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Traipsing the globe has become a constant activity in my life – ever since I was 12 and chosen to be one of 5 young delegates to attend the Children’s International Summer Village in Paris, France during the summer of 1992. Ever since that experience, I’ve become accustomed to the check-ins, baggage drop-offs, riding economy (and the occasional first class via ass kissing), zigzagging through enormous airports and making it out into an entirely another civilization. But as of late, when my vision deteroriated and I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with how the airport and airline system dealt with Deaf and Deaf Blind people
Take several examples for instance. In 2005 when I was enroute to Seattle from Dulles Airport in Virginia, I encountered a bitchy flight attendant from United Airlines. I walked up to her with my blind cane very visible, and handed her my intinerary and passport. She shot me a glare, and said I missed my afternoon flight and would take the evening flight out instead. I had 15 minutes to spare before the “deadline” to drop baggage off, but she didn’t care at all. She focused on issuing me a ticket, while I tried to wave my note in front of her. The agent “waved” at me to “get lost” and welcomed another hearing couple while I stood there, shocked. The agent didn’t even bother to call for assistance to get me through gates, because, obviously I was legally blind. And what’s more, she never handed me back my passport. Getting agitated, I went back to her and tried to reach for my passport – and she rudely slapped my hand lightly and as I tried to catch a glimpse of her name tag, she covered it up and told me to LEAVE. Pissed and tears swelling up in my eyes, I told the hearing couple that she was holding my passport – and presto change-o, she realized her tiny mistake and handed me my passport without even looking at me.
I marched to the United manager’s office, and I was told I had to wait because the manager was on the phone. It was another woman, and as she walked up to me, another agent caught her attention. She smiled at me, told me to wait here and she attended to a family with “problems” while a Deaf Blind chick was standing there with heavy baggage, in the middle of craziness in a very busy airport. I had to wait ONE hour, with no seat in sight, and I couldn’t even sit down because I just knew someone would trip over me in a sea of bodies.
Finally, the manager approached me with concern and I showed her my story on my Blackberry. She read it diligently, and her expression turned sour. The manager wrote a note: I am sorry it happened. It’ll never happen again. I will get you an escort and you will leave on time. Thank you for flying United.
I wanted to slap her! I had gone through a traumatic experience and that was all she could say? I asked her if the situation would be dealt with and she just nodded yes. Pfftt to her!
Twice, I had sat by the gate, having let the agents know that I would be boarding that flight and they acknowledged me – yet – I had nearly missed both flights! One was out of Toronto, and one was out of Philadelphia. I had noticed there was a line by the gate doors, and it was nearly time for my flight to depart. No agent ever approached me, and I was becoming concerned. Thankfully, my vision allowed me to be alert, and by the end of the line(s), I waited just a few moments. Nada. I got up, walked over with my trusty cane, and asked bluntly: what are you thinking, leaving me there to miss my flight?
Both times, the agents were mortified, and apologized. I got on my flight, wondering if I was fully blind, would I have missed my flight? Heck yes.
One time at the Boston airport, I was led to the gate by a male attendant who obviously had NO clue how to guide a blind person, much less communicate with a Deaf person. He kept walking behind me, his hands on both of my shoulders and “controlling” my body through the maze. I told him to walk alongside me with my arm through his, and he did poorly at that. When steps came up, which I had noticed, he just walked me right to it rather than guiding me to the elevator. A little panicked, I decided to put a little faith in him. Big mistake. He actually lifted my left leg to “alert” me that there were steps, and I lost my balance and fell just one foot away from the steps which descended 30 steps.
I have had more experiences that are traumatic. I could even write a novella about the hijinks of being Deaf Blind traveler… but I’d like to get to the point.
I recently received an invitation from Jim Roots, President of the Canadian Association for the Deaf to write a letter to the Commission on Transportation in British Columbia regarding an investigative hearing brought upon by a case about a Deaf Blind man denied the opportunity to board an Air Canada flight by himself.
The airlines insisted that the man be accompanied by a sighted person, of which consists of another flight ticket that must be paid out of that person’s pocket, rather, than riding free to accommodate Air Canada’s policy.
