Since Pepsico created a commercial for the Superbowl involving the Deaf community and using sign language in that particular commercial, the AG Bell auditory school of thought (i like calling it that) wrote a letter to Pepsico expressing disappointment.
Personally, I did not view this commercial necessarily as a victory as much as I saw it as a clear recognition of a community. The Deaf Community. Why can’t AG Bell see this as a positive beginning. Afterall, in the past, the hearing world has not recognized any of us: Deaf individuals, deaf or people with hearing loss. Actually, how can we honestly expect an organization as big as AG Bell accept any of us, when we don’t accept each other.
The Deaf community feels they are put on the defensive when people question them about ASL. I certainly understand why the Deaf community feels their culture is being threatened when told to get a CI or learn English or whatever the demand is. The CI community and the hearing loss community are stuck between two worlds, neither of which, really want to deal with us unless a) we sign or b) we hear.
Naturally, I just want us all to get along because if we can’t and we don’t, how can we expect the bigger picture, the world to get along? Communities are very important in our lives, we all need it and we all need to feel accepted.
