Got an idea? Get in touch by email: thelimpingchicken@gmail.com
The Limping Chicken features articles by a range of deaf writers, and we welcome YOUR contributions in English or in BSL!
Since this site was launched in February 2012, we have published writing by over 400 deaf writers.
We’re looking for articles that shine a light on deaf experience.
You might have a funny story to tell, a fresh idea, a news story, or an opinion. Just write a short email telling us what you want to say, to thelimpingchicken@gmail.com.
How to sign for us!
We at Limping Chicken would love to have more articles in BSL. So, we’ve put together a few tips to hopefully encourage you to send your BSL video in!
To watch this page in BSL, click play below:
1. The first thing to remember? It’s easy! You probably have the equipment that you need already… maybe you’ve got a laptop with a webcam, or a mobile phone that you can make videos with? That would be perfectly OK. (Or, maybe you’ve got a big, expensive top-notch video camera? Lucky old you!)
2. Don’t worry about your signing. Just be yourself!
3. Likewise, don’t worry about your English skills. We can translate your BSL video into English for you; either a full translation or a summary; we’ll send the English version to you first, so that you can check that you’re happy with it before we use it.
4. If you prefer, you could type your article in English first and then translate yourself to BSL. You can download free autocue software, which might come in handy, unless you have a HUGE and BRILLIANT memory, and can memorise a whole article at once! Personally, I prefer to sign my articles first, then translate them into English, but that’s just me…
5. If you can, try to keep your video short, simple and to the point (we Deaf people are known for going off the point, aren’t we? I’m actually starting to waffle now!). You can also add numerical or text inserts (like in the video above) if you want to break it up, or because it’s easier for you to film in short bursts.
So why not make a video, upload it to YouTube and email the link to us at thelimpingchicken@gmail.com? If you like, you can do a practice video and ask us for feedback or technical support. We’ll help you if we can.
Good luck! You can do it!
Johnboy
February 24, 2012
Hello there! My real name is John Nicholl but my nick name is Johnboy. I am a profoundly deaf and an Usher syndrome – I legally am Deafblind Irishman! As a kid, my dram is a writer but unfortunately my grammical english is fairly good but still learning…
I have found limeping Chicken so fascination and exciting which I truly hope it’d improve my English and especially for you to be more aware of the Deafblind awareness – Maybe it may be bit boring for you but it is important for you to learn and know better for future!
Looking foward to share with you all! P-D
Mary Preston
May 2, 2016
Hi my name is Mary I can sign
Arista
February 26, 2012
Makes me think that I want a Canadian version of limping chicken… Still considering… I find this website fascinating!! 🙂
kdb71
December 19, 2013
I’m thinking of starting one..
maggisummerhill
March 14, 2012
I think it’s a great idea and love what you have done already – I am writing a regular blog for the charity Hearing Link about family life and being a deaf mom with a hearing children and husband. I also write a blog along the same lines called ‘Deaf Mum Talking’ on blog spot and a wordpress blog called ‘Inspirational Lives’. I was thinking you might be interested in featuring one of my (true) stories from ‘Inspirational Lives’ The Human Powerhouse a deaf mum to three deaf teenage children who is also a professional sports woman, journalist and mentor to families with deaf children.
If you prefer something unpublished I’d love to write for you. 🙂
Nice one! Keep up the good work. xxx
sarah colwell
April 26, 2012
I would love to write for you about Microtia. My duaghter and I both suffer form unilateral microtia and I am trying to raise awareness of the condition. Sarah Colwell
sarah colwell
April 26, 2012
And I can normally spell…… !!
Peter Morrissey
May 26, 2012
I’ve been following your blog and thoroughly appreciated the information given. I’m very pleased Ted Evans won the Ben Steiner’s Award and look forward to watching his film next year.
Thank you Charlie! : )
David Jackson
April 4, 2013
We may have better access to information, every mainstream tv programmes subtitled, more people than before not staring at us as if we were mental when we sign unlike those dark days, the list goes on and on. We would think technology today is fully aware of deaf people’s needs. No, not yet!
I bought a spanking new AIO pc with full access to TV with subtitles plus the ability to record them. So what is the problem? Much to my disappointment, I cannot record programmes with subtitles as opposed to watching them live. And many of the programmes via BBCplayer/ITVplayer do not show subtitles. So…nothing is perfect yet.
