Our new Vice President, Jane lives in Clearwater, Florida. Originally from Canada, Jane comes from a big family of four sisters. Her oldest sister and herself are deaf. She became deaf at age two and a half. During her childhood her mother sent her to a regular school where using sign language was prohibited. She was not allowed to use sign language to communicate.
Both her school and her mother didn’t accept any sign while talking. Unable to use sign language caused many conflicts because she could see herself divided into two different worlds. For many years she experienced a profound sadness as struggled to communicate as a deaf person.
Her oldest sister, Joanne who is also deaf, knew how she felt and encouraged her to learn sign language. Joanne was able to learn sign language through her deaf friends. She told Jane that she should learn sign language or she would be an outcast in society. Joanne was right so Jane decided to push away her mother’s "old school" philosophy.
Jane struggled emotionally for a long time to make this change in her life. Finally, in 2005 she decided to learn sign language. Unfortunately, her mother is still unhappy with her decision. She know it was in her best interest to learn. She now realizes how many years she had wasted not learning sign language and being able to communicate and socialize within the deaf communities.
She is confident now that putting herself first was the best for her life. Jane mentions that now she has found the true meaning of life. Now she can say she is a very happy and proud deaf woman.
Thank you for taking the time to read this amazing story about Jane and her experience being a deaf child unable to to express herself.
Both her school and her mother didn’t accept any sign while talking. Unable to use sign language caused many conflicts because she could see herself divided into two different worlds. For many years she experienced a profound sadness as struggled to communicate as a deaf person.
Her oldest sister, Joanne who is also deaf, knew how she felt and encouraged her to learn sign language. Joanne was able to learn sign language through her deaf friends. She told Jane that she should learn sign language or she would be an outcast in society. Joanne was right so Jane decided to push away her mother’s "old school" philosophy.
Jane struggled emotionally for a long time to make this change in her life. Finally, in 2005 she decided to learn sign language. Unfortunately, her mother is still unhappy with her decision. She know it was in her best interest to learn. She now realizes how many years she had wasted not learning sign language and being able to communicate and socialize within the deaf communities.
She is confident now that putting herself first was the best for her life. Jane mentions that now she has found the true meaning of life. Now she can say she is a very happy and proud deaf woman.
Thank you for taking the time to read this amazing story about Jane and her experience being a deaf child unable to to express herself.