I’m not sure we need earnest explanations of why ASL interpreters are necessary so much as we need a resounding “fuck you, you socially unacceptable little piece of shit” to anyone questioning or mocking them
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And mock them back for being too ignorant to realize that closed captioning, (English) words transcribed into text, is not equivalent to ASL*, an entirely different language.
*Or (and TIL) Australian (Auslan), British (BSL), Chinese (CSL), French (LSF), Japanese (JSL), Sign Language
we are not mean enough to conservatives as a culture. however mean anyone thinks we already are we should be like 10 times worse and it probably wouldn't be a fraction of what they deserve.
Agreed. Particularly because the attacks are never about ASL etc specifically. That’s just an opener to push a shittier experience on the masses. When things go south for the vulnerable and everyone else notices they’re getting caught up in it, leadership will offer a hearty shrug and an oopsie.
With all of the *stuff* going on in the Country that NEEDS some public attention and discourse, it's mind boggling that the "fight" people choose to back is to strip people of Language and Disability Access.
Any debate on the legitimacy of ASL is tacit acceptance of two falsehoods: that the legitimacy is subject to debate, and that the right wing has any right at all to hold opinions of any kind.
If a right winger wants to debate X, too bad. They don't get to. They have no rights we have to acknowledge. They are beneath us, now and forever. If they speak, we silence them. If they hurt us, we hurt them back ten times worse. That is how you win against bullies and abusers.
Yeah, like, in office settings, the interpreter’s feed is always placed in a tiny, nonobtrusive corner of the screen during the conference livestream. If you don’t need to use an interpreter, then just don’t look at it!
I think this would address not only lots of the bulshittery, but also much of the performative ineffectual window dressing posing as engagement we get everywhere these days.
I want to explain to these people that all the "wild gesticulation" is just the equivalent to the tone and inflection of our voices and assists with communicating meaning, but these are the same folks who want AI to narrate audiobooks.
That's why I tried to respond neutrally, since I thought it was potentially a genuine misunderstanding. The thread is in reference to a guy who was whining about how he thinks ASL interpreters should go away because he thinks they look weird.
I think you may be missing the piece of the puzzle here about what was said that elicited this post, and I'm about to put my phone away so I'm not gonna track it down. But it wasn't a question at all. It was just someone being shitty.
ah yeah fair. I also didn't understand why ASL was needed when subtitles exist, they drove me into a "why literacy rates among deaf are low" rabbithole
That's kinda cool! I always found it fascinating that ASL can have different "dialects" depending on the region or school it's taught in, never mind the different ways separate countries can do it!
a big part of what makes this all so enraging besides the blatant bad faith efforts is that everyone feels compelled to plead their case for the normal sane side of things.. but then thinking people understand something so obvious is how so much of this has proceeded
I get so enraged seeing all the patient explainers because I know the effort is wasted on people who listen to people like Rufo. I think we need to stop treating these arguments as legitimate and start shaming people for trying to relitigate stuff we already settled as a society
In Australia the Auslan Interpreters were the heroes of the Covid19 pandemic media conferences. Cannot believe anyone would question the need for interpreters during an emergency.
I trained to be an interpreter in college, though terribly rusty now. ASL is a beautiful language, built from amazing resilience, and should be taught more often and freely.
ASL interpreters at the Manic Street Preachers gig in the summer, first time I'd seen this and while I didn't understand their signing they looked to be having a great time while providing a valuable service to those that did. I'm all for this and long may it continue.
"what kind of dispshit weirdo asshole do you have to be to object to basic accessibility, you fucker?" is essentially my go-to (both for ASL interpreters and alt-text) when people do, in fact, object to them.
(I'm a lot more patient when explaining why they matter to those who haven't realized it)
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*Or (and TIL) Australian (Auslan), British (BSL), Chinese (CSL), French (LSF), Japanese (JSL), Sign Language
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I think this is the best approach, really, to all actions supporting accessibility & equity: Just Do It.
don't like it? Fuck off. We're busy trying to make the world better, didn't have time for your shit.
I think this would address not only lots of the bulshittery, but also much of the performative ineffectual window dressing posing as engagement we get everywhere these days.
IDK not everyone is steeped in every piece of knowledge. Its really not all that intuitive so maybe just explain it.
clearly I read the wrong thing from it but its also easy as hell to do if its phrased like that. see what im sayin?
see thats the problem I have with the discover feed, so much missing context and it completely changes the tone of the post
It was "this thing I find annoying has no benefit to me, therefore I shouldn't have to see it"
was a pretty enlightening convo for me
Irish Sign Language (based on ASL) is the only one to have different forms for male & female.
Apparently due to separate schools for boys & girls many years ago.
It's reminiscent of the WSJ's lucky duckies screeds about poor people with refrigerators.
We're not dealing with our bigoted family members or co-workers here. These are people who don't want to be reminded deaf people exist.
Hopefully we can do that more without the other bullshit. 🤞💙
(I'm a lot more patient when explaining why they matter to those who haven't realized it)