Elisabeth McDermott
June 13, 2013
Here’s one for the archives!
I am currently living in Guernsey – no DDA, no DLA, no ATW and not much of a young deaf community! As I am returning to the UK and getting organised to start my new job, I emailed ATW in London about assistance with communication support. They replied saying I couldn’t apply until 6 weeks prior to my starting the new job, and by the way they tried to call me on my mobile in response to my email…what part of ‘I am deaf and would like assistance with communication support’ do you not understand? Oh look, I got a missed call from a London number. I wonder who that could be?
remark18
September 26, 2014
Hello Elisabeth, read your comment with interest….here at Remark we are keen to know more deaf people living in more remote parts of the UK – what’s access like? Is there a close-knit deaf community etc? Would be great to know more about your experiences… would you be happy to email me at lucy@remark.uk.com? Hope to hear soon!
Beth
April 30, 2014
As a hearing parent to a deaf son I am finding it more and more sad the amount of times I hear people refer to Cochlear implants as child abuse. My son uses bilateral hearing aids but we have many friends who have been implanted and i see a sad situation where the parents of children with CI are having people tell them that their decision was like abuse, I worry that this will only widen the gap between CI children and the Deaf community and this makes me sad. I know the subject is complicated but the choice to sign/ speak/ wear hearing aids/ have cochlear implants etc is a descision which has probably been partly decided by circumstances and then hopefully decided by careful consideration so it seems wrong unless you know all the details of that specific person to make judgement on those decisions. I would love to see an article on here to try and help people see others points of view without insults being thrown, I am not sure if that is possible but I will carry on hoping!
MikeT
April 14, 2015
Beth, ISSUE of “Cochlear Implants and the Deaf Community” is like other significant cultural argument in “human society” — like religion, like gay/straight, like politic, like more school vs. more prison, AND so too Deaf v. deaf v. HH v. heary. ISSUES (difficult category) must make people humble — people not like forced humble. The issue must make people to be open-minded — people not like forced open-mind. The issue must make willingness to learn without judgment — people want to judge and not have willing thought. Why? Because the issue can scare people. Because the issue threaten belief. Because the issue shake understanding. ANSWER is “share message” compassion, tolerance, acceptance — share, share, share. Very important we not let ignorant thought, hate thought, confuse thought stop our learning as team of humans together.
Dave
August 5, 2016
Hello, Profoundly deaf Cochlear implant user from Kent – UK, I am a writer and photographer.
http://dgbphotography.photoshelter.com/index
Maxine Ann Bailey
October 24, 2016
I was promised an induction loop for my appointment at the job centre. There is an ear sign at reception. The induction loop was not available for my appointment. I complained and was told it was because new staff new nothing about equipment. I said it’s no excuse and complained again. I 2as informed there would be an induction loop for all my appointments in future and thst the job centre would ensure all people who need equipment would be catered for in the future. Four weeks later there is still no induction loop for my appointments!
Editor
October 24, 2016
Hi Maxine, would you like to write about this for us? Thanks
Maxine Ann Bailey
February 5, 2017
I certainly would like to write about it for you.
Regards
Maxine Bailey
Maxine Ann Bailey
February 7, 2017
DWP take the biscuit
Having finished the Tribunal case, my employment ceased at the company so in August 2016, I found myself making a claim for Job Seekers Allowance. Having spent almost 30 minutes on the telephone registering my claim, I was very impressed with the woman I spoke to, she actually rang my local job centre to book an induction loop for my appointment, then called me back to confirm that indeed, there would be an induction loop set up for me when I arrived.
When I arrived for my appointment I saw the “ear” sign on the front desk, this indicated that indeed an induction loop was installed, super smashing great, NOT, ha ha bloody ha, yes you guessed correctly, that’s all it was, a picture of an ear. When I switched my hearing aids on to the loop nothing happened and in response to my inquiry about said loop, I was informed that there wasn’t one. So I asked “Why not?” I knew for a fact that one had been requested for me. No acceptable response was given so I made a complaint in writing.
I received a reply to my complaint with the excuse that most of the staff were new and were not familiar with the induction loop system. I was not at all impressed and said as much. I let it be known that every time I sign on for some benefits I am confirming something, as deaf person, I will be prosecuted if I sign and am found guilty of lying about my circumstances. The induction loop is meant to help me to hear more clearly and eliminate some of the misunderstanding.
