Danni Darrah discusses the lack of BSL in recent coronavirus briefings and the impact it has shown to have
With the political briefings and discussions being more crucial and important than ever before to tune into, the BSL Society called into question how inclusive the briefings were for deaf people, with many news platforms demanding to know why authorities in charge of these meets and briefings are allowing the “misinformation to spread” without assigning an interpreter to them for those who only communicate through British Sign Language. Many individuals from within the d/Deaf community pointed out that the lack of interpreter at the coronavirus briefings was leaving them feeling “lost” and “isolated”, which within these disconcerting and anxious times is one of the last things that anyone should have to face from the government. Although it is difficult to ascertain the extent to which briefings are being made accessible, with subtitles being utilised during live broadcastings for those who need them. However, these have been multifariously described as often slow and inaccurate when being typed in real time and therefore, aren’t ideal.
BBC News were heavily praised and thanked when uploading an interpreted version of the coronavirus briefing to their Twitter feed, which begs the obvious question of why leading authorities aren’t taking control and doing more. Just five days ago (15 Oct 2020), Lynn Stewart-Taylor, activist and founder of the #WhereIsTheInterpreter, sued the government for the lack of BSL at their briefings. She stated “I have health issues and am pregnant. I need access to an interpreter to be able to protect not only myself but my unborn baby” later on adding that she feels at a “disadvantage to what’s going on”. Nevertheless, the government have not yet apologised, or even commented, on their lack of interpreter, leaving the d/Deaf community to grow increasingly frustrated and confused as to why they are being denied a basic human right in these uncertain times.
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