]

“Deaf elitism” is obviously a deeprooted topic. I see a lot of community dialogues about this and I’ve been thinking about it a lot. In my previous vlog, I talked about that spectrum. On one end of the spectrum are the small percentage of deaf people who were born and raised with language access and a sense of belonging in the Deaf community. They are what many consider “elite”. Other groups on that spectrum include the large number of deaf people who didn’t have the same access growing up then found the Deaf community later in life and wanted to belong, but didn’t feel welcome. I want to recognize that there are many from that background, and some of you have shared your stories. I want to emphasize that your experiences and traumas from “Deaf elitism” is real and valid. I want to make myself clear before I proceed with this vlog. That behavior of rejection, resistance, and judgement is harmful. We must stop that.

Now, this vlog might be hard for some of you, but I would like to bring the same energy, empathy, and compassion to our deaf ancestors. When I say “deaf ancestors”, I don’t mean our actual bloodrelated ancestors. There are very few deaf people who actually come from several generations of deaf families. Most of us don’t. I mean deaf people before our time who preserved the soul of the Deaf community. And CODAs, they are your deaf ancestors too. You were raised by deaf people, so this is your family, too.

So, our deaf ancestors… I want us to really put ourselves in their position. The Deaf community is tiny, and it has endured centuries of systematic oppression and marginalization, and intentional destruction of deaf people’s way of life. From the 1880 Milan conference where they decided to enforce oralism in deaf education without deaf representation in that decision making to A.G. Bell, who tried to ban marriage between two deaf people, and the IDEA law where they wanted to reduce deaf institutes and force deaf people to be mainstreamed because they believed assimilation with hearing society would lead to success. The list goes on. Our community survived through intentional oppression and the intent to destroy our way of life.

So, for that small Deaf community who made it through and survived despite intentional systematic oppression and destruction, there is still that sense of staying together and protecting the only power they have in the world. In this sacred space. Then when outsiders approach, who are from a hearing system, there is resistance. Some things might happen on a deep subconscious level, questions such as… “Why are you here?” “Will you embrace us?” “Do you look down on us for our signing?” “Do you think English is better?” “Deaf schools are closing down… Will you fight with us?” “Will you protect our future for deaf children?” “Once you graduate high school or get your degree, will you leave us?” “Do you not need us?” Just different things that might appear subconsciously from that multigenerational trauma.

And obviously, it’s not that person’s fault. It’s not the deaf person’s fault, who came to the Deaf community. That is a result of the hearing system. Often, it’s a deaf child, or just a deaf individual, who is looking for a community. Again, instead of pointing at each other, we need to look at the system. I recognize that within “Deaf elitism” I know we’re still discussing the term, but we know that means who has the most privilege in the Deaf community. There are also other factors involved, such as being rooted in White supremacy, and different types of privileges. So for other deaf people who feel unwelcome, maybe that sense of rejection is a result of white privilege, or maybe it’s just bullying. Bullying happens everywhere. It’s a common human experience, and that is wrong anywhere. But within the Deaf community, being deaf is another layer added to it. It’s multilayered.

(Transcript continued in comments)