Guest Author - Kelli Deister

Have you ever attended an event and noticed the interpreter that was provided for the Deaf? They sit up in the front rows, allowing for the interpreter to clearly hear the speaker, and adequately interpret for those that are Deaf or hard of hearing. For example, in my church, we sit in the front three rows, on the right side of the auditorium. The interpreter stands in the center of the first three rows, so that all Deaf in attendance can clearly see them.

Perhaps the most frustrating situation that can take place, during an event, is when those that are Deaf are closely following the speaker, through their interpreter, and suddenly their line of communication is severed. How does this happen? An individual who wishes to take a picture of a special moment during the event, or of a loved one participating in the event, sits right smack in front of the Deaf person. This completely blocks their view, and severs their communication.

Let me briefly explain something to those of you that are able to hear. If you were in the midst of a critical conversation regarding your child, perhaps with a doctor or a teacher, and someone abruptly began to blast the radio, causing you to be unable to hear the person speaking, it would sever your communication at that moment. Once the radio was turned off, you would have lost many valuable pieces of information. Consequently, finding your place in the conversation, or the same atmosphere and tone of the conversation, would be impossible.

This is how it is, for a Deaf or hard of hearing individual, when someone blocks their view to their interpreter. Those of us with deafness understand your desire to capture a special moment on film; however, it is imperative that you not indirectly prevent us from participating in it as well, by blocking our view to our interpreter.

Once our view to the interpreter has been blocked, our communication has been severed. Oftentimes, it is impossible for the interpreter to sign what we have missed, because they must keep up with the speaker. This means we have lost valuable information, and are not fully informed of the current discussion. This type of behavior can leave those that have any level of deafness, with the feeling of being ignored, rejected, or as being unworthy of participation.

If you, as a hearing individual, feel as though you want to take a picture during an event, please consider doing it somewhere else, other than right in front of our interpreter. Please allow us the respect of having equal access to the conversation at hand, as well as our right to participate in the event.