Feb 18
Deaf
Every Deaf individual needs at least one thing: a Deaf role model.
I was lucky enough to grow up with a range of Deaf role models: Deaf adults who performed in Newport’s Dolman Theatre Deaf Pantomime, of which I was part of the children’s chorus for a couple of years and then joined the adult chorus for the final year the Deaf Pantomime was put on. However while it was good for me to see Deaf adults participating in such a large production and in the process showing Deaf youngsters that it’s possible to act and perform in a theatre, none of them left a huge impression on me.
It wasn’t until I was 20 that I was to meet my first Deaf role model, a trainer who delivered a peer befriending course I was involved in (through BSL). Here was a confident Deaf professional who knew what he was talking about. It had taken him years to find his Deaf identity, but when he finally did, he became a force to be reckoned with.
I learnt a lot from this guy and it was really through exposure to him that I started to accept my Deaf identity. Crucially, however, he taught me to be patient, and that I can’t force all deaf people to accept or even acknowledge their Deaf identity. It has to start from within.
Fast forward 2 years later and I had started my Legal Practice Course at Cardiff. I met a Deaf woman who had had a similar oral upbringing to me, and had been mainstreamed for most of her education. She was also interested in the field of law and actually gave me the job that was eventually to lead to my qualification as a solicitor and the establishment of the first Deaf law centre in the UK. A pretty powerful Deaf role model indeed!
While the earlier male Deaf role model had encouraged me to accept my Deaf identity and to be patient with others who hadn’t yet attained that level of self awareness, the female Deaf role model gave me the passion I still have within me to use my skills and experience to enforce and advance Deaf people’s rights in the UK.
She also introduced me to the Group for Solicitors with Disabilities (now the Lawyers with Disabilities Division), of which I became Chair in 2003, allowing me to establish contacts within the legal profession that I still have to this day.
We also set up Deaf Lawyers UK, a cause close to my heart; collaborated on the now defunct Deaf Blogs website; did some work on the recognition of BSL, and spent many hours trying to work out how to design and maintain websites.
Although we no longer keep in touch like we used to, there’s no denying the impact these individuals have had on my life, my understanding of Deaf culture and the passion I have for the work I do, and for that, I am eternally grateful to them both.
I believe, at the risk of sounding boastful, that I am now in a position to be a Deaf role model for younger Deaf generations, and this is why I am delighted to have been approached by three Deaf law students all seeking a career in the legal profession recently. I will do my very best to be as thought-provoking and inspiring as the two Deaf role models I was very fortunate to have.
Oct 07
Corey, Family
All this talk of Libby being born into the world on 1 October 2011 made me think that some of you would like a Corey update.
So, here are some recent pictures of our gorgeous little boy, who will be 2 next month.
Oct 07
Family, Libby
Rachel and I are absolutely delighted to announce the birth of our daughter, Libby Charlotte Dorcas Wilks, who was born on 1 October 2011 at 9.16am, weighing 6lbs 15oz and measuring 55cm.
I can’t tell you how over the moon I am to have a beautiful daughter to make 2point4 children; one of each gender. If (and I mean *IF*) we do go on to have a third child, I’ll especially be looking forward to having a surprise, and whether our third is a boy or girl, s/he will be a bonus to an already very happy family of four!
Aug 11
Deaf, Legal
I thought you might like to have a read of this article, to which I provide some comments.
The lawyers trying to give deaf people a hearing | Law | guardian.co.uk.
I think it’s been very well written and does explain the situation Deaf people face when trying to access legal advice services.
Jul 11
Ramblings, Work
Yes I know. I had a blogging spurt recently and then it just went nowhere and I ain’t posted for a few weeks.
There are two reasons for my apparent quietness.
Firstly, Rachel, Corey, Bump and I upped sticks from our 3-bedroom terraced house in Oakdale to a 4-bedroom new-build detached house in Abercarn.
Moving house is something I would not want to repeat. While the move in itself went well, it was a mammoth task as it took 5 trips in a Transit-sized van as well as 4 cars making several trips to move all our stuff, taking up a huge chunk of a day and an hour or so the next.
Needless to say, we love our new home and have been busy ever since putting our stamp on it. It’s so lovely to have the extra room.
The second reason is a shame. Following my post “Are there any Deaf left?”, someone took it upon themselves to contact my employer to complain about some of my comments.
Now, in hindsight I do understand that some of my comments in that post are somewhat controversial and that given my senior management post within RAD, I should have been more mindful of any implications this would have on RAD’s work and in particular the work of my colleagues on the senior management team. Lesson learnt.
What I was rather dismayed about was the fact that my comments about hard of hearing were seen as “discriminatory” and that hard of hearing people should think twice about coming to RAD/me for legal advice. I believe the two things (my views on hard of hearing people belonging to the Deaf community / their right to receive free legal advice) are completely separate. I have and do provide many hard of hearing individuals with legal advice, and have no qualms in doing so. This was rather a wake up call for me, and something I won’t be in a hurry to repeat, given my exposure to the Deaf community and the fact that hard of hearing people can access my services.
It’s a shame that my “voice” has to be stifled somewhat, but you know what? There’s more important things to concern myself with. There’s a lot more I can talk about than not without compromising my position as a senior manager and as a solicitor.
Let’s see what drivel I can come up with, eh? 
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