While I am passionate about individual rights for the Deaf Blind, this issue has got me thinking and thinking and thinking.
Would I prefer to be accompanied by someone on my flights, someone who has ASL skills and experience of working with Deaf Blind people? Yes, but not if it comes out of my pocket. In most situations, if I were to bring an intervenor or Support Service Provider with me on a trip or to a restaurant, I have to cover the expenses of the other person. I simply cannot afford that. But if the airlines were willing to exempt the fare of the Deaf Blind person’s companion, then I am all for it. Makes for easier traveling. I foresee a lot of people taking advantage of this and the airlines would lose a lot of profit.
The other possibility would be to have ALL airports local, statewide, nationally and internationally, employ several sign language interpreters (perhaps 1-2 per shift) that are also trained how to guide a Deaf Blind or hearing blind person and any airline could call upon them to come interpret conversations at the ticketing counter, guide blind people through the airport and tactile in sign language with a Deaf Blind person whether they’d like to go to eat, use the restroom or buy something from a store and safely escort them to their gate and return around boarding time to guide them to their seat and ensure that they understand the emergency exit systems et cetera.
Deaf Blind people like me are fiercely independent, we cannot stand it if hearing sighted people criticize us or make decisions for us. Surely, we cannot hear or see, but we have legs, we have minds of our own, and if an emergency occurred, we’d be prepared through previous ASL instructions or through sensitivity training by the attendants.
I realize that if I were fully blind and unable to communicate with the attendant about my choice of food, there is always a way. Print on Palm is arguably the most easiest way to communicate through simple use of words – whether be it about food choices, drink preferences and even informing us about the ETA (estimated time of arrival).
I would hate to see that our rights are being taken away simply because people who have no idea what it’s like to be “us” decide what’s best for us or decide what we shouldn’t do. I see some common ground where Deaf and the Deaf Blind associations around the world can work together to ensure that the airports in their countries meet their sign language communication/sensitivity training needs because the issue directly impacts both Deaf and Deaf Blind people. In case Deaf people are wondering, what does this have to do with them? Think? If someone planted something in your luggage, and the airport security arrested you with no way to communicate, it would probably take 5-6 hours for an interpreter to arrive on scene from the nearest metropolitan city. Or if an agent is treating you horribly, an interpreter would be there if you ever needed to talk to the manager. It also has benefits where Deaf Blind people are concerned: with accessibility through tactile and guiding, both the Deaf and Deaf Blind people are more able to be independent and enjoy what they paid for through these hefty airport fees. Right?
I will be departing for Nigeria, Africa very soon. I pray there will not be any further traumatizing experiences. I also pray that there are people who will read this and know deep down inside, they have to take action. Right now, for the millions of Deaf and Deaf Blind people worldwide. One airport will surely affect many airports, in a domino effect style.
I look forward to what you can do.
Tactile love,
Christine “Coco” Roschaert
Folks, if you live in the Bay Area, you should come to one or both of these workshops and get to meet me! I am giving two very different workshops, both on the topic of Deaf Blind cultural sensitivity. Read the workshop description and if you feel it fits you, mark it on your calendar and contact Ms. Reis if one of them requires you to register. Hope to see YOU there! xoxo Christine aka Coco
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ANNOUNCEMENT 1:
DEAF-BLIND INTERPRETING AND SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDER (SSP) TECHNIQUES
Open to interpreting students, interpreters, & those fluent in American Sign Language & interested in becoming interpreters/SSPs for deaf-blind professionals in social work, counseling, advocacy & related fields
WHEN: November 2, 2007, Friday, 3-6 pm
WHERE: Deaf Community Center, 1550 San Leandro Blvd; Across the street from BART San Leandro
PRESENTERS: Christine Roschaert, (lead presenter)
Creator of website,
Tactile the World
&
Rossana Reis, (co-presenter)
Client Support Specialist at DCARA
COST: Free
TO REGISTER, PLEASE CONTACT:
ROSSANA REIS
VP/TTY: 510-351-3190
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Nov. 1, 2007
ANNOUNCEMENT 2:
DEVELOPING A PARTNERSHIP: DEAF AND DEAFBLIND COMMUNITIES
Open to Deaf & Deaf-Blind (DB) communities including leaders of Deaf/DB organizations, v/bloggers, sighted friends, family, partners of DB people, & more! Informative workshop on communication, forms of blindness, social & workplace sensitivity & ongoing issues between Deaf and Deaf-Blind people.
