Because three is one of my favorite numbers, I like to do things in threes. Thus this is my third and final post on the CSI episode featuring the Deaf actors and actresses. Overkill? Maybe – but there are a number of different topics from that show that one can focus on, and I’ve chosen to do so in separate posts. Anyone who knows me knows I’m famous for long and rambling writings. I figured I would take pity on my readers and cut them into three nice and more readable pieces. So enjoy this final post wrapping up my thoughts…
In my second post I shared a Facebook comment made by “Deaf Dude” in response to my inquiry to friends on what they thought about this episode.
Now it’s the lady’s turn. “Deaf Dudette” had some thoughts to share as well:
Things that irritated me:
1) the appearance of a TTY
2) interpreters being everywhere — the PD would usually supply these
3) a printed transcript of a voicemail for a deaf character found in the trashcan as evidence. REALLY?
4) I got so excited about finally having a show with deafies in it that is just about them being people… and then in the end it ended up going back to being the hearing/deaf thing that fueled the crime.
5) a CODA with an ASL mom who can barely sign
6) Marlee Matlin’s atrocious melodramatic acting. I actually like Marlee but this wasn’t her best, and she certainly wasn’t helped by the triteness of the script.
7) The weird slow signing deaf people do on TV. It just never looks natural.
7) like you said Osh, ignoring the NUMBER ONE thing deaf people do when they meet each other: where you from, where’d you go to school, who do we both know? But then again, if a deaf person consulted on this script the episode would probably have fallen through… and ok, I’ll shut up now.
I would never tell you to shut up, Dudette. Actually, I think you’ve made some valid points here.
Let’s start with addressing your first complaint – the TTY thing.
I agree with you. In today’s day and age, for a television program to still show these antiquated telecommunication devices was a pretty bad judgment call.
Now, while I am sure most members of the Deaf Community were probably rolling their eyes, groaning, and thinking “what the heck are those things doing in this show?” my hearing readers are likely wondering why we’re so irritated about such. So let me explain this here and now…
TTYs are pretty much obsolete, folks.
I can’t remember the last time I used one. I don’t even have one any more, and neither do a lot of my Deaf friends. At my last Deaf Services position out in California, while I did have a TTY in the office it usually just sat around in the corner of my desk gathering dust. You might find the occasional Deaf Senior who still uses one. Perhaps the individual living out in the boonies where there’s no cable or high-speed internet available, or maybe the Deaf person who although living in the big city, doesn’t have the funds to afford such service.
Nowadays most Deaf people prefer to communicate via a VideoPhone – a system much like using a webcam or Skype… which allows for visual communication utilizing American Sign Language (ASL) – the natural language of the Deaf Community. In addition, we use such a device to contact Video Relay Services, which allows us to make telephone calls via a sign language interpreter who appears on the screen to translate the call for us. Most Deaf people can get such a device at no cost, and make phone calls free of charge. The devices do work over high speed internet lines, thus the need to have such service available – which the Deaf person does have to pay for. Hence the reason why some folks don’t have one…although my experience is that they would still prefer to use a public one at the Deaf Services agency or in the library or similar location rather than resort to typing on a TTY.
Like I said…TTYs belong in the stone age.
Now to discuss the comment about the CODA’s poor signing skills.
For those of you who do not know…CODA stands for “Child of Deaf Adults” – the hearing son or daughter of Deaf parents. It usually refers to an adult, while KODA with a K means “Kid”…a juvenile child.
While I do understand where “Deaf Dudette” is coming from, and can appreciate her irritation, I would like to offer up some thoughts of my own on this subject…
I feel we need to get away from the thought that all CODAs have great ASL skills.
Yes, I realize that it’s a common expectation. I think it’s fueled to a certain extent from the fact that the majority of CODAs that we come in contact with do in fact have that high level of proficiency – because they have chosen to maintain such. They have taken their background and utilized it to their (and our) advantage by going into professions within the Deaf Community – such as interpreting, teaching, etc.
But in my experience of working in the Deaf Community, I have met family members of Deaf individuals who did not sign any better than Gil did in this program…and that included some children of ASL parents. For every CODA who does grow up to become a certified interpreter, there are others who choose to go to college and study some other profession, and then may end up getting a job and moving away to another area, where they don’t interact with Deaf people. As the saying goes… “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
So were Gil’s signing skills poor? Yes. Were they unrealistic? Not necessarily. Considering that he only sees his wife once a month, can you expect that he sees his Deaf mother (who is probably the only person he uses his signing skills with) any more often?
