So typically Tuesday's are the night to accompany a friend (from ASL class, aka, ASL Wondertwin or ASLWT for short) to a local gay bar to practice ASL.
After the past few Tuesdays, I'm thinking I might be hanging up my ring, and no longer doing the "form of...the only straight guy at community ASL night!".
Why you ask? Awesome, read on.
For some reason, in the city of Seattle, there is a very unusual trend that I've found that alot of deaf people (or "deafies" as they call themselves) are gay. Or at least the ones that go to all of the community ASL classes I've been to. While my ASLWT is a woman, I typically find myself on the sidelines just sitting back having (now) a coke and a smile and pretty much wallflowering until the class is over.
Is ASL a fun and unique language? Absolutely. Am I glad I learned it? Hell to the yes. Am I willing to subject myself to being in a mega-gay bar every Tuesday where I'm pretty much ignored by the plague so I can practice my ABC's, colors, numbers, and types of food? Uhm...no.
While I feel bad finally hanging up the three year belt of helping out my ASLWT, I've come to the full realization of the following:
1) I'm just not extroverted enough to pull up striking up a conversation, let alone a signed conversation, with a complete stranger.
2) I am waaaay to straight to sit there and just be hammered in the eyes (because deaf people can't speak) with joke after joke concerning only dicks, drag queens, and buttf**king. Don't get me wrong, I'm not homophobic by any means, but dude, I know you're gay...got the memo 20 limp wrists ago.
3) Believe it or not, the Deaf Community (yes, they have a community) is very clannish and is a bit spiteful of "hearing" people. Why? Well, you would be too if mainstream society looked down on a subculture of you and other people for being different. That being said, Deaf Community, I've made the effort to learn your language, culture, and what you advocate for. So when I say I understand what you just said, don't be a f**king prick and make me repeat it back to you. I sure as sh*t don't ask you to enunciate.
4) Interpreters (typically college aged girls) are just snobbish as hell....yeah, pretty much all I got on that.
5) While I do appreciate the ability to drink at community classes, I'm not a huge fan of being awarded shot after shot of signing at a higher level then most. That's typically when I start to actual slur my sign language.
6) No point in keeping my ASL up in that..well, I have no deaf friends.
*Sigh* Awesome.
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2 comments:
I had no idea that gay bars would be ASL hot spots. haha this post was great.
Again, I caveat in the fact that I know enough about Deaf culture to be dangerous.
But yeah, gay bars in Seattle always have some deafies in there. :)
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