Advocating for ourselves as people with hearing
loss tells others we will make our needs known,
push for parity, and see that our rights under the
law are enforced. When each of us speaks up to
support legislation or when we speak up when are
denied access, we are helping ourselves as well
as others with hearing loss.
Supporting legislation, which puts us on an equal
footing with normally hearing people, is imperative.
We are not asking for extraordinary measures
We are asking for reasonable accommodations and legislation that will ensure we can continue to be contributing members of our community and our country. We are a group with many talents, gifts and skills, which we can utilize to better the lives of many. We also have the right to avail ourselves of the available technology that will allow us to lead fulfilled lives.
Advocacy not only means supporting legislation that benefits people who don’t hear well, it also means following through with a complaint when the law is not followed. There are a number of methods to file a complaint with a group, company or institution, which is not obeying the law. It is incumbent upon us to learn what the Americans with Disabilities Act ensures us, and understand the proper procedure when filing a complaint. We need to know what law is not being followed and learn how best to assert ourselves to obtain compliance. There is some skill involved and a bit of courage, but we can do it. There are a large number of people who will benefit from our personal activism.
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