The state of the UK Deaf and Hearing Loss Community today.
ATR Media is relatively a new outlet for MM a seasoned acquired deaf blogger, of many year standing, was amid the first to use YouTube and own captions, even sign on You Tube. Was the #1 UK blog in the USA with 6m+ accredited views, but, blocked in the UK. ATR is an acknowledged challenger of disinformation being given to deaf people, and deliberate ignorance directed towards hearing loss and non signing deaf which is discriminatory and divisive, a threat to real inclusion, and for real access which the BSL campaigner DOES NOT REALLY WANT. Mostly comprised of scare stories and blaming everyone else.
Let us be clear, rank and file deaf do NOT support what these people are saying or doing, the state does, because deaf and HI won't elect their own representation for the same reason ATR opposes it, we get on with it and know martyrdom gets you nowhere. Regardless, none of these profile campaigners have any mandate to speak for us, or about us. One tail wagging a dozen dogs.
The BDA e.g. claims 150,000 BSL using people, but the forthcoming ATR MEDIA video coverage of the GCSE will show only 700 responded to it and 76% were SUPPORT charities/hearing people, who make a living from BSL dependency, along with a random assortment of vested interests, hoping to get work/wage being teachers for a class that has no viable curriculum.
The consultation NEVER took place, there is no evidence rank and file responded at all, the input was amateur, cut and pasted from other promotions, and plain unsourced, essentially, NO DEAF promoter of the GCSE class, wanted BSL to access the consultations. Why would they? as none were apparently sign using. Crucial evidence this isn't even a campaign by or for deaf people. Vaguely described as an awareness class that will empower deaf in the future, but, WITHOUT them.
Over 2023 ATR MEDIA also expressed concerns, two leading UK charities the British Deaf Association and RNID (or whatever re-branded cover it uses today). Both alleged to be manufacturing statistics to get more funds, using the 'nobody really knows anyway' fact to 'think of a number and double it' system, year on year.. ALL Deaf and Hearing loss charities were rejecting devolved administration to retain overall control of support, funding, campaign directions, and HQ's, in the Southern counties of England. Local autonomy refused. The BSL Act was brought in and has since failed to get any foothold, in Wales a BSL Act wasn't brought in and felt unnecessary, the only UK area to make the real point.
Is Deaf culture valid? It's base had diminished by 80% (Deaf schools/Clubs), less than 20 deaf schools now exist, with Wales etc, having none at all. 2024 is suggested as the final nail in many deaf clubs' coffins, as living and running costs mean mass closures, with deaf being reluctant to fund it themselves or simply cannot. ATR will cover BSL too, given the 'Proof' of a language (A Dictionary), is 20thc, not as absurdly posted by the BDA/UCLA and others, as the 7thc.
Hearing teachers dictate the directions of BSL, NOT deaf people, so 'normalisation' and indeed the GCSE class, will mean regional signing, will go to the wall, and most translators do NOT use BSL grammar, but Sign Supported English, they don't want to make more issues for the deaf with its absurd DIY BSL grammar, a key component in holding back real deaf awareness and a barrier to accessing what deaf need to know to live and work as adults. No BSL active campaigner uses it anyway, so why demand it of others?
ATR MEDIA will also expose deaf bullies who run BSL sites online, who ban, block, attack and threaten anyone who wants debate and facts to be rule of the day, again, most centre in English Cities where higher concentrations of deaf live but who're out of touch with everyone else, all go it alone areas feathering own particular nests, exhibiting blatant bias, and there is no real inclusive policy.
Over 2023 ATR MEDIA also expressed concern regarding BSL Deaf attacks on hearing aids, cochlear implantations, other alleviations, and genetic/health advances. With parents called abusers and all sorts, this is NOT who deaf people or others with hearing loss are about, and we sincerely hope in 2024, the rot stops there.
ATR MEDIA. (2024)
ATR MEDIA is a TEXT-BASED medium, forget the myth of Deaf signers, we can all READ.
