WASHINGTON — One unintended consequence of the coronavirus pandemic is it's forcing us to consider its impact on communities other than our own.
Did you know that the D.C. area has one of the largest populations of deaf or hard of hearing people in the country? Learning this got me thinking: What kind of challenges are the members of this community going through? How are they coping with this pandemic? It can’t be easy.
Imagine that you live in a world where a large part of your communication is reading lips, and now everybody is wearing masks. Think about how important visual cues are in communication. Whether it's facial expressions, smiles, frowns, lines of irritation. All of these things and more make up the way we talk to each other, and now they’ve been taken away. Something as simple as going to the grocery store must be a challenge.
Let’s try to imagine the fear that must come with the thought of having to go into a hospital where everyone is masked up and there may not be a sign language interpreter there to assist you. How would you understand what they were trying to tell you?
Recognizing this challenge, a few companies have begun to produce clear masks. While this may be helpful, it’s not a solution. Not every deaf person reads lips.
Fortunately, our local government does consider this community. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office includes an interpreter at her daily briefings. While Virginia and Maryland both have an office dedicated to the concerns of the deaf or hard-of-hearing, D.C. doesn’t. One is needed now more than ever.
The National Association of the Deaf has published articles on coping during a pandemic for the community, but gaps still exist. Gaps which those of us who can hear should step up and try to fill.
If you know someone who is a part of this community, offer your support. Even if it’s just helping them navigate through a grocery run. The smallest of things can make the largest of differences.
Remember, we are all in this together, and that includes those that we don’t normally interact with. Now is a good time for us to get to know one another a little better.