From: sbeny@aol.com (Sbeny)
Date: 8 Dec 1994 16:35:21 -0500
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
Message-ID: <3c7u6p$idq@newsbf01.news.aol.com>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.deaf-l

The Ethnocentric Face of Deaf Culture: A Perspective
by Scott Benyacko
 
 A culture is defined by Webster's dictionary as "the integrated pattern
of human behavior that includes thought, speech, action, and artifacts,
and depends on man's capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to
succeeding generations" (274).  The definition goes on to say that a
culture can also be looked at as "the customary beliefs, social forms, and
material traits of a racial, religious, or social group" (274).
 
 Just as many other indigenous populations are making attempts to achieve
cultural minority status in this multicultural salad of 1990's America,
the American deaf community is also attempting to assert itself as a
cultural group.  There are some, however, who would argue that their is
not, in fact, a Deaf culture, and that the entire notion is just a sham. 

 Stephen White, a deaf individual, who states, "I'm deaf," and
qualifies this distinction further by stating, "I have a hearing loss.
I'm not politically or socially affiliated with the people who call
themselves 'Deaf' (with a capital D),"  writes:

 A culture is formed of people who are born and raised in a way of life.
Italians have a culture, Greeks have a culture, Indians have a culture,
every ethnocentric group has a culture. . .Deafness doesn't satisfy
these requirements.  Deaf people aren't born in a specific place and
raised by people who are the same - something that is required for a
cultural identity to form.  People become deaf, people are born deaf,
people are partially deaf, people are profoundly deaf.  There's too
much diversity. . for there ever to be a Deaf Culture.

 That the Deaf have a culture of their own is, however, a valid
assertion given our working definition.  They have their own system of
beliefs; they have their own artifacts and art forms.  They have their own
language system in American Sign Language (ASL).
   
 Within the Deaf community, however, there is a semantic debate that rages
as to what exactly "culturally deaf" means.  The debate ranges between
"deaf," and "Deaf."  A deaf professional from Gallaudet University writes:
Terminologically speaking, there is a big difference between a deaf
person and a Deaf person. .The small 'd' deaf person is referred to (as) a
person who (is) medically/audiologically deaf.  The cap(ital) 'D' Deaf
person is referred to a(s) a person who is culturally Deaf.
As the deaf community struggles to identify itself collectively as a
cultural minority, it must establish a power base.  Just as with other
cultural minorities, there is infighting among members of the community in
an attempt to define just what the term "culturally deaf" means: the
debate between "D"eaf, and "d"eaf, if you will.  Kathy McFadyen, an
individual who identifies herself as hard of hearing, states that ". .
.the difference has nothing to do with the amount of hearing loss.  It's
due mostly to attitude and language."
 
 McFadyen states that, regarding membership in the deaf community, "your
stance on Deaf issues is more important tha(n) actual language
proficiency. . .the Deaf are rather leery of hearing people who seek
entrance to their community (and, based on past history, rightly so, I
believe)."  She goes on, "Years of hearing interference in every aspect of
their lives have made the Deaf suspicious about who they accept.."
 As is becoming evident, there are no clearly defined parameters for
inclusion in the culture of the deaf.  According to Jon Lamberton, a
freshman at Gallaudet University,  "You don't have to do anything to
consider yourself a member of the deaf community.  You just have to feel
like you're a member, and then you're a member.  It's not like a club,
where you have to have a pass to get in.  You just socialize and get
together with deaf people, and you are part of the deaf community, simple
as that."
 
 Scott Jordan, a deaf individual, writes:
  
  In my observation, it has become cultural in a purely tribal sense.
The original intent of the 'deaf culture' was to one of mutual
supportiveness, but the prevailing tribal behavior now turns quite
nasty and xenophobic at times.

 In stating what a person must do in order to consider himself a member of
the deaf community, Jordan lists qualifications that are akin to those of
a cult:  "One must first and foremost cast off pretensions of membership
in mainstream society and totally immerse oneself in the tribal tenets."
 
 Some deaf individuals that view the deaf community in a different light.
When asked what a deaf person must do in order to consider himself a
member of the deaf community, John Campbell, himself deaf, replied,
"Attend events at deaf clubs such as meetings, sports.  Become involved in
organizations like NAD and state organizations. . .In addition, visiting
or attending Gallaudet or NTID or any college with (a) deaf program can
help."
 
