Deaf charity BDA expresses concerns over lack of BSL representation in media reports of BSL GCSE (BSL)

Posted on June 16, 2023 by



The BDA’s statement can be watched in BSL by clicking here.

We reported yesterday that the BSL GCSE had moved a step closer with the announcement of a public consultation into the development of the qualification.

As the news was widely reported, reaching news bulletins and online publications, many deaf people online complained that those interviewed in the reports were often not using BSL.

Now the British Deaf Association (BDA), which is part of a coalition of organisations who have long campaigned for a BSL GCSE, has weighed in too, saying that it “is concerned about the lack of BSL signers represented in the media to discuss this crucial milestone for the British signing community. Instead, deaf people with clear speech were invited to comment on their behalf.”

Rebecca Mansell, the Chief Executive of the BDA, added:

“The introduction of a GCSE in BSL is a truly landmark moment, and we are now one step closer to BSL being taught across schools in England.

While the BDA warmly welcomes this positive and long-awaited development, we were deeply disappointed to see BBC Breakfast inviting deaf people with clear speech to comment on the news yesterday.

It is vanishingly rare to see a native BSL signer on TV. This was a huge missed opportunity for the BBC to invite a representative of the signing community to give their perspective on this new qualification.

Asking deaf people who can speak to represent signing Deaf people is unacceptable and ableist, akin to inviting English speakers to comment on matters of importance to the Welsh-speaking community. Nothing about us, without us.

This demonstrates how far we as Deaf people still have to go to counter widespread ignorance about our community and language, despite the legal recognition of BSL by the UK Parliament in April 2022 and the subsequent creation of a BSL Advisory Board, established to guide the Government on issues related to BSL.”

The BDA’s statement can be watched in BSL by clicking here.


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Posted in: deaf news