Okay…yes, he could call her on one of those above-mentioned videophones, and thus be able to keep in touch and practice his signing skills at the same time. But we have to remember that such visual telecommunication devices are a fairly new thing… and Gil isn’t a young man – he’s in his fifties, so he’s probably been on his own for thirty years or more. Actually his skills were not that horrible. While not the greatest, they weren’t the worst either. I’ve seen some pretty atrocious signing in my lifetime – not only on television, but in real life. At least Gil was comprehensible, even if he wasn’t very fluent.
The hearing/deaf thing? I don’t think you’re ever going to get rid of that. As long as most of society continues to be woefully ignorant about Deaf Culture and the Deaf Community, it’s always going to be about the hearing/deaf thing. Yes, I think television exploits it and exaggerates it, but that’s the nature of the beast.
Overall, I think the episode did have its strengths and its weaknesses. I’ve discussed some of those weaknesses in my three posts. The strengths are perhaps a little more subtle and not as obvious. I did think Phyllis Frelich did an excellent job with her role. I liked what fellow blogger Deaf Pundit had to say:
Phyllis Frelich particularly shone in this episode – she was perfectly cast. The character was a vibrant, brilliant and opinionated woman who knew exactly what she’s doing and made sure everyone else knew it too!
Yup…gotta admire a woman like that.
I also agree with Deaf Pundit that this episode was educational for those who have had little exposure to the Deaf Community. It was a chance for them to learn a little about American Sign Language, about Deaf Culture, and about the fact that Deaf people can and do live normal lives as happy, intelligent, productive members of society. We work and we play. We laugh and we cry. We love and we hate. We enjoy music, sex, and going out for dinner with family members – just like the majority of folks do.
Yes, we have our differences…
but those differences don’t have to make any difference.
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!
Deaf Pagan Crossroads 
There are people live in the rural where theres no high speed internet is available and can’t afford a cellphone. Plus, banks and such make you use tty (and it is good for emergency if you still have a phone line) so yes people still use it. Dont’t throw out your tty.
I agree that if you live in a rural area, a TTY might be your only option…but as I said, most Deaf people do prefer to use VPs.
You can now use VRS services to call 911…so the need to have a TTY for emergency purposes is no longer valid. And even if the electricity dies in my home, I still make calls on my laptop, since I have a VRS system downloaded on it and WiFi in my home.
I’m not familiar with a bank requiring that you must call on a TTY comes from. If in fact there are banks refusing to accept VRS calls, then I would have some serious concerns about whether or not they are violating federal laws regarding accessibility and reasonable accommodations. I’ve never had any problems using VRS to call my bank or any other place of business. Besides, I do a lot of my business on-line via websites and email.
Certainly, if one wishes to keep their TTY they are certainly free to do so… but I think many of the reasons for keeping a TTY no longer apply.
1.2% of the deaf community uses videophones 98.5% uses TTYs.
TTYs may see old tech but they are a necessity for the majority. Less than 10 years from now sign language will be heading to obsolence.
Would you mind quoting your sources? I would love to know where you got your figures.
If you are talking about ALL people with hearing loss, then your statement may be accurate from the standpoint that only a small percentage of those with hearing loss actually know and use sign language.
But a lot of those same individuals don’t necessarily use TTYs either. Many of them prefer to use amplified phones, or if they do use a TTY kind of phone, it’s a Cap-Tel and not an old-fashioned teletype phone…since most of these individuals are oral and do use their voices.
Again…as I said, if you can provide a reliable source for your statement, that would be helpful.
Otherwise the fact that you’ve chosen to remain anonymous and provide a bogus email address pretty much invalidates your comment in my eyes.
I think Anonymous belong to Richard Roehm who advocate to believe TTY is top priority than VP even today is 2011.
Richard.. Get over with TTY!
bgmaron8
Dr. Stika a distingushed researcher from UCSD has been in the lecture circuit with these numbers and in case you forgot your math .3 of that are captel users. Add it up.
Bigmoron8 I’m smarter than RR.
Maybe in your world! Of all the Deaf I know, about 98% use the video phone. They also use texting but now want to get the cell phone with video chatting.
Wireless systems in the home are electrically powered, so if the electricity were to go out, so does the entire system: internet cable, wireless modem and all.
