The MISSING Link

The MISSING link

( some of the words from the “Looking out, looking in” exhibition 2016)

We are stuck on the “fixing model”. Where is the “acceptance” model? The blindfolded ones justifying their decisions for the deaf children.

Where are the rights of deaf children? Where are their rights to be bilingual?

where are their rights to be themselves?

Deafness is in our DNA.Diversity is in our DNA. What is the missing link?

Who are the experts in deafness? Who makes the decisions for deaf people?

Who speaks for the deaf child?

90% of deaf children are born to hearing families. What is the missing link? Every day a child is born. Every day a deaf child is born. Every day a unique child is born. Everything is diverse.Without diversity, nothing would exist.

Where are the support for families? Where is the right for the families to be bilingual? Where is the right for the deaf child to choose? What is the missing link?

It is ok to be bilingual, It is healthy to be bilingual. It is freedom to be bilingual. What is the missing link?

Meet the experts – the deaf people, ask them questions, book an interpreter. “What is it like to be deaf, what do you like about being deaf, what makes you happy?”

I cant be hearing – you might become deaf, Where is the bridge? I am here and you are there.

The child has the right to access a language that is accessible and meaningful. The child has the right to choose. The child has the right to be accepted as who they are.

Why do we create worlds where we self loath when we can encourage self love?

Its ok to be blingual.
Its ok to be yourself
Its ok to be me
Accepting is empowering
Accepting is powerful. Accepting is strong.
Accepting diversity is a celebration of life.

Irene Holub © 2016

The Good Girl

The Good Girl

Pushed, prodded, poked and praised

Over and over and over and over.

Please, please, please

Pass, fail, pass , fail, pass, fail, fail, fail.

Can you see me. I can’t see me. Too many photos of me sitting, standing, looking, posing, breathing, eating, climbing, walking. No photos of us communicating with joy. Must focus, must pay attention, must lipread, must listen, must talk, must behave, must be good, must be polite, must be submissive, must be what they want. I want to be me.

That’s selfish they say. You must fit in the hearing world. You cannot be deaf. You cannot be you. You must be what we want.

You are not like them. You speak so well. You are a success.

You are so clever. You are a wonderful role model. You are not like them. You don’t need sign language. It is a hearing world. You don’t understand. You should hear. You should speak. You are not really deaf.

Not exactly perfect. Rejected. Discriminated. Becoming smaller and smaller. Disappearing into a void of abyss. In the darkness, sliding hands along the walls. Eyes tightly closed. Feeling the air moving. Shadows dance in the light. Smaller and smaller. Need approval. Anger, angry and furious. Mighty bellows, thunderous chaos. Stormy waters unchartered. Swimming, swimming, swimming against the current. Let me sign.

Let me be me.

Layers, layers, layers peeling off slowly. Born again. Learning to swim gently along the stream. Discovering the child. Discovering the beauty. Water washing over the eyes. Kissing, caressing, stroking, Opening, flowering, blooming. Heart beats brightly. Feeling all at one. At home.

Let go
I am me
I accept me.

Text by Irene Holub @ 2016 www.eneriart.com

Its ok to be bilingual

Its ok to be bilingual

Its ok to be deaf
Its ok to be bilingual
Its ok to be different
It is not the end of world
We are all different with the same heartbeat

Deafness is in our DNA
Why should we pretend to be hearing
We can be perfectly deaf
Deafness is in my DNA
It is natural. It is normal. It is a gift
It is part of diversity
We are all gifts, whether deaf or hearing
We are all miracles
We are all me, I accept me , you accept you
Acceptance is empowering.

Deaf people have rights to be themselves
Deaf people have the right to be bilingual
Deaf people are bilingual
Being bilingual is empowering
Being bilingual is freedom

Allow the deaf child to embrace their deafness
It is not a hearing world, it is a world of diversity
Deaf people have rights to be themselves
Deaf children have a voice, let them be themselves
Deaf people are very accepting. Hearing people are not.
They expect us to be hearing.

We are all me. I accept you , You accept me , I accept me

Acceptance is empowering.

Invisible Skin Lyrics 2019

LYRICS FOR INVISIBLE SKIN PRODUCTION

“Mirror mirror on the wall”
Mirror mirror on the wall
I see you see me
Eyes seeing
Standing front close to me
Looking away in denial

Mirror mirror on the wall
Everyday I have a name
Everyday I feel shame
Everyday I am locked down
Hiding myself under invisible skin

Mirror mirror on the wall
I wake up confused
I wake up empty
I sleep seeking
I sleep drowning

Mirror mirror on the wall
Something inside me
Calling me
Look inside
I see you see me
Eyes seeing
Standing front close to me
Looking away in denial

Mirror mirror on the wall
Everyday I have a name
Everyday I feel shame
Everyday I am locked down
Hiding myself under invisible skin

Mirror mirror on the wall
I wake up screaming
I wake up my heart breaking
I sleep forever
I sleep seeking

Mirror mirror on the wall
Something inside me
Calling me look at me

I see you see me
Standing front of me
Looking away in denial

I see you see me
Standing front of me
Looking away in denial

I am a good girl
I am a good girl
I am a good good girl

Audism is a dirty word
Yesterday children
Tomorrow future
War is still raging
continuously fighting against each other
no one can predicts the future
Doesn’t matter, I have the answer!

all shall hear
all shall speak
all shall normalise and assimilate
End of problem
But….

yesterday children
tomorrow pain
audism is still raging
audism is still here
audism is still here
no one understands
no one understands Audism

all shall hear
all shall speak
all shall normalise and assimilate
End of issue

yesterday children
tomorrow future
my heart is breaking for them
It is 2019
language deprivation is still raging
language deprivation is still here
language deprivation is still here

Deaf child’ voice denied
Deaf child’ rights denied
Deaf’ rights denied

All shall hear
All shall speak
All shall normalise and assimilate
End of story

Yesterday children
Tomorrow pain
Standing ……….alone
Hearing decisions
Deaf community ignored
Everyday a deaf child is born
Don’t blame the parents
don’t blame the teachers
Blame the system

Audism continues
All shall hear
Audism continues
All shall speak
Audism continues
All shall normalise and assimilate
Audism continues
Audism Audism Audism

I have a dream
Deafness is a gift
Deafness is diversity
Deafness accept
I have a dream

“I found me”
All those years
All those fears
All those twisted lies
Where was I
Where was I

Layers binding my hands
layers oppressing my thoughts
layers narrowing my views
Oh pray pray please please patience patience

Deaf Oppression
History is continuing
Deaf Identity oppressed
Why why why …………… Enough! Stop

All those years
All those questions
All those visions
Who am I who am I who am I

Layers binding my hands
layers oppressing my thoughts
layers narrowing my views
Oh pray pray please please patience patience

Pushing through walls holding me down
Opening doors running free
Opening inside …..

I found me free…. embracing it …….close to me
Hands are free
I soar towards my community acceptance flying free
I found me

Looking in the future
Looking around….
People I see standing
Deaf

Hey, Push away your fears
Accept
Deaf Proud

I was lost but now am found
I looked inside and found me
I accept me
Me accept I
I know , I know , I know
No one can take this from me
I accept me
Me accept I
I know I know I know
I found me