Newsgroups: bit.listserv.deaf-l
Date:         Sat, 29 Aug 1992 13:23:51 EDT
From:         Annie Senghas <annie@PSYCHE.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      LGB ed vs Deaf ed

Go Seth!

The original question about differing education needs for LGBs came
from innocent confusion about how LGBs suffered from oppression.  If
they can use the telephone, if they have access to information and
education and communication, how can hearing LGBs consider themselves
oppressed?

This is why I avoid drawing Deaf/LGB analogies.  People start to draw
1-to-1 comparisons (often to see "who's MORE oppressed" --an
unproductive endeavor, as far as I'm concerned) and get confused about
how to alleviate those oppressions.  Both groups share marginality.
Both groups share barriers often within the family, with some family
members belonging to a community tht other family members don't belong
to.  It can be interesting to discuss the relevance of these factors,
since sometimes they lead to parallel questions.  That is why I found
the question "why might deaf parents want their child to be deaf?" an
interesting one to examine from an LGB perspective.  Because
marginality is relevant here, and both groups share marginality.

The problem faced by deaf kids in education is primarily one of
access.  Access to the information that is being spoken.  Access to
language development and social development, which depends on
interacting with other children and adults.  Taking deaf kids aside
and educating them separately, for many children, is a good solution
to this problem.  Deaf children suffer the effects of marginality as
well, but it is not for their marginality that they have separate
schools.

LGB kids suffer marginality in schools.  They suffer ostracism,
beatings, and harrassment from other students, and from teachers.
They lack positive role models.  So do many other marginalized groups.
I don't think segregation is the answer here, though.  The answer is
increased visibility of LGB teachers and a positive attitude toward
sexual difference from the administration (and from society).  This
takes time and work.  We're getting there.  Already LGB college
faculty are fairly accepted, and high school teachers are becoming
more visible.  Positive queer characters are appearing in some movies
and TV shows.

Putting LGB kids in a separate schools emphasizes that one particular
difference to everybody.  I agree with Esther that constantly
emphasizing one's difference, first and foremost, is divisive and
counterproductive.  I admit that my sexual identity has shaped my
experience and perspective.  But so have a lot of things.  Kids should
be able to be friends with kids who are different from them in many
ways.  They should be able to say, hey, I hate gym too, and we both
love chemistry, and we both enjoy playing in the band, and you like
geometry and I find it frustrating, and I'm gay and you're straight.
And do you wanna get together after band practice and do geometry
homework together?

Besides, a lot of the LGB positive role models can be positive role
models for straight kids, too.  Remember, they are more than just
LGBs-- they are whole people.  They can be accomplished women, people
of color, people of varying backgrounds and abilities...  For every
characteristic that I share with my role models, there are a hundred
that I don't share.  I can pick and choose that which I want to
emulate.

Besides, what school would a deaf lesbian go to???

:-)
Annie
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