Comments on: BSL Act

By: MM

MM — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:57:29 +0000

I’ve not seen anything pertaining to a stand alone BSL bill, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldbills/004/08004.8-14.html#j012 is probably the one you already mentioned, the draft disability billl contains some things that BSL users could benefit from, it mainly relates to what is already in extance, in that BSL users have a right to BSL in service provision/indformation. If the BSL user wants something a lot stronger e.g. education, it is not there. I’ll get it in the neck, but I would rather an access bill that recognises every deaf persons modes and not single out just BSL, there are lots of other deaf who get less rights than they do, when is there going to be a unified approach to access ? and not one that entirely depends on who shouts the loudest.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:17:48 +0000

Al, thanks for your points. If there’s a draft BSL Bill somewhere, I think it should be updated and then posted online for comments and amendments. Any idea who’s got it?

By: MM

MM — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 18:16:39 +0000

Hear Hear (Pardon the pun !), the total lack of a unified campaign regarding access, will keep BSL access on the back burner. I’d forget a ‘BSL’ bill and go for an ‘Access’ one under human rights, equal access laws mean you are pitched against other deaf who use different means to BSL, the HI are also a powerful (9m), force to reckon with, being as BSL is a mode they don’t use.

The lack of ANY Unity in the respective worlds to campaigning means the very fact the entirely FALSE declaration give by the BDA, (that BSL was now law), a few years ago, is still seen as valid, the UK NEVER accepted BSL totally as a right, only via low-level access. It remains today NOT officially recognized, despite various campaigners insisting the powers-to-be have not enforced the law, a ‘BSL’ law, was never enacted. Any lawyer will tell you that !

By: Alison

Alison — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 18:38:32 +0000

Hmm … we have to be careful here. BSL recognition is not about audiology, interpreters etc, although many things can be a by product of. Its about the protection of a language, and creating schemes to promote its use, and positivity etc.

In respect of legislation, many things need to be addressed first. E.g. no activist will campaign in a hurry because of the fiasco that happened in 2003, and there’s no guarantee there will be a repeat. Deaf organisations themselves need to actually work *with* Deaf people, not try and take over campaigns and redefine them to suit their own agenda and budgets.

Re draft BSL Bill – its already in existence … pulled it together in 2000. However it needs more work, and tbh education before. Most people in deaf organisations don’t even understand what recognition of a language actually means, and gets thrown around like some ideological concept with people having their own ideas.

Next we hear about BSL recognition = free bus pass. Deaf equiv of Godwin’s Law.