Our Deaf Ways

Despite Auslan awareness being on the rise, many Deaf children are isolated in mainstream education settings, often without having ever met another Deaf person. In this final episode of Our Deaf Ways, Jen Blyth and Karthik Vijayanandam imagine what a world free of daily frustrations and structural limitations would look like for people in the Deaf community.

There is rich diversity and intersectionality within the Deaf Community in Australia. In this episode of Our Deaf Ways, First Nations Australian Sue Frank and wheelchair user Petra Svab discuss how their attitudes have been shaped by their experiences, and the layered barriers they have faced. This episode of Our Deaf Ways was recorded on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people.

The Deaf and hard of hearing community is diverse. There are variations such as how a person becomes Deaf and their level of hearing, but also conditions that combine sight and hearing loss such as Usher syndrome, which is under the Deafblind umbrella. Steve Ripley and Edan Chapman share their personal experiences of being DeafBlind and Ushers, and discuss the need for greater acceptance and understanding in the Deaf community and wider society.

There are many amazing things about being Deaf; parts of life both big and small that are actually better for Deaf people than for hearing people. Drisana Levitzke-Gray and Matthew Norman, two Deaf Aussie expats, discuss Deaf Gain in their lives.

In the days before digital technology, Deaf people used all sorts of ingenious techniques and assistive devices in everyday life. Deaf community elder David Peters and certified Deaf interpreter Natalie Sandon-Stanhope share some great stories from the days where technology was less integrated.

In episode one of Our Deaf Ways, learn more about the history and continuing importance of Auslan through this conversation between historian and linguist Darlene Thornton, and Managing Director of Auslan Consultancy James Blyth.

Our Deaf Ways is a series by SBS and Deaf Australia about everyday life as a Deaf person. Over this six-part visual podcast series, Deaf people from all walks of life will share stories and perspectives on Deaf Ways.