I’m taking a break from the B2S series to vent my frustrations. I'm ill which for me equates deafness which only adds to the insanity I'm feeling as I am confined to bed drinking tea on bank holiday weekend no less. As I've mentioned before I'm Hard of Hearing (HOH). A while back I met a guy whose hearing level was similar to mine – but he learnt sign language at school (where as I rely totally on lip reading). Annoyed that I was never taught to sign at school I decided to sign up for evening classes in sign language to start mid-September.
This of course was not as simple as I would like - it is one of the few classes that you cannot sign up with online at my local college. I emailed them and they suggested I go in to see them between 9 and 5 which of course doesn't work for me as I'm in work / commuting to work from 6am until half 6pm. The remaining option was phoning them. Given that I lip I hate phones, but I braved phoning them in my lunch hour - this turned into a disastrous conversation - I couldn't understand a word they said and they couldn't understand a word I said and so I didn't get signed up to the class. Very frustrating.
Now I know there are deaf people are lawyers - but for me the fact that I'm HOH was what put me off trying to become a barrister - that said I still worry about being able to cope as a solicitor. It is a hard thing to get people to understand what I experience, and I've found there is a distinct lack of support. Here in the UK both the Group for Solicitors with Disabilities (now lawyers with disabilities division of the law society) and Deaf Lawyers UK seem to be MIA. I've emailed both a few months ago now and failed to receive any response. I have debated whether my attempt to reach the lawyers with disabilities was lost during the change in organisation even though they say it shouldn't have been. As for the deaf lawyers their website hasn't been updated in a long time. Compare this to America where there is a regular blog and a twitter presence of deaf lawyers – and generally a good sense of community.
I find the UK's lack of support a great disappointment and in many ways it is discouraging – as it doesn’t bode well for coping in the future. You’d think with all the advancements in social media – it would improve.
I received little support through school and university - but I've always considered myself self sufficient. However, more recently I've found myself to struggle more, due to a mix of deteriorating hearing and a much more busy work environment, where lip reading is more physically exhausting and probably also hindered by my own unwillingness to announce to the world my difficulties. I have many fears about being able to be a solicitor one day - for example my difficulties in using a telephone confidently - some days it just makes me want to pack it all in. It just seems hard enough to qualify these days without admitting to the fact that you may not be able to do some aspects of the job that should be the most straightforward part.
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My Dear TT,
ReplyDeleteAs a Disabled person myself,I fully appreciate your situation. Disability and Legal Practice make uncomfortable bedfellows; the Bar tends to sweep the whole issue under the carpet, and pretends that it doesnt exist ( unless of course it is something hidden, like dyslexia, and attatched to a pretty young face); no society for disabled advocates exists ( or if it does its so small that no one ever hears about it), and there is certainly nothing affiliated to the Bar Standards Board, so we disabled barristers are pretty much alone. I do not mean to whinge about the matter, because I, too find that self reliance/sufficiency is just about the best way to cope with lifes daily difficulties. There does come a time, though, when we all get just a little bit tired of taking on the able bodied establishment!!
Take heart - you do not need to struggle onward entirely on your own. Are your employers aware of your hearing problem? If so, they must make reasonable adjustments to allow you to do your job; they should, at the VERY least , provide you with a textphone, which makes communication that much easier. Have you also thought about contacting the Royal National Institute for the Deaf? They may be able to help with kit like textphones for your home, as well as other things that make your life easier. You must claim every single thing that you are entitled to ( and that extends to benefits like Disability Living Allowance!!) which then makes your competition out on the legal playing field as level as possible.Your hearing problem is not an excuse; it is part of who you are, but it does not define you. You just need a little assistance to relegate it to the background!!
PS: Just had a look at the RNID shop page and find that they do a whole range of stuff which makes using the telephone a bit easier, including portable amplifiers which attatch to the hand piece, and make the incoming conversation louder and clearer. They seem to be relatively inexpensive, nothing you couldnt purchase yourself , but then again, your employer should buy something like this for you, too!!
ReplyDeleteHeres the link:
http://www.rnid.org.uk/shop/products/telephone_amplifiers/
thanks for commenting Minxy.From what you've said barrister's get it a lot worse.
ReplyDeleteDuring my studies I never really noticed - just suffered migraines. And I was also allowed to lipread during my advocacy assessment which was a great relief.
In my job I thankfully don't have a telephone (don't even have email). My job is all face to face contact with people I do jobs for which is perfect for me. My boss does know about my deafness, but not others as it is not overly noticeable. However, watching the paralegals do their work at the nearby desks and the information they need to extract out of the clients over the phone - I just know I would struggle.
Had a look at the link, they seem good ideas. But I don't think they'd work for my type of hearing. but will definitely have a browse, as I didn't know they had a shop.
Hey,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all it is such a shame that you have to go through this! The Law Society really should encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to become a solicitor! After all Solicitors are helping the whole community no matter their age/race/disability etc!
As Minx said your employer should be helping YOU and adjusting their work place to YOU. It's the minimum they could do!
I can not believe you had to be put through Uni without any form of help! Uni's nowadays seem to forget students are human and may have problems that are not visible, all they see is the money!!
How dreadfully frustrating TT
ReplyDeleteI wonder have you heard of the online course provided by british sign. It is £15 and takes you past BSL stage 1 volcab wise, at your own pace? Its at least a start for now, if nothing else.
www.british-sign.co.uk
Did consider the online course originally but I thought it would be fun to get out there and meet people as I don't work where I currently live and know few people in this town. but if all fails and I don't get signed up then I will most likely do the online one. Can't put this off for yet another year.
ReplyDeleteHey. Having read your post, I'm very sorry to learn that in the 21st Century, where everyone is obsessed with equal opportunities, you have to face these unnecessary difficulties. I really hope that this won't stop you from pursuing a career in law.
ReplyDeletemost certainly won't put me off trying, but it just concerns me - - i know I'd be good at the job. it's just i don't always want to be fighting and proving it to the rest of the world.
ReplyDelete