WHEN: November 2, 2007
Friday, 7-9 pm
WHERE: Deaf Community Center
1550 San Leandro Blvd,
San Leandro, CA
Across from BART San Leandro
PRESENTER: Christine Roschaert,
Creator of website,“Tactile the World “
COST: FREE!
CONTACT: ROSSANA REIS
VP/TTY: 510-351-3190
In the past two weeks, it’s been a whirlwind of lectures, paperwork, moving boxes and laptop glitches. But hopefully the routine will become a little quieter, with more free time to go over a skyscraper of emails and start blogging again.
The first thing I did when I found a computer: go to www.deafread.com. That’s the numero uno website to which I pledge my loyalty; my knowledge is enriched and amused by the various mindsets and emotions of vloggers/bloggers nationwide and internationally…. who call themselves members of the Deaf community. I learn so much about the trials and tribulations of cochlear implanted people, of people who turned to Deafhood later in their adulthood, animated stories by vloggers, sensitive issues put out there by Deaf or Hearing people that mostly other people dare not ask or talk about, and learning from a growing base of resources of Deafhood. Deafread, by far, is the most intelligent idea that has occured in the Deaf community in this cyberage. I’m forever grateful for that and as I become completely blind, I still aim to read Deafread first thing in the morning.I have, and I am sure other DeafBlind folks have too, emailed the DeafRead team occassionally on how to improve readability and we’ve often seen wonderful strides of changes. I had my black background/yellow font on by default, and it was such a delight to be able to read at least ONE accessible website out of billions. Now that DeafRead has turned over a new leaf, I found myself becoming frustrated with lack of accessibility, and the word has resonated across the DeafBlind pond, also. What happened to the hard work that the DeafRead team did to ensure accessibility for the blind “sector” of the Deaf community?
Our ability to choose colored backgrounds is gone. Bring that back immediately! I cannot bear to read DeafRead because it isn’t “easy on the eyes” anymore. I even wonder if anyone else with a refreshable Braille display on their computers can read the new Deafread?
We are also pondering whether DeafRead should be more vigilant with their role as administrators for that site, encouraging vloggers to transcribe AND subtitle their sites? They could seek out a list of volunteers who enjoy doing one or both of these. Offer programs for subtitling for people who use PCs instead of Macs. Someone could think of a new business strategy, charging each vlogger for transcribing and/or subtitling services and profit from it? I would most gladly pay a sensible sum to have my vlogs captioned or transcribed.
But it’s up to the Deafread team to allow that to happen. They have to continuously keep Deaf Blind readers in mind, constantly reminding themselves that accessibility through large print, contrast backgrounds, braille displays and transcribing is not only necessary but it’s required.
Many of the Deaf Blind people nationwide were Deaf growing up in Deaf insititutions. Some of us even continued on to post secondary Deaf colleges. Most of us still associate ourselves with Deaf people despite our blindness. Having the Deafhood experience be a constant companion on our journey through Deafblindhood, we still want to exist in the Deaf world. After all, we’re Deaf 1st, blind 2nd.
Technology and society nowadays is becoming so fast paced, it’s become difficult for us DB folks to keep up, but it’s a much worse feeling being intentionally or unintentionally oppressed or excluded by our Deaf peers. The very Deaf peers that went to school with us, grew up on the same street, or circle of friends, and/or worked with us alongside our journey into Deafhood are the very ones who aren’t educating themselves, fighting enough or being sensitive about the impending needs of the DeafBlind to be on par with everything else tech and socially.
I and a lot of other DeafBlind folks would still like to remain on the same page as our Deaf fellows, and we hope that someday it will “pierce their minds” that everything they do (fighting for accessibility, improving services, modifying websites, adding new pager features) that they will remember that they have a friend, family, confidante, colleague, classmate, coworker, parent, child, community leader that is DeafBlind and ask/recommend/implement for changes that will affect us too.
tactile love,
Coco
aka
Christine Roschaert