I then complained to DWP and received an email saying that in future there would be an induction loop provided for me at all my appointments and thanking me for drawing attention to the need for equipment for people with all kinds of disabilities. The chap who sent the email assured me that he wanted everybody to have all their needs met.
Well, I started my new job three months later in November and still the induction loop had failed to materialise. Why am I not surprised?
Babs
July 27, 2018
Maxine Ann Bailey, you really hit a nerve in me to tear up. That’s what I did to my daughter. To this day I regret that I chose to depend on her for a lot of phone calls. I am sorry that you had to endure that experience as a child. Kind regards, Babs
joan
April 22, 2017
I totally understand Matt! I have a deaf mom but a single mom! Not 2 parents my so called father was hearing but left before I was 2. Not the point anyway I was forced from age 5 to make phone calls and answer everyone’s questions before I was 5 years old since I was the one to sign better than all my 3 other siblings. It is and never was easy to be the voice or everyone’s answer to everything before we even knew or learned what it was. We need more children to come forward and share stories. I was not even 5 years old making phone calls for dr appointments and etc not only for myself but 3 older siblings as well. I was the one with childhood illnesses and home to make all these phone calls and appointments for everyone not even knowing what I was talking about but had to make it seem like I was. the constant outcast at school and teasing was impossible. Being the youngest of 4 of a single deaf woman which in everyone’s eyes was a bad thing! I don’t see it that way nor I ever did. But I know the struggle we had and even today since our parent (S) rely on today’s tech if they are even up to par on it? There is relay services and translation services they are entitled to depending on your state. But back in the 70’s I was a 5 year old missing a lot of school due to childhood illnesses and made my own phone calls. I had to make dr appointments for me as well as mom and 3 other siblings and had no clue and had to find out fast what I was talking about to make it all happen. Not just for me but 5 other people. I don’t expect applaud but how about some acknowledgement if not for us where would we all be? I get it! My mother’s family threw everything on us children all under age 9 and Dad left before I was 2. My mom’s family couldn’t sign let alone make phone calls since they couldn’t translate and my older siblings were in school more than me since I was out for illnesses and had to learn quick to translate and help myself! Everyone keeps posting how difficult or challenging for our parents but what about the poor hearing sign language capable children left to make all decisions and choices for the family because we are forced to grow up and take care? My mother’s parents nor siblings knew or learned to sign to even help but I was told at 5 yrs old it’s my problems and mom to take care of? Really> What 5 year old is told today to care of their family? The right to have an interpreter for hospital or dr visits is a joke. Especially when your mother doesn’t trust anyone but that little girl or boy to interpret the truth? I know there are many responses to your comment from deaf parents but I don’t think anyone relates to being the child.
LINDA BARNES
August 1, 2017
Hi ..my name is lyn .. i was made deaf after an operation .. really just trying to get used to being deaf .. finding it hard being in this little world ..
Chris b
November 1, 2017
I would like to submit a short essay on attending deaf clubs over the space of 20-30 years with insights and hopefully a bit of humour thrown in
Editor
November 2, 2017
Sure, just email editor@limpingchicken.com
Jo
March 18, 2018
Just wanted to respond to someone talking about the difficulty of how loud one’s voice is in the work place. My daughters have a technique. They raise their hands to near their mouth and just wave it down if I’m talking too loud. Perhaps the person could teach that to their colleagues?
Leigh
May 4, 2019
Anyone noticed Freda on Coronation Street use a sign name for Mary??!! 😂
Donna Oakes
August 20, 2022
Hi there
I’m interested in writing my hearing loss story.
Profoundly deaf, having masked my hearing loss most of my life.
I’m now accepting of it and on a journey to explore why I’m deaf and look in to the possibility of CI.
I’m researching and interacting with the deaf and hard of hearing community to help me with my own issues.
I’ve started to write my own hearing loss story and would be happy to share it.
robert purnell
April 5, 2024
I contracted? sshd last year in my right ear, I’m blind in my right eye since 8 ( baseball ), I have severe IBS polyps removed since I was 25 fell through a scaffold 10 years later, fybromyalgia, chronic pain, etc. I am having a great deal of difficulty dealing with this new found impairment ( especially considering the blindness in my right eye ), I’m now very desperate to find some sort of disscusion group or anyone I can speak to to help me and others get throuh this, I am losing my mind, this volume is deafening.
Thank you
Robert Purnell