My School Had A Back To School Bash With Arts And Crafts So I Painted The ASL Sign For Dinosaur

It's been awhile since I did an actual painting. I chose this sign, poem, specifically the express version, as a sort of love letter to the language and community. I've been studying American Sign Language for a few years now. Verbal communication has often been a struggle for me. With ASL, I have been able to meet and communicate with many wonderful people in a way that feels freeing. I am still learning. There are things I can't sign because I haven't learned the vocabulary yet. And there are things I can't say because they can only be expressed in sign.

[Image ID: a painting of a yellow and orange figure. Their arm starts clenched at their heart and opens as it extends forward. End ID]

[Image ID: 5 tweets from "glasses".

1. Just found out there's no school for the deaf in America. Bullshit.

2. Maybe I'll just start a school myself ffs. There's one in England maybe they can show me.

3. Omw to England :) wish me luck

4. Literally fuck England

5. Omw to France:) wish me luck

End ID]

Take a Break

Sources: SigningSavvy, Lifeprint, ASLDeafined

[Image ID:

Break in American Sign Language. Both hands in 5 handshape. Dominant hand palm down. Base hand palm towards signer. Dominant hand taps the space between the fingers on base hand. Movement is illustrated by arms that are translucent green and blue in different stages of the sign.

End ID]

Remove

Sources: SigningSavvy, Lifeprint, ASLDeafined

[Image ID:

Remove in American Sign Language. A handshape moves from base hand in open 5 handshape to the side and opens to a 5 handshape. Movement is illustrated by arms that are translucent green, blue, and purple in different stages of the sign.

End ID]

Vampire

Sources: SigningSavvy, ASLDeafined

[Image ID: vampire in American Sign Language. Hand in bent V handshape taps the side of the signers neck. Hand and mouth, which is depicted with fangs, are drawn in red. End ID]

Music

Shaheem Sanchez, a Deaf dancer and instructor talking about music and dancing

Sources: SigningSavvy, Lifeprint, ASLDeafined

[Image ID:

Music in American Sign Language. Hand in open B handshape sweeps back and forth over non-dominant arm. Movement is illustrated by arms that are translucent green, blue, purple, and pink in different stages of the sign.

End ID]

Better

Sources: SigningSavvy, Lifeprint, ASLDeafined

[Image ID:

Better in American Sign Language. Hand in open B swipes across chin and ends at the side of the face in A handshape. Movement is illustrated by arms that are translucent green and blue in different stages of the sign. Face outline and lips are blue.

End ID]

I just watched The Eight: Reindeer Monologues.

It is fully in ASL with English voice over and closed captions.

I thought the writing was great, the acting was phenomenal (idk about the voice acting. My computer was on mute), and the editing...but overall, it was a good show. It's not for everyone; it's a story about sexual assault. It explores the different way people respond to allegations: from active support and passive support, to dismissal and denial, to guilt and shame. I was hesitant to watch it because it was advertised as a dark comedy about sexual harassment, but I'm glad I did. I thought they handled the challenging themes well despite the inherent goofiness of the characters and settings they chose to tell their story with.

[Image ID:

Poster has art of a cussing reindeer in sunglasses. Alternating green, red, and brown text says:

Deaf Austin Theatre presents The Eight: Reindeer Monologues. Staring the DAT board of directors.

A dark, dark Christmas comedy written by Jeff Goode. Virtually streamed through Stellar Dec 21-28. Get virtual tickets today! www.deafaustintheatre.org

Poster designed by Melinda Schallau The Eight: Reindeer Monologues is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Recommend for ages 18 and up

End ID]

Disability

Sources: SigningSavvy, Lifeprint, ASLDeafined

[Image ID:

Disability in American Sign Language. Handshapes D and A with the pattern of the disability pride flag: green, blue, white, yellow, and red diagonal stripes over a dark grey background.

End ID]

The faded black background represents "the anger and mourning over the eugenics and the neglect that disabled people have to fight against."

Red represents physical disabilities.

Gold is for neurodiversity.

White represents invisible disabilities and disabilities that haven't yet been diagnosed.

Blue stands for emotional and psychiatric disabilities, including mental illness, anxiety, and depression.

Green is for sensory disabilities, including deafness, blindness, lack of smell, lack of taste, audio processing disorder, and all other sensory disabilities.

Source

Accessibility isn’t extra steps

they’re just the steps that you missed