By Angelina Jain and Vasvi Jain
Being so swamped with our own lives, we often forget about other communities, their customs, and their traditions. One such group is the deaf community – a community which experiences the entirety of this world very differently than us. Although often considered impaired, the deaf community thinks otherwise and have made the most of their circumstances.
To commemorate the sign language community, the United Nations chose the 23rd of September as the International Day of Sign Languages. This day doesn’t just acknowledge the community; it creates awareness about the significance of sign language. First celebrated in 1958 to shine light on the difficulties members of the deaf community face, the International Day of Sign Language has since evolved to include a celebration of their culture and its members’ contributions towards society.
Cultures develop around identity. It is common for people with similar experiences to band together. People tend to be attracted to those who accept them for who they are but also reflect similar values and identities, and the deaf are no different. Deaf culture consists of the set of beliefs, art, behavior, history, and values of communities that use sign language as their primary mode of communication.
Deaf culture matters because society is generally not attuned to a deaf person’s best interests. For them, it creates a strong support system in a society otherwise dominated by people unlike them, connecting them to other deaf people as well as the hearing society through sign language and visual ways of experiencing the world.
In light of modern developments in auditory technology, some dismiss deaf culture as irrelevant. However, as with all cultures, it is ever-evolving, with digital technology incorporating new ways of communicating. It is not what it was in the past, but this does not mean it has declined; it is vibrant.
Deaf culture relies heavily on art as a means of expression, which has given it a powerful cultural voice. It also has a strong tradition of poetry and story-telling, which creates opportunities for the community to grow. Established groups like the Deaf LGBT institution and the Deaf African-American institution also raise awareness about the deaf while also addressing more widely discussed social causes and working towards a better, more equal society for everyone.
The International Day of Sign Languages seeks to acknowledge the presence of those that rely on sign language to communicate with the world as significant. The cause that this day celebrates may not directly affect all of us, but it serves as a reminder of the privileges we take
for granted. It should push us to learn more about deaf culture and how we can be more aware of the trials they face each day.
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