“If attitudes towards Deaf people shifted and more hearing people learnt to sign, the world would be a different place.”

Watch the British Sign Language translation of this blog here. 

“I am proud of my accomplishments, though they haven’t come without challenge!”

My name is Esmail Patel, and I am known through my work as ‘The Deaf Asian Man’. My first language is BSL (British Sign Language).

I'm a Sales Director at an interpreting organisation and also teach BSL qualifications. My career has covered various fields. I have worked for the Police, government, media, healthcare, and academia. I have been CEO of my own company (DEAF). I've received 32 awards for my work. I have earned a BA, a Post Graduate Diploma and a Master’s Degree.

I’m proud of my accomplishments, though they haven’t come without challenge! As a profoundly Deaf BSL user, there have been many barriers along the way.

“Many employers don't understand their responsibilities to make reasonable adjustments”

Lack of Deaf awareness from employers presents barriers for accessibility.
Many employers don't understand their responsibilities to make reasonable adjustments. Adjustments should begin at the start of recruitment and continue through to employment.

There is also a lack of awareness around the provision of BSL interpreters.

Many employers are not aware of Access to Work, a government scheme in place to cover the costs of adjustments. I've often had to fight for my right to a BSL interpreter during recruitment processes. This has left me feeling frustrated and in some cases I have had to prepare for legal battles.

“The attitudes I’ve faced within my faith community have all been negative.”

I am a practising Muslim, but when I attend my Mosque, there are never any interpreters. I also don’t have the same access to special occasions as the rest of my community. Again, this is because of the lack of BSL interpreters at these events.

Information in the Muslim community is often in complicated English. Alternative language translation into many foreign languages is available upon request. But, it is rarely made accessible in BSL format.

Remember, BSL is my first language, not written English. So, for myself and many Deaf BSL users, written English is not accessible as it is a second language. I don’t have an interpreter in my pocket all the time to translate it!

The attitudes I’ve faced within my faith community have all been negative. They can't sign, so they've got no idea about the Deaf community.

“Attitudes and body language can change when people realize I am Deaf.”

Other people can become hesitant to communicate with a Deaf person because they don’t know how to. Attitudes and body language can change when people realize I am Deaf. And sometimes communication stops completely. It can feel discriminatory, as I am being treated differently and it often makes me feel left out. This creates barriers when we can work together to take those down!

“Simple things can all feel like hard work”

As a Deaf person I also feel excluded from leisure pursuits. Deaf people have far more limited opportunity to go to the cinema or theatre. Only selected performances have BSL interpreters or captions.

Making enquires in a shop or restaurant can also be a challenge. Simple things can all feel like hard work.

Because of inaccessibility and negative social attitudes, I’ve learnt to be assertive. I have grown a thick skin.

That is why I am on two co-production panels, because I want to try and break down barriers and improve accessibility.

”I want to bridge the gap between Deaf and hearing people.”

We, in the Deaf community, don't see us as the problem. Hearing people need to be educated. They need to adapt to our needs and work to meet us.

I want to bridge the gap between Deaf and hearing people. We can achieve this by advocating for more BSL and Deaf awareness sessions for hearing people.

If attitudes towards Deaf people shifted and more hearing people learnt to sign, the world would be a different place. I don’t feel equality of access is too much to ask.

As we celebrate Deaf Awareness Week this week, it is important for us to highlight the ongoing need for societal change and accessibility, so that Deaf people can be more included in communities.

“It doesn’t have to be this way”

We have finally got the BSL Act 2022, which legally recognises BSL as a language in England, Scotland and Wales. This should bring about change for the better.

In the meantime, we are still fighting for equality and challenging the lack of understanding and discrimination. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

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