That happened to me not long ago. My power went out and so did the wireless and cable modem. I had a backup power source that was good for fifteen minutes, so the computer stayed on. Unfortunately, the modem was not plugged into it.
A TTY still sits on my desk because there are some friends who prefer to use it rather than the VP. As a backup 911 system and as a fax line, I keep my phone line on a basic meter-rate plan that costs less than $20 a month.
Backup power boxes are available that are rated from 15 minutes up to an hour. I’m considering upgrading.
Cap-tel (clear caption probably will be more popular as it allow deaf to hear with HAs or CI) is internet based. Again, if electrity goes out, so does your internet unless you have mifi or data plan wireless through your cellphone company. VCO tty is for deaf who like to use their voice. This VCO tty phone is know as uniphone 1140 and it also have amplified headset and hearing aid compatible.
I just realize that captel allow deaf to listen too
LOL
Well, Dudette made some valid points alright…BUT!
TTY’s are still around, I have it. My husband refuses to use a video phone. Many government agencies still have em. Which is why they tell you to call back on a TTY and the deaf person would be out of patience trying to explain that they don’t have TTY anymore and that TTY is obsolete!!
In fact, I still have CapTel and TTY in my office, I rarely use them. I prefer emails and will use Video Phone with VCO if and when it is given to me (it’s coming, they say). So, I use the regular phone with volume control.
As for CODA not signing fluently with an ASL mom. Hmm, that happens. It depends on the parents whether they voice over or use no voice when communicating with their children. My kids all varies in fluency. Oldest being more fluent than others. I do know of deaf parents who do not speak at all and their kids are awesome in signing. I think we need to respect the differences.
As for the print out of voice mail. I wonder if that is really out there? I never heard of it.
It is a TV show, right? ;o)
I stand corrected.
Thank you to Dianrez and others who have pointed out that TTYs still have a place in our community; although I do think we can all agree that their usage has declined over the years as other options have become available – email, text messaging, AIM chat, smart phones, VP, etc.
My main point was to educate my hearing readership that TTYs are not the only mode of communication out there, nor are they necessarily the most popular one any longer. Hence, you may find that TTY sitting on the counter isn’t going to get as much use these days. Candy pointed that out – although she still has the devices in her office, she rarely uses them.
As for losing your service when the power goes out… you’re right, I goofed. I didn’t stop to think that our modems and routers and the like are still based on having electricity. I do have wireless internet service available thru my cell phone carrier (Verizon), so I would still have access. But yes, there would be some limitations. Verizon’s wireless is not capable of operating on-line VRS systems (at least not in this area).
My old TTY died a few years ago and I didn’t bother to try and replace it. I figured I have enuff other options available to me (wireless smart phone and internet, VP, WiFi, etc.) that it just didn’t justify my doing so. I suppose if I still did have a working TTY I would have a phone line and keep it handy for emergencies.
Again, my thanks to those who commented and shared important information that is valuable to all of us. I appreciate your doing so.
Was thinking about your post today and ah! Thought of something positive to say!
They DID do a good job of casting the killer. He signed well enough that I believed he was deaf. Maybe that was just me or maybe I didn’t pay enough attention to him. But he’s an accomplished actor who signed well enough to fit the role. Kudos for that, at least.
As for the TTY question, we also should not forget our fellow deaf-blind community. I don’t know the specifics but one DB friend of mine used to advocate for greater TTY accessibility even as VPs were taking over, and I gleaned that TTYs were better for the DB community in some way. And though no one I know uses a TTY anymore, those who refuse to VP resort instead to text messaging or text relay, which is indeed much much more widely used than VP or VRS.
Would you mind explaining what you mean by the hearing/deaf thing? I’m a hearing 16 year old who’s adored learning ASL since I was little (especially since my best friend is deaf) and I aspire to have a career in the deaf community. I don’t understand what you mean by the hearing/deaf thing being the “nature of the beast”. My friend has told me that she doesn’t feel totally comfortable being around the majority of my hearing friends and she’s mentioned that the deaf kids at our high school kind of hold a grudge against the hearing kids. Being hearing myself and not having a lot of contact with the deaf community, I was wondering if there is really that much animosity between the hearing and deaf communities? Honestly, I have never experienced it, but then again, I haven’t had enough experience to really know.
