In a comment posted in response to my recent Post “Out of the Broom Closet,” Curious Wind makes some interesting statements:
“The constant inquiries I see about ASL signs for words like “solstice” tell me that there are people who are needing to sign these words to other people, whether in conversation or ritual. But that we haven’t found this ASL resource tells me we’re not being public enough — at least, public in a way that pagan terminology can be owned and disseminated by Deaf pagans.”
This has gotten me thinking.
Are Deaf Pagans not being “public enough?” Are we hiding in the broom closet, afraid to tell anyone about our spiritual beliefs? Are we afraid of what other Deaf people might think? Are we afraid of what other Deaf people might say about us?
I know some Deaf Pagans who have said they felt like they were the “only Deaf Pagan on the earth!” Clearly, there are problems with being able to find other Deaf Pagans. Is it that there are not very many Deaf Pagans in the United States? That we don’t get an opportunity to get together with other Deaf Pagans and talk about ASL signs for Pagan vocabulary like “solstice” and “witch” and “magick” and so forth?
Is this why there is no resource for ASL Pagan signs?
How do we deal with this issue? Do we need to make ourselves more public? Do we need to find a way to meet with one another and discuss what signs we use in rituals, etc. so that we can own and share these signs with one another, and with the community at large?
Something to think about…
Any thoughts? Comments? Feedback? Share with us below!
This sculpture shows the sign for "connect"...and that is what Deaf Pagan Crossroads is all about - making connections. Connections between Deafhood and Paganism, connections between the Deaf Community and the Hearing Community, connections between myself as the writer and you as the reader. I hope you will take the time to read my various posts, some of which are listed below. Welcome to the Crossroads, and I hope you make some connections here!
I found a whole book of Christian signs at the school lending library.
That’s the interesting thing, Mist Raven.
You’re right – books about Christian signs are available…and I have seen a book on religious signs that attempted to show signs related to various religions, but I have seen nothing that makes any real attempt to show Pagan signs.
So the question becomes one of…WHY is there no book, no video, no resource on Pagan signs?
Is it because there is enough of a “Deaf Christian Ministry” to have created a need for Christian sign books? That the Deaf Christian community is out in the public and therefore has made itself and its specific vocabulary known, so that it can be collected together into a resource such as a book or video?
I think that is the point Curious Wind is trying to make – we cannot create a resource for this kind of information until we ourselves start coming out of the broom closet and acknowledging that we have these signs…or have a need for such signs.
I have my own vocabulary of signs that I use for rituals, discussions, etc. What about other Deaf Pagans? What signs do they use? How did they come up with these signs?
Until we start coming out and coming together as a community within ourselves, I fear we will never find out what those signs are.
Another thought – in the same MJ article I was talking about, she also says that one difference between Deaf Americans (and possibly international Deafies – I dunno), and hearing Americans is that the former value strong group identity, while hearing Americans value individuality.
I’m not sure I entirely agree with her yet, but in this specific discussion about whether we have the critical mass of out of the broom closet pagans to spread our pagan signs, it’s an interesting thought.
Another interesting comment, Curious Wind.
Group identity vs. Individuality. Deaf vs. Hearing.
Another good subject for a post…HA!
But in any case – while I am not sure I entirely agree either, I can see where MJ is coming from with her article. I do think there is a strong sense of “group identity” amongst the Deaf Community.
But what about the Pagan Community?
Does this same strong sense of a “group identity” exist within the Pagan Community?
It does seem that many Pagans I know are quick to identify themselves as such, regardless as to whether or not they practice as part of a group, or more as a solitary. Pagans will often “seek out” other Pagans to get together with, surf the internet for Pagan blogs and websites, attend Pagan events (such as Pagan Pride Day, etc.) and so forth.
Is it because much like the Deaf Community…Pagans do have a community to identify with? A community that has its own values, beliefs, behaviors, social norms, etc.?
And while we may not have our own “language” per se…we certainly have our own vocabulary, which is not widely known to those outside of the community. How many non-Pagan folks understand Merry Meet and Merry Part? Widdershins and deosil? Harm None? As Above, So Below?
While there is certainly individuality within the Pagan Community, just as there is within the Deaf Community…
I can’t help thinking this “group identity” concept is one of those interesting commonalities between the two.
I found while I lived in Maryland, I can be very open about my religion and my beliefs. Folks (including strangers, friends and co-workers) would ask questions about my practices and I would be informative. Sometimes I would invite a friend or two to go with me to a pagan event so they’d have a better idea of what I believe in and practice. That helped a lot. However since I moved to Colorado (for college education), to my dismay, the deaf community here is very tight-knit and very suspicious of anyone who is ‘different.’ In the past, often someone asked me what I believe in, I’d say “I practice paganism.” They’d go “huh?” I’d explain a bit, and then they’d say “like satanism?” I would gently explain the differences and that we dont believe in satan, etc.. There would be a sudden ice silence and an awkward “Look at time, I have to go!” The speed the person leaves would beat the hare rabbit’s speed. So in time, I decided to “go back in the broom closet.” I don’t like it but I just don’t like to be alone either. So either I am an open pagan and be isolated from the deaf community or be accepted in the deaf community and say nothing about my beliefs. You can decide which I picked.
That’s one of many reasons why I look forward to return to Maryland this summer…
You bring up a good point, Wolfers.
I talk about this “Broom Closet” issue a bit in my blog “Out of the Broom Closet”…but now that I think about it, I do have to admit that while I am probably more open than many, I still have found that in certain circumstances I have to be much more closeted that I would like to be. The area I currently live in isn’t exactly Pagan-Friendly, and truthfully I have pretty much kept my Paganism under wraps here. Now, people probably DO know as a result of this blog site, but it’s not acknowledged or discussed.
So I can appreciate your feelings.
Hmmmmm…that might make for an interesting subject for a blog!
hemmm hadnt thought of that, that it might be harder for a deaf person to come out of the preverbal broomcloset than a hearing person. being a hearing person im only half way out my self. i test the waters before i tell any one im pagan. not because im ashamed but, just dont want to put up with the crap. WHAT YOU DONT WORSHIP J CHRIST the reaction i get fom some. so i bring up some wiccan topics and if i get a non violent reaction i bring it up. but i can imagion that it might be a might harder for a deaf person.
I don’t know if it is necessarily harder for a deaf person, birch…but I do agree that there are circumstances that would make it a little more “challenging” so to speak. The Deaf Community is more close-knit, and people do know of others, so the word can get around much faster.
Yes, we have our narrow-minded folks in the Deaf Community, but you find such people anywhere, in all sorts of communities – deaf or hearing, black or white, young or old, etc. etc. There are going to be people who will have a hard time with the whole Paganism thing, and like you say, are going to have reactions such as that “don’t worship Jesus” issue.
But because the Deaf Community in many places does tend to be smaller and a bit “limited,” you are sometimes forced into making the sort of decisions that Wolfers has had to make, living in an area where people are more suspicious of anything they label “different.” You might not have the option of moving on to a different group that is more open-minded and accepting, so you have to do the best you can with the community you have.
So yes, I suppose in some ways it is harder…you’re kinda “damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”
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