The new stopchanges2atw campaign has really interested me, for two main reasons.
Firstly, as someone who has been involved in a lot of activism, I’m always pleased to see people campaigning about things they believe in. Good for them.
Secondly, it’s been interesting because it’s shown that the Deaf community is a bit, er, weird.
Some Deaf people are basically cross because the people running the stopchanges2atw campaign don’t want to use their names. That’s fine with me.
As the campaign website says, the campaign is bigger than individual people, and they want to focus on the actual issue – which is how Deaf BSL users aren’t being represented while decisions are being made about them and their Access to Work funding.
Fair enough. Does it matter who the campaigners are?
Apparently, it does in the Deaf community, because we are a collective community, and we like to agree on everything. WE NEVER DO ANYTHING UNTIL EVERYONE AGREES (which is probably why we hardly ever do anything!).
Plus, we usually only agree with people who we like, or with people who our friends like. So, because people don’t know who stopchanges2atw’s “Emily Smith” is, they’re getting wound up.
The stopchanges2atw campaign people say that they are a group of Deaf professionals and interpreters who have lots of experience. Do you know what? I believe them. Both Deaf people and interpreters have a lot to lose from the Access to Work changes, so it makes sense to work together.
And no, I don’t know who they are either. I have absolutely no idea. But I don’t really care, because they’re doing something useful, and I don’t have time to get all paranoid and suspicious (I don’t even have time to campaign myself, actually). Life’s too short, innit?
I suppose I’m an armchair activist these days: I occasionally have a rant on Limping Chicken.
I sign lots of petitions about completely random things every week.
My local MP hates me because I’m always sending him those automated letters about things he disagrees with.
I often make donations to campaign/disaster funds too.
I have no idea who the people behind THOSE petitions, campaigns and fundraising bids are, but I don’t care. I’m just grateful that someone is doing something good in this mad old world that we live in.
So, I say to the stopchanges2atw people – thank you very much for DOING SOMETHING USEFUL, whoever you are.
Jen Dodds is a Contributing Editor for The Limping Chicken. When she’s not looking after chickens or children, Jen can be found translating, proofreading and editing stuff over at Team HaDo Ltd (teamhado.com).
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Andy. Not him, me.
November 21, 2013
Why is it just for Deaf people and not for all deaf people?
I thought we had gone past this but here we are again.
Jerry
November 21, 2013
Enough of this sniping!!! We do not complain about non BSL access – in fact many of us support your campaigns such as subtitles on TV even if it does not help us BSL users.
I hate people who snipe from the sidelines without doing anything to progress their own causes…
Andy. Not him, me.
November 21, 2013
Well in fact the wording was changed to be more inclusive. See the other thread.
Rob
November 21, 2013
Another very good example of why I don’t involve myself in the Deaf world. Nothing gets done, and we are long overdue for things we are entitled to under EA2010. It always strikes me that the Deaf are like Cooks. Too many of them spoils the broth.
Once again I will enjoy a day of crap subtitles on UK TV and pay 100% fee……it always reminds me how the Deaf world has failed me and others.
Jen Dodds (@deafpower)
November 21, 2013
Rob, why don’t you do something about it? 🙂
Andy, this isn’t a d/Deaf issue. It is largely a language issue. Their campaign is dealing with BSL users’ lack of access to the consultancy process.
pennybsl
November 21, 2013
Emily Smith is a real person – she responded to my email comments about the campaign.
WE have to declare support for ANYTHING that even in the so-called modern 2013 destablises us Deaf People as active citizens in society, not as ‘useless, poor deaf mites’.
WE have an abundance of professional, knowledgeable, experienced, rational and co-operative Deaf people available for CONSULTATION on anything that involves Deaf people, like AtW.
We can say through any petition like http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-changes-to-access-to-work ‘How dare you, we pay taxes and bills, you have abused Human Rights by ignoring our expert expertise, the users of AtW, by steamrolling changes which may compromise our quality of access/support as well as our active participation in society’.
We HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE by signing onto campaigns that challenges control without genuine consultation.
We just want to get on with our lives and careers without being robbed as “third-class workers”, not as effective level-playing field employees/employers in the UK workforce.
Pete Jones
November 21, 2013
Please can we just support each other!
Like Jen, I like to support others that are actually doing something. I am not from the Philippines, yet I will still give to that charity. It won’t benefit me in any way other than to know that I have supported a fellow human being.
There is no need to be divisive. It achieves nothing. By not supporting this cause you will not further your own, you will damage it. When a time comes that you do need support, it will no longer be there. It saddens me greatly to see that not only is this campaign not being supported, some people are trying to actively sabotage it.
Lets all support each other. Please. We all want the same thing. Access!
Jen Dodds (@deafpower)
November 21, 2013
Absolutely, Penny.
pennybsl
November 21, 2013
Cirrection: (because I was spitting in frustration about any process that hinders our active role in society as paid workers)
“WE have to declare support for ANYTHING that even in the so-called modern 2013 to stop ‘forces’ that destablises us Deaf People as active citizens in society. Such processes treat us flesh and blood Deaf citizens as as ‘useless, poor deaf mites’.”
and….
“We just want to get on with our lives and careers without being robbed as “third-class workers”, taking our roles away as effective level-playing field employees/employers in the UK workforce.”
Shaneybo
November 23, 2013
Deaf professionals in the UK are very lucky to have the generous ATW provisions – while it is not generous enough for us, most states around the world do not provide funding that generous to pay for interpreters to be used by deaf professionals in their jobs etc. While I strongly support the campaign, its important that deaf professionals have a big say, not the interpreters because if we deaf professionals are not here, then there won’t be ATW-funded interpreters. Of course, we need interpreters but interpreters needs to realise that they need us as well 🙂 Let’s work together, fighting for better ATW provisions!