I wake up this morning to find this post on DeafRead by Jack Barr, discussing the origins of the Deaf applause … where you wave your hands in the air instead of clapping.
At first, I was laughing at what Jack was saying, because I recognized his story as a slightly different version of a famous Deaf culture joke - the story of two deaf persons showing up at a lecture castigating American Sign Language, and they sign finish! finish! at the speaker, and the audience misunderstands it as Deaf applause.
Then I realized that there’s a possibility that he was actually being serious, and truly held AG Bell’s supporters responsible for the creation of the Deaf applause. That’s when I started to laugh harder.
You have to got be kidding me! Oralists responsible for the spread of the handwave? Why would they do that? The entire point of Oralism is to assimiliate the d/Deaf into the hearing world. They don’t want any Deaf person to stand out, because they think being Deaf is something to be ashamed of. And needless to say, waving your hands instead of clapping your hands makes you stand out!
Furthermore, for those who know Deaf history, like I do… the Deaf President Now protest is widely hailed as where the Deaf applause originated. I did some research to verify what I thought, and sure enough - I found this link on the Gallaudet University website.
To summarize, hearing people did not invent the Deaf handwave. It actually began in France, and emigrated here to the United States. A few years later, it exploded onto the scene during the Deaf President Now! protest in 1988.
So what are we going to blame AG Bell for next? The establishment of Gallaudet University?
2 Comments
[ASL Version]
[English Version]
I wake up this morning to find this post on DeafRead by Jack Barr, discussing the origins of the Deaf applause … where you wave your hands in the air instead of clapping.
At first, I was laughing at what Jack was saying, because I recognized his story as a slightly different version of a famous Deaf culture joke - the story of two deaf persons showing up at a lecture castigating American Sign Language, and they sign finish! finish! at the speaker, and the audience misunderstands it as Deaf applause.
Then I realized that there’s a possibility that he was actually being serious, and truly held AG Bell’s supporters responsible for the creation of the Deaf applause. That’s when I started to laugh harder.
You have to got be kidding me! Oralists responsible for the spread of the handwave? Why would they do that? The entire point of Oralism is to assimiliate the d/Deaf into the hearing world. They don’t want any Deaf person to stand out, because they think being Deaf is something to be ashamed of. And needless to say, waving your hands instead of clapping your hands makes you stand out!
Furthermore, for those who know Deaf history, like I do… the Deaf President Now protest is widely hailed as where the Deaf applause originated. I did some research to verify what I thought, and sure enough - I found this link on the Gallaudet University website.
To summarize, hearing people did not invent the Deaf handwave. It actually began in France, and emigrated here to the United States. A few years later, it exploded onto the scene during the Deaf President Now! protest in 1988.
So what are we going to blame AG Bell for next? The establishment of Gallaudet University?