Accessibility means everything to the deaf community in this hearing world. The issue has steadily improved over time as more awareness of the needs of the deaf community comes into play. Deaf people want a sense of belonging and community, even if they’re different from the hearing community.
The one area that lacks some accessibility is religious organizations, meaning that the deaf community doesn’t have the same experience at a religious service. Keep reading more to understand the importance of accessible religious services for deaf people.
What Faith Means to the Deaf Community
For many deaf people, faith is the path to a pious life. Churches, temples, mosques, or synagogues are places to feel found and accepted by both God and the community. Good churches will do all of these things. For the deaf, feeling a sense of belonging and having people to share that with is human. It’s also a fundamental right to have the same access to information as others.
This lack of access to information or the message in a religious service can go as far as being oppressive. The deaf community becomes frustrated because no one will explain what is said or why it matters, which makes them feel more isolated. Some deaf communities even feel discouraged from attending church because of the lack of understanding during service.
Why are Religious Services Important?
Hearing people have an advantage with religion. They can understand the services and practice or study virtually any religion they want. Deaf people do not have this opportunity to grow and further their relationship with religion.
There are over a billion deaf people worldwide, whether they were born deaf or became deaf later on, but there aren’t a lot of churches with deaf leaders giving the services or operating them. It creates a problem not just with understanding the message of the service but also neglects the cultural needs of deaf people.
The American Disability Act makes it a law that public places must provide accessibility to deaf patrons. Interestingly enough, religious organizations are exempt from this, which causes feelings of frustration and disconnect within the deaf community. Not only that, The American Psychology Association reported that religion correlates with overall well-being. People who follow a religion will turn to that vice during the hardest moments of their lives, versus people who don’t follow organized religion. Deaf people, want to feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves, and they also want an outlet to cope. That’s why there is an emphasis placed on accessibility to religious services.
Where the Accessibility is Needed
Deaf Leaders
The most basic way deaf people can feel part of worship is to have a deaf leader. There are churches in the United States putting deaf priests in the churches, but this doesn’t cover the deaf population throughout the country. It also doesn’t extend beyond the interpretation of the church service.
Religious Activities Beyond the Service
Another area where accessibility is needed is other religious services. These are activities like teaching religious classes, holy book study groups, volunteering events, and being members of the service, such as an usher in a Catholic church. These opportunities are available at deaf churches but should be introduced at hearing churches.
Learning Sign Language
A big one that will take time to integrate is having religious members learn sign language. It’s no easy feat by any stretch of the imagination, but learning sign language is the identity of the deaf community and shows a sense of empathy toward their accessibility needs. At the end of the day, that is what organized religion is all about, acceptance and a welcoming environment for everyone.
Visual Aids in Services
Considering that deaf people use visual language to communicate, having visual aids makes religious services more accessible to them. Something as simple as creating a video or presentation with captions for religious services helps deaf attendees tremendously.
There is Progress in Access for Deaf People
While the deaf community still has its fair share of struggles in the hearing world, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Religious places like churches offer things to others like handicapped access and Bibles written in large print for the visually impaired, but the deaf community needs more attention.
As awareness increases, so does the number of more accessible places for deaf people to worship. The Deaf Church Planting Organization reports there are an estimated 187 deaf churches across America. It doesn’t fill in the gap for the needs of over a thousand deaf people in the country, but it is a positive sign that efforts can create an open environment where everyone is welcome to practice, regardless of their characteristics.
There are many solutions to solve the inaccessibility issue, but it is up to religious organizations to implement them.
To learn more about how accessible religion impacts the deaf community, visit https://www.unspokenasl.com/
Thumbnail Photo Credit to: Photo by Fatih Turan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/interior-of-grand-mosque-hagia-sophia-in-istanbul-turkey-11745579/
