Being Deaf and lesbian has its challenges as well as its rewards, writes Katrina Fox.

It was only when she died at the age of 75 in 2002, that the world learned that Australian crime novelist Patricia Carlon was deaf. Carlon, whose story was told by Sofya Gollan in her play The Cat Lady of Bexley last year, was compared to Ruth Rendell and Alfred Hitchcock, but refused to give interviews and lived much of her life as a recluse in order to keep her deafness a secret.

Nowadays, the majority of Deaf people are no longer ashamed of the fact they cannot hear, and derogatory terms such as 'deaf and dumb' or 'mute' have fallen into disuse, but many misconceptions about what it means to be Deaf still remain. "People think we are wrong, or not capable of things at all," says 40-year-old Kasey Murray who was born Deaf and is currently in a relationship with another Deaf woman.

In fact, the notion of Deafness being a disability is a controversial one. While many Deaf people acknowledge their need for specific services such as access to Auslan (sign language) interpreters in work meetings and subtitled television and films, they do not consider themselves disabled, but rather as part of a culture with its own identity and language, hence the use of the capital 'D'. "Deaf is who we are," Murray says. "We have jobs, own a home, drive a vehicle, travel around the world and we share ideas."

Being Deaf and lesbian could be considered by some to be a negative double whammy, but this is not the case for Claire Dunne, an Irish-Australian woman in her late '30s. "I am sure there are people out there that think 'Oh, how sad, she is Deaf. Oh, and a lesbian too. Poor thing!', Dunne laughs. "But I am proud of who and what I am. I am a Deaf lesbian which means I am the member of two small minority cultures, so if anything, that means I have double the fun and a more interesting life full of unique experiences!"
However, being a member of two minority cultures can mean discrimination from one or the other, or both. For Murray, who repressed her lesbian feelings for many years, marrying a man and having children, homophobia is the major issue, from both Deaf and hearing people. "I have faced so many challenges since I came out as a Deaf lesbian than when I was married," she says, although she has found support within the Australian Deaf Gay Lesbian Association NSW, which organises social events for Deaf GLBTI people and their hearing partners.

By contrast, Dunne has experienced little homophobia and more discrimination on account of her being Deaf, even from within the lesbian community. "One common reaction when someone finds out I am Deaf is they walk away," she says. "Quite a few times I have had women approach me to start a conversation. As soon as I tell them I am Deaf, they turn and leave. I really hate that, but it is their problem, not mine. One of the biggest challenges of meeting hearing women is that many people don't understand what it means to be Deaf; they might not understand my culture, language, my identity. But a relationship is about sharing and learning about each other - maybe the person I meet will have a different racial background, a different faith, a different culture too."

There are several things that hearing lesbians can do to make Deaf women feel welcome in their spaces, apart from the obvious act of overcoming their initial prejudices. Bar and club owners offering well-lit corners to facilitate communication by lip-reading or signing, for instance, as well as bar staff and patrons becoming familiar with the basic Auslan alphabet. "Finding a partner can be a very difficult task," says Dunne, whose past relationships have been predominantly with hearing women. "The Deaf GLBT community is tiny, and a lot of hearing women are hesitant about being with a Deaf person, possibly because of not knowing how to communicate. It would be easier if more (cute) women knew Auslan!"

One such woman is 25-year-old Rebecca Cramp. Cramp, who lives with her girlfriend in the Blue Mountains, is a full-time qualified Auslan interpreter. She first saw sign language being used in a movie when she was very young and decided she wanted to learn it.

So how easy or difficult is it to learn? "Just like learning any language, you need to be dedicated to study Auslan," Cramp says. "It is important to remember that Auslan is a language very different to English, like French or German, so you will need to learn new grammar and so on. The main difference between learning Auslan and learning a spoken language is getting your head around creating language in space, rather than with your voice."

The Deaf Education Network offers Auslan courses for the beginner and the more advanced with lengths ranging from weeks to months but how quickly a person can learn Auslan depends ultimately on how much they practice.

As well as making life easier for the Deaf community, learning Auslan can bring great rewards for hearing people. "It has introduced me to an amazing, vibrant community, with their own language, culture and history, where I have made some wonderful friends," Cramp enthuses. "I met my partner at a Deaf community function. Auslan itself has so many advantages, not the least of which is being able to hold in-depth conversations with your friends across a crowded, noisy bar!"

If learning a new language seems like too big a step to take in the first instance, we can still help the Deaf lesbians among us by simply being opening to learning a little about Deaf culture. "It would be great if more women were aware of Deaf culture, and knew what it entailed," Dunne, who is currently single, says. "So many people feel shocked or concerned or hesitant when they meet a Deaf person, and they don't need to be. Ultimately, I want to be treated just like anyone else - with respect for my culture, my language, and who I am as a person."

Deaf Education Network: www.deaf.nsw.edu.au

Australian Deaf Gay Lesbian Association NSW: Ph (TTY): (02) 9358 6387 or email: dtroz@bigpond.com.au

LOTL is Australia's national lesbian magazine covering. For more information visit the magazine's website at www.lotl.com