I haven't mentioned meeting T. driving up to Wolverhamton last weekend. he told me about "oralism", his experience of growing up in it. this is what he wrote:
"ORALISM: its a theory that if you take a Deaf kid and pretend they're not really deaf, if you force them to use speech however badly, if you prevent them from learning sign language, punish them every time they try to sign, prevent them from meting Deaf adults, tell them nothing about the Deaf's own community or Deaf history, brainwash them into thinking other Deaf people are stupid and to be avoided, then somehow, magically, these kids will become Hearing adults."

"For the last 100 years, oralism's been regarded as the BEST way to teach Deaf kids. Deaf people have been protesting against it for the last 100 years, but they've always been ignored, as Deaf education is controlled by hearing people and there's big money and prestige in oralism, i.e. "teaching Deaf people to speak". It's only in the last ten years that oralism has weakened but its still very strong. the AGB (alexander graham bell) foundation is still around, really powerful, huge headquarters in Washington, pushing oralism in the USA."

T. is a visual artist, performance artist, and film maker. He goes on to say: "I was part of an exhibition on Deaf culture that was going to tour the Smithsonian in the USA. The AGB foundation heard about it and suppressed it. Also, the Holocaust museum wanted to do a separate section on Deafness and oralism, and again that was suppressed."

"In England, the RNID wrecks every attempt by Deaf people to make BSL a nationally recognised language of Deaf people. There were plans a few years ago to set up a Deaf Cultural Centre in London with donated money. The RNID stepped in and took all the donations, and that was the last we heard of it."

(I was reminded of this when Paula G's short film about experiencing oralism was screened that weekend at the Film Festival). T told me about some of his work, which is about Deaf identity, and Deaf culture, and radicalisation of Deafness:
"I've made other pieces in the same vein, about a tree that is diagnosed as Deaf and is "normalised""
"About a Deaf Dinner party, but they are all wearing chains and handcuffs and cant sign."
He then went on to say:
"I once worked building houses in Germany. Now five families live in houses that I helped build, brick by brick. I regard that as just as much part of my production as these films."
An important opinion, and one I and many other artists share with him.

With regard to the film work he is currently trying to make: 'It is important for me as its my first ever Deaf related show, I've only recently started meeting Deaf people and learning sign language." I think he said it has only been in the last 4 years that he has learnt BSL.

Access to equipment , such as editing and mini DV to digital transfer is what he needs here in Bristol, while he is studying at Bristol University, unfortunately the course he is taking cannot provide such access, as it is not "defined as part of my academic studies". and this is where Watershed, and its access and training facilities could help. Something the Sign Hear project is intended to advocate.

m.d.