For a significant amount of time, deaf people have been perceived as people with impairments and disabilities, and the traces of the specified mindset can be identified even nowadays, thus defining attitudes toward the specified group. However, there are other ways of building relationships with the deaf community, as the movie titled Through Deaf Eyes shows explicitly. By depicting the struggles of the deaf community and explaining their plight, the film allows one to improve the relationships with the deaf community and establish a dialogue that will ultimately lead to better management of the needs of the deaf.
Through Deaf, Eyes offers an insightful analysis of the struggle that deaf people have been leading to promote equity as the key principle on which communication between the vulnerable group in question and the rest of the world should be built. The historical analysis of the key events that occurred in the specified community has shown the key events that have allowed the specified group to gain the respect and independence that they deserve. Three elements of the deaf community evolution deserve particular attention. George Veditz’s introduction of the sign language on the film screen, which occurred in 1910, can be regarded as the landmark in making the deaf community visible to the rest of the world.
The statement made by William Stokoe in 1955 and implying that sign language was not inferior to the spoken one should also be recognized as an essential step in creating ties between the deaf and hearing communities. Finally, the first movement that took place in 1988 and was aimed at making the rest of the U.S. recognize the needs of deaf people deserves to be listed among the paramount stages of the change within the deaf community (“Through Deaf Eyes”). It could be argued that the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act played a much more important role in cementing the statement concerning the rights of deaf people. However, it was the uprising of 1988 that ignited further alterations in the fabric of American society.
Furthermore, the description of the challenges associated with the process of language learning, particularly, the development of sign language skills and the ability to speak mentioned in the movie has prompted a professional interest. As a nurse, I need to understand what tools should be used to facilitate the well-being of the target population. Therefore, the issues associated with the choice between teaching a child the essential skills of communication based on sign language, or ASL, the ability to converse orally, or a combination of both is critical to understanding the needs of deaf people. The fact that the use of sign language manifests deaf people’s pride and culture is an important piece of information that should be taken into account when managing the health needs of the specified demographic. Similarly, a nurse has to be aware of the challenges related to wearing hearing instruments, including both physical and psychological ones.
Finally, the communication between a deaf patient and hearing family members is a subject worth examining from a nursing perspective. The movie details the relationships between hearing parents and their deaf children, allowing a nurse to develop a deep insight into the culture of the target population, their vulnerability, and the means of helping them maintain the connection within their community, as well as the link to the hearing world. In general, the variety of interaction types that can occur among deaf people, as well as between deaf and hearing communication participants, astonishes and makes one reconsider some of the current approaches toward meeting the needs of deaf communities. The specified change in my perspective allows me to approach the needs of the deaf community from a different viewpoint, focusing on the promotion of the bond within it, as well as bringing awareness to the hearing community
Overall, the movie shed a lot of light on the role that deaf people have been playing in the U.S. community, thus making one acknowledge the fact that the specified group should not be treated as people with impairments but, instead, should be seen as a unique culture. The fact that sign language is not a crutch for deaf people to communicate with the rest of the world but a full-fledged, self-sustainable language of its own was the most important discovery. Furthermore, the culture of the deaf, in general, especially how deaf people transform the traditional notions of art, poetry, and media deserves attention as a crucial factor in developing the understanding of deaf patients and their needs. The specified insights will inform one’s nursing strategy when assessing the community and determining the associated health concerns, as well as the means of educating patients. Therefore, the movie should be treated as a source of important information about deaf people’s culture and understanding how they view communication. Deaf Eyes enthralls its viewers with its honesty, profound remarks, and descriptions of deaf people’s experiences, allowing one to understand the complexities of the deaf culture and the challenges that the deaf community faces in communication and health management.
Work Cited
“Through Deaf Eyes.”YouTube, uploaded by ASL IVC. 2015, Web.