 If this is true, it would be logical to conclude that the Deaf community
welcomes all with open arms.  This is not the case with some deaf
individuals.  Scott Jordan, mentioned earlier, expresses his frustration
with the community because of his cochlear implant  (CI):
  
  It's an astonishingly incendiary topic among the Deaf. . .It seems that
the CI is regarded as. . .a threat to recruiting that must be stopped,
by legislative fiat if necessary. . .I have not observed similar
sentiment among any other medical minority (except--no flippancy is
intended--dwarves, whose disdain for platform shoes, etc., has much of
the flavor of that which the Deaf community holds for the CI).
 
 This brings us to an important question: Does the deaf community exhibit
ethnocentric aspects, and if so, what are they?  Once again, we are back
to the determination of just what makes a person "culturally deaf."

 As we have stated, the deaf community tries to assert itself as a
cultural minority, and, as stated, in attempting to define what determines
"cultural deafness," there is a certain selectivity of membership and
ethnocentrism that pervades any minority group, whether it be
African-American, Hispanic, or Deaf.  Ethnocentrism is defined by
Webster's dictionary as "characterized by the belief that one's own group
is superior" (388).
 
 Omer Zak, a deaf individual from Israel states, "So far, I did not see
any ethnocentric aspects in the Deaf Culture in Israel."  Yet, Zak
elaborates, "As far as I know, the Israeli use of the term 'culturally
deaf' is the same as the American use of this term.  We learned the
deaf/Deaf distinction from USA."    Perhaps ethnocentricity is a trait
unique to American Deaf. The politically incorrect dictionary compiled by
Zak shows the different divisions within the deaf community.

 Does the American deaf community exhibit ethnocentric aspects?  Do some
deaf individuals look down on, or scorn other deaf individuals for a
particular reason?

McFadyen states:
  
  There is sometimes also paternalism among Deaf people themselves.
Gally (Gallaudet) graduates in particular, especially the younger one,
seem to feel that they are better than everyone and their attitude is
sometimes remarkably like that of hearing people: they know what is best
for the Deaf community.  Of course the rest of the community resents this
attitude.
 
 Tom Lyczko states, "Discrimination by deaf people against other deaf
people happens 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, 100 years
per century."

 Russell Goddard, a student at Trenton State College who labels himself as
"'deaf," remarks that "the Deaf community are splintered to the point
that the word 'community' seems to be a misnomer.  For example, the CI
debate rages on within the community.  There are people who welcome
implantees, and there are people who don't.  I'd say the jury is out on
this one."
 
 John Campbell tell us he has noticed that "there are lots of 'me'
attitude(s). . .Also, there are deaf people putting down deaf people."
 
 Ward Pettis, a deaf individual, said that "usage of ASL and Deaf Culture
make a big difference if you fit in."
 
 Lamberton, talking of the scene at Gallaudet, feels that "the leaders at
Gally have always been from residential school backgrounds. . .but they
often don't make the effort to involve mainstreamed students who have the
brains but not the experience."
 
 As we have seen, there are many divisive issues within the deaf
community, whether it be the semantic D/deaf debate, Bilingual/Bicultural
education for deaf children, or the idea of cochlear implants.  It is very
evident that the deaf culture movement is in its infancy with a long way
to go.  For as long as people can remember, the deaf have lived under the
hearing yoke, and are only now beginning to throw off the shackles of an
oppressive master, the "audist establishment," as it is called by Harlan
Lane (89).
 
 Tim, a hearing person and audiologist, tells the deaf community, "While
you are working towards inclusion, take some time to set your own house in
order."  The time has come for the deaf community to stand on its own two
feet, and live side by side with the hearing world.   It is clearly
evident, however, that if the deaf community is to do just that, it must
first make certain that it knows how to walk.  Political infighting will
only, in the long run, prove counterproductive and divisive, causing the
deaf community to stumble and fall.


File has been edited and released into The HealthCare Network by:
 
Rick Catania
The Special Needs BBS, Whiting, Indiana
BBS Phone Number (219) 659-0112