Eyes must be washed
Things must be seen differently
by Sohrab Sepehri
چشم ها را باید شست، جور دیگر باید دید
سهراب سپهری
Grey Mask
I feel frustrated I can’t express myself or who I am to people who don’t know Deaf culture or American Sign Language (ASL). When I move my arms and my face in ASL, sometimes people stare at me with their narrow eyes and tight lips. I have been hit for using sign language. As a child I have taught older Deaf classmates sign language in the bathrooms at school in secret. Sometimes when I’m around hearing people who don’t sign, I feel like I am not alive and hidden away. I want to share stories, folklore and jokes from my Deaf culture to show who I am but I don’t feel free to do so. Mask Motif- I took my inspiration from Harlan Lane’s book “The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community and De’VIA motif of use of Mask to show oppression. The grey colour is used to show industrial approach being used by medical profession with parents of Deaf babies and young children about cochlear implant without sharing about options for languages and/or Deaf culture.
I feel frustrated I can’t express myself or who I am to people who don’t know Deaf culture or American Sign Language (ASL). When I move my arms and my face in ASL, sometimes people stare at me with their narrow eyes and tight lips. I have been hit for using sign language. As a child I have taught older Deaf classmates sign language in the bathrooms at school in secret. Sometimes when I’m around hearing people who don’t sign, I feel like I am not alive and hidden away. I want to share stories, folklore and jokes from my Deaf culture to show who I am but I don’t feel free to do so. Mask Motif- I took my inspiration from Harlan Lane’s book “The Mask of Benevolence: Disabling the Deaf Community and De’VIA motif of use of Mask to show oppression. The grey colour is used to show industrial approach being used by medical profession with parents of Deaf babies and young children about cochlear implant without sharing about options for languages and/or Deaf culture.
Growing Plants
I know and believe that I can do anything. I can reach for the sky, I am alive and beautiful. Growing plants represent growth and being able to breathe. Plants produce Oxygen for us and are important for good health. I can create and give back to society. I can show people new ways of looking at Deaf culture and communication. For years people have told me that I could not do my PhD because I was dumb, deaf, or not capable. I didn’t give up, I keep on growing and finding my way to the sky. I got my PhD. When people tell me I can’t do something because I’m Deaf, I will stop, breathe, and find ways to keep on growing. I used colour pink to represent Pink Day here in Canada for support diversity and stop homophobia as I am queer. Pink flowers are alive, beautiful and loved and I am too.
I know and believe that I can do anything. I can reach for the sky, I am alive and beautiful. Growing plants represent growth and being able to breathe. Plants produce Oxygen for us and are important for good health. I can create and give back to society. I can show people new ways of looking at Deaf culture and communication. For years people have told me that I could not do my PhD because I was dumb, deaf, or not capable. I didn’t give up, I keep on growing and finding my way to the sky. I got my PhD. When people tell me I can’t do something because I’m Deaf, I will stop, breathe, and find ways to keep on growing. I used colour pink to represent Pink Day here in Canada for support diversity and stop homophobia as I am queer. Pink flowers are alive, beautiful and loved and I am too.