INDIA, how much do you use your hearing to get by your daily life as far as technology and communications? Some people don’t realize the visual needs.they continue to accomadate people with hearing without considering that there are thosands of people with a hearing loss and they think slapping on a hearing aid will fix it. If they would just be considerate and make sure we are included, by providing visual (or feel/ vibration) just like how they include
Sounds for the hearing.. I don’t think you want your world cut off either when your eyes or other part of your sensory works just fine if you loss your hearing.
Also, how do you feel about deaf people, do you pity them or do you accept them who they are?
A third thing to think about: some hearing think they know more than deaf. That deaf people just don’t know better. But they do, but they have a different view of life.
India — what’s meant by “the deaf/hearing thing” is the tendency some people — either deaf or hearing — have in making any story or situation in which a deaf person appears about their pathological inability to hear.
It’s often not because a person who is deaf happens to be interesting or have a neat hobby that you pay attention… Instead, you pay attention because they’re deaf.
Re: the CSI episode, it initially looked like it was an intrigue about illicit affairs and academic grudges — which was pretty cool because that’s part of a human drama, and deaf people are, of course, human too and love and hate and have sex just as much as hearing people do. But at the end of the episode, the “society throws money at the deaf” line ended up polarizing the entire show. Pretty easy to draw a line between the deaf people and hearing people after that.
Queen Alpo answered India’s question very well. In the CSI play, that line was spoken by the villain and revealed his view of the Deaf. It’s supposed to explain why he did the bad thing.
In the usual Deaf conversation, when someone says “it’s a deaf/hearing thing” they mean the acceptance gap between Hearing and Deaf people and the difficulty of understanding on a deeper human level.
For example, the coffee shop situation in the other TV show. The girls could have walked away, labeling the whole thing as a “deaf/hearing thing”. Here it is an expression of frustration.
I think it is difficult to fully explain the “deaf/hearing thing” to an individual who has had limited exposure to and experience with the Deaf Community. Not impossible, but certainly challenging.
This is not a simple question, thus there are no simple answers.
It takes more than learning ASL and having a best friend who is deaf to fully grasp the dynamics of the “deaf/hearing thing.” Even individuals who are fluent in sign language and grew up with Deaf family members may not fully comprehend all the intricities involved with it.
I like what Dianrez has to say – it’s about the difficulty of understanding on a deeper human level.
It’s about the frustration and the discrimination and the attitudes and the paternalization and the audism and the normalization and the pathologicalization and the rejection and the accepting and all that sort of stuff.
Like I said…not so easy to explain.
Is there that much animosity between the Deaf and hearing communities? I think animosity is a strong word to use here. It’s not that the Deaf Community “hates” hearing people… but we do get frustrated with the way we are often perceived and treated by the hearing community – a perception and treatment that is fueled by ignorance and insensitivity.
And unfortunately those perceptions are often misrepresented by Hollywood. That’s the basis of the concerns expressed by both Deaf Dude and Deaf Dudette, and which I have tried to discuss in these three posts.
Can you tell me how Gil was able to call his deaf mother and sign to her if he is not hearing impaired or deaf? We can’t call my husband’s parents who are deaf unless we use VRS and then we don’t sign we just talk to the interpreter. When is the FCC going to let us hearing people talk face to face with the deaf?
You can use a video chat program on your computer…such as Skype. All you would need is high speed internet and a webcam. Many laptops have built-in webcams. Skype allows two people to talk to each other via their webcams, and it’s free. Both parties do have to register for it and download the program, but there’s no cost and it’s pretty simple to use. I have used it to talk with my hearing friends. One nice thing about Skype is that it allows for the ability to type while seeing the person at the same time, so I can use it with my non-signing friends as well. You can learn more about Skype at http://www.skype.com
It ***is*** possible to buy a videophone. ZVRS does sell its equipment for hearing individuals also who wish to purchase one to talk with deaf family and friends. I’m not sure about other VRS companies. You can check out ZVRS at http://www.zstoreonline.com/category_s/21.htm
The whole point of the FCC regulations is to make telephone service accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing, as established by federal law. TTYs were around before the ADA was passed, and then relay services came into effect. With new technology, we have now moved into the video age. These services are subsidized for the deaf and hard of hearing, but not for hearing people. Otherwise every hearing person out there would want one of these as well.
However, recognizing that there are people out there such as yourself who might have reason to use such a phone, they are being sold to the public…but there are some limitations. However, you can buy and utilize one to talk with your in-laws or other deaf people you know. I would suggest that you contact ZVRS directly for more information.
hi
deaf sign language