Deaf Community and Culture, LIBRAS and Disability: A reflection on linguistic and cultural diversity

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Note: The term “Deaf” was capitalized due to the choice of a part of the community to be represented in this way.



On Friday (19), Agência Sabiá welcomed the LIBRAS interpreter , Simone Miyashiro , for its first Diversity Session of the year . The initiative is a way for the team to stay in touch with relevant issues that directly affect Brazilian society. The date was also chosen due to its proximity to the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, which was celebrated on Sunday, May 21.

Simone has worked on several projects and events in the city of São Paulo and currently translates and interprets classes for Deaf people in academic environments.

The conversation revolved around the issues arising from different cameroon whatsapp number database of deafness, the existence and actions of the Deaf community in a predominantly hearing society, and the organization of such a community based on a language, LIBRAS.

For Miyashiro, based on an approach that is focused on respecting diversity, empathy is important, but it is not enough:

“ It’s not enough to have empathy. We have to study and start to deepen our knowledge to normalize our experience with these people, both inside and outside the workplace. Not only Deaf people, but also all those with some kind of disability ,” recommends the specialist.

The use of the term “deaf-mute” is inappropriate
During the event, Miyashiro commented that there is a myth surrounding the issue of deafness involving the term “deaf-mute”. For a long time, this term was used to refer to Deaf people because it was believed that there was a relationship between deafness and muteness. However, Deaf people are not incapable of producing sound, as their vocal apparatus, responsible for phonetic production, is perfectly functional. Because of this, the correct term would be simply “Deaf” or “Surda” .

“ A Deaf person can come to speak if they want to undergo speech therapy. So, in principle, deafness is not accompanied by muteness. That is why they identify themselves as the Deaf community, Deaf people, and this is not pejorative, ” he explains.

Unlike muteness, which is not such a common occurrence, 10 million people are identified as Deaf in Brazil, which would be equivalent to 5% of our total population , according to data obtained by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in its 2010 census. This category includes people with mild, moderate, severe or profound hearing loss, which is the case in which they can no longer hear anything or practically nothing.

The general view of deafness is still largely based on the medical model
On the left, the painting by Oscar Pereira da Silva, entitled “A palavra aos deaf-mutes” (The word to the deaf-mute), indicating a possible interpretation of the reason for the perpetuation of the term. On the right, an illustration of a cochlear implant, a surgery performed with the aim of neutralizing deafness.
On the left, the painting by Oscar Pereira da Silva, entitled “A palavra aos deaf-mutes” (The word to the deaf-mute), indicating a possible interpretation of the reason for the perpetuation of the term. On the right, an illustration of a cochlear implant, a surgery performed with the aim of neutralizing deafness. Source: Reproduction – Internet.

In his lecture, Miyashiro highlighted the two models in which disabilities can be viewed, with a focus on deafness . Among them are the medical model, which starts from the point of view that it is an incapacity that can be alleviated or neutralized, and the social model, which sees deafness as linguistic and cultural differences.

With the spread of the medical model as the accepted standard, some critical and very harmful points have been established for communities such as the Deaf. Firstly, they come to be seen as a deviation from normality, that is, capable of being normalized. This creates a view that these people depend on the help of others to integrate into society. LIBRAS, in this focus, ends up being reduced to a deficient language, which serves as support for these people to be able to communicate with the hearing society.

The social model proposes another point of view, based on the assumption that the Deaf community is made up of independent individuals, capable of generating and producing knowledge just like any other person in society. In this model, the issue lies in their categorization, since they are seen as a linguistic minority, which presents different — but valid — ways of expressing and organizing themselves.

The “myth” of LIBRAS as a second language in Brazil
“Is LIBRAS the second official language of Brazil?” asked the speaker at one point. Amidst an atmosphere of uncertainty, some people said yes, while others said no.

It is often said that LIBRAS is the second official language of Brazil. The reason for this is Law No. 10,436/2002 , which merely recognizes Brazilian Sign Language as a legal and official form of communication in Brazil . However, Miyashiro clarified that LIBRAS is not the second official language of Brazil.

“The LIBRAS law does not characterize it as an official language, but rather as a possible language of communication. In other words, there is recognition that it exists, and that’s it. In countries like the Netherlands and Canada, which have established second languages, laws are written in the first and second language. In schools, both languages ​​are taught. Here, this does not happen with LIBRAS ,” he compares.

For the expert, even if it does not serve to institutionalize LIBRAS as a second language, the law is a step forward and an important tool for the maintenance and survival of the Deaf community as a linguistic community, as it ensures their linguistic rights. “ The same thing does not happen with other linguistic minorities, such as indigenous peoples ,” she explains.