Healing the trauma within "Deaf elitism"

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
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SOURCES:
1. Milan Conference - en.wikipedia.org/.../Second_I....
2. A. G. Bell wanting to ban deaf marriage - www.pbs.org/.../throughdea......
3. IDEA - www.handsandvoices.org/.../ed...
4. Gallaudet as a result of Civil War - www.jstor.org/stable/26190659...
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[TRANSCRIPT]
“Deaf elitism” is obviously a deep-rooted 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 blood-related 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)

[@Juniperarrow]

Wow I am impressed with your nuanced thinking/discussion and as a Deaf person from a total solo-mainstreamed background with fluent but hearing-accented ASL, I really appreciate you publicly discussing this topic in your two vlogs and I hope to see more :) I like how you focus on the systems in place and their histories while empathically addressing how many Deaf Elite feel and how many mainstreamed d/Deaf and HOH feel. I have previously taken classes with Dr. Octavian Robinson and I personally think that he is a great role model for these kinds of nuanced discussions. My thoughts on the subject: From my lens as someone who was mainstreamed all the way (and also fairly privileged in other ways) I would say ppl from my background- if they are looking to join the Deaf Community- they/we have likely not grown up with a strong sense of community and acceptance and therefore are hypersensitive to perceived rejection. What we know is rejection so we look for it everywhere. I also think some of us get taken aback by the bluntness of many Deaf people since it’s different and “rude” according to (white?) hearing culture norms. I actually have never really been rejected by Deaf people personally (the worst I have gotten is people making it very clear that I am HOH (not Deaf) and ppl assume that I am hearing all the time when they meet me which privately (emotionally, not logically) triggers me). I won’t lie- I get scared sometimes with new Deaf people re: whether they will judge me. But yeah, some of that is part of being human. HOWEVER, I also feel that many deaf and HOH people who grew up oral do not fully understand how they essentially still grew up in the mainstream hearing culture and inadvertently act on the values of that hearing culture. Many also don’t realize their own privileges in terms of functioning in the hearing world since yes, while we may not be privileged IN the Deaf World, we often can speak clearly enough to be understood, write good English, adapt/assimilate in the hearing world better- ALL things that American hearing culture (the dominant cultural norms) values. If we act on the hearing world’s values, then in a way we are just as threatening as oppressive hearing people (maybe even more threatening??) to ASL as a unique language and the survival of American Deaf Culture which seems to be a very real concern that many Deaf Elites (including yourself it seems) have. I personally strongly encourage people with a similar background as me to learn about Deaf History and Deaf Studies- it makes the Deaf Elitism dynamic way less personal because it’s generally not personal even if it totally feels like it. And of course some people are just not nice people and their behavior simply reflects poorly on them. I would be curious to listen to viewpoints on how intersectional identities and oppressive systems are played out in this Elite Deaf dynamic...because I don’t really see a whole lot of public discussion on that. Thanks for reading this long comment xD Looking forward to more vlogs! (maybe?)

[@katm82]

Really awesome videos, I hope you make more! I appreciate how eloquent and thoughtful you are in this.

[@Shadow.-fn3px]

Well said and I agree with your veiwpoint of "deaf elitism". There is "favoritism" as well especially in a deaf schools. It's funny because we are just a minority compared to a big, big hearing world out there and we have deaf factions among us. 🙄

[@todayiawaken]

[TRANSCRIPT 2/2] So those people who feel disvalued and have trauma from that and want accountability from Deaf elites, I understand. And I ask you, do you also hold the hearing system accountable? Or are hearing people getting a free pass here? Like I mentioned in my previous vlog, everyone on that spectrum has our own privilege. We all have our traumas. And I think we can address different types of trauma and work together to find solutions. What I’m thinking about now is our community’s health. How do we fight the hearing system’s oppression, and at the same time, heal and end oppression within our community? Can we do both, together, at the same time? What can we do? In my previous vlog, I said, “I don’t know where to start”. But since then, one thing has come to mind. That’s why we must have Deaf Studies, from K to 12, for all deaf children. We learn from our country’s history. We learn about world history. Where were deaf people during that time? What kind of battles did deaf people fight during that time? Did you know that Gallaudet was established as an (indirect) result of the Civil War? I learned that from Dr. Octavian Robinson. He is one of the few deaf people with a PhD today in Deaf Studies. I never knew that. Really, the truth is regardless of “Deaf elitism”, we don’t know our own history. That means we don’t understand how to break that cycle of oppression in our own community. We must know our history. That would mean we know who we are. That would mean we become more capable of reframing things and valuing ALL deaf people. Again, this is still only a scratch on the surface. There is much more to think about. All of us - deaf people, members of the Deaf community, and CODAs - are a part of this conversation. You all are welcome to continue this conversation. This is my deaf daughter. Mommy’s talking about our community. I wonder, what kind of community will she grow up in? There are so many Deaf babies out there right now. What will your community look like as you grow up? I just want you to be natural. Do you want milk? Yes. I better go.

[@user-jv4tx2ex7x]

Omg your daughter is so adorable! Agreed well said 🎉😊

[@jamesjsphboyle]

Well said!

[@loubragg23]

Hope thing that we learn for better !

[@MM5620]

What drives elitism is money plain and simple. Deaf need so much help and support this elite tends to ensure they keep needing that bu relentless campaigns about how hearing hate us all, then and put themselves up as 'experts' in deafness and sign and do very nicely thank you. There is NO drive within the deaf area to free them from the straightjacket that is the community, which they state is a right and a choice when its all they have, and their total reliance on sign which is the real issue. The irony is that anyone doing background checks on these elitists will find they are successful because they DON'T rely on sign language and have better education. As per usual it is about control and the uncertain and barely educated deaf are fodder for these people. Obviously they don't want deaf given more options, because their power is gone then.

[@victorortiz983]

🤓that's true!🧐

[@eleanorcarton1090]

your beautiful!! thumb up.

[@MicheleWDeaf]

I’ve said many times that the label “deaf elite” or “deaf elitism” is audist, because that label is often directed against Deaf people who are L1, well educated, have Deaf relatives, and are employed What’s the goal here for the Deaf community? Why attack people for having these things? The goal is for us all to try to make sure everyone is fluent in ASL and educated so that they can get a job etc 1