Deaf Pagan Crossroads

Due to some technical problems, I was unable to embed the video into my first post… I’ve resolved this problem, so I now present to you…

EYES OF DESIRE 2 – THE VIDEO CLIP

(this video is produced in ASL with English subtitles)

If you would like to learn more about Eyes of Desire 2 – A Deaf GLBT Reader, I encourage you to check out Raymond’s website for more information about the book and how to order your own copy!

http://www.handtype.com/books/eod2/index.html

You might recall how, back in March, I wrote a post here at the Crossroads introducing Raymond Luczak, a Deaf man who was gathering together stories for a book titled Eyes of Desire 2: A Deaf GLBT Reader.

I’m happy to report that after several years in the making, the book is coming out the middle of this month!

That’s right, folks… Eyes of Desire 2 is expected to ship by mid-October.

Why not join in the coming out party? Over 85 deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing individuals will be sharing their stories of what it means to be a Deaf Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual or Transgender person – not only here in the United States, but all over the world!

One of the things that I personally found exciting about watching the video was the diversity of spiritual paths that seem to be represented; including Hindu, Paganism, and Witchcraft. As a Deaf Pagan, this was nice to see! When I mentioned this fact to Raymond, he responded by explaining

“Yes, I did strive for more of a diversity in terms of religious belief systems when I worked on this book. I was a bit surprised–and a bit disappointed–that I didn’t get any pieces that focused on religion-based homophobia. Maybe it’s because it’s already common knowledge that due to their selective interpretation of the Bible, many organized religions have given GLBT folks a lot of grief.

Yet, I can’t say that I’m entirely disappointed because a few pagans and witches, all of whom are Deaf, have come forward with their stories. I’m delighted with that, because like any form of sexuality that steps outside the box of heterosexuality, spiritual belief systems that stay outside organized God-centric religions, especially in the Western world, are a constant reminder of how much more work many of us have to go in terms of religious tolerance.

One would do well to read Margot Adler’s book Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today to get a basic understanding and appreciation of these folks who have much to teach us about religious diversity and tolerance. That book has taught me so much back in the 1980s about what it meant to be a spiritual outsider, and to be misunderstood. Being a member of two minorities, I found it easy to sympathize with their situation. While I can’t say that I’m a pagan or even a neo-pagan, I happen to feel that if one is willing to study paganism, I say more power to that person.

It’s rather like a Deaf person trying to learn ASL in secret because as you know, in some families and schools around the country, signing is taboo. I think most Deaf people agree that signing–and knowing that they are indeed *not* alone–has given them the strength to embrace their own “differentness”, and therefore they become stronger individuals in spite of the fact that they live in a sound-centric world. Also, not many people have a lot of initiative to question their own organized religions or examine how or even why some of these beliefs came into being, so any such initiative to consider other avenues of learning should be applauded. It doesn’t mean that they will all become pagans; it means that they’ve learned to look at how the force of religion has shaped us from the outside. That by itself is an invaluable lesson.

I think we’re all here on this planet to question and learn, so anything that helps us learn and appreciate the essence of humanity in each other as well as respect the environment should be encouraged. Paganism and witchcraft are just among many of the choices facing all of us wondering if there’s more to spirituality than just mumbling prayers in church.

I should also mention that I’ve included pieces featuring opinions that I personally disagree with. If I had a controversial opinion to share, I’d want the same respect to be heard, so as editor, I felt morally obligated to give everyone that same respect in the book. It is my hope that readers will give these wonderful Deaf and hearing GLBT people and their straight allies the same respect when they read Eyes of Desire 2: A Deaf GLBT Reader.”

I’m proud to have supported this project, and look forward to receiving my own copy of this book.