Deaf want to be treated as equals

Michael May signs the word butterfly to son Luca and wife Nirvana. Photo by Linda Robertson.
Michael May signs the word butterfly to son Luca and wife Nirvana. Photo by Linda Robertson.
Deaf people can do anything but hear.
Dunedin couple Nirvana and Michael May are role models in the deaf community. Both were born deaf, and have the usual dreams and desires.

However, as they celebrate New Zealand Sign Language Week this week, they, like others in the deaf community, are fighting for the right to be treated as equals in the education and health systems, as well as socially.

Their journey has not been easy, as they have faced prejudice for being deaf and have been treated like second-rate people. But they have succeeded.

At the moment, Mrs May (28) is a full-time mother to 13-week-old Luca, having last year completed a bachelor of teaching degree at the University of Otago.

When Luca, who can hear, is older, she wants to teach deaf children.

She also wants her own child to be bilingual in spoken English and sign language.

Her husband, Michael (27), is months away from completing a bachelor of teaching degree and a bachelor of arts degree in linguistics.

He would then grab job opportunities as they came, he said.

''We want to be role models so that we can show deaf children that we can all do anything but hear,'' he said.

Both wanted to go overseas to see how the deaf community fared in other countries.

New Zealand was among the leaders in the world with sign language being made an official language in 2006, but the only other way deaf people were recognised was through the legal system, Mr May said.

Mrs May said, through signing to her husband, she would love all television to be subtitled as it was in other countries and for more access to educational opportunities.

The couple devoted themselves to the deaf community, teaching sign language classes and pressuring the university and wider community to see things from a deaf person's perspective.

There had been a ''huge'' response to sign language being made the third official language, with demand for sign classes exceeding supply.

Deaf Association of New Zealand community relations officer Lois Scott said the couple were extremely passionate about education for deaf people.


This week is New Zealand sign language week.

Today and tomorrow, a ''short and fun'' introduction to New Zealand sign language will be held at the University of Otago from 1pm-1.50pm.



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