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The daily press briefings from the White House have become an important source of information during the coronavirus pandemic, but some Americans are not able to access them. That's because, unlike many state-run announcements, the White House does not provide an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter at their briefings. For months now, Deaf advocacy groups have been petitioning the White House to provide this crucial accessibility service, but it still has not happened.

"COVID-19 has exacerbated the educational, employment, and health disparities faced by deaf and hard of hearing individuals," Chris Soukup, CEO of Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), the world's largest deaf-led social impact organization, told Refinery29 via email. "In a pandemic, information saves lives. It is critical that all Americans have full access to essential government communications, and understand how their actions will affect themselves and others."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 11.5 million Americans living with hearing loss of some kind, which is nearly 3.6% of the population. Deaf and hard of hearing (HOH) people say they are frustrated with the lack of accessibility at the White House's press briefings. Back on March 18, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the National Council on Disability (NCD) sent letters to then-White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham asking the White House coronavirus task force to use American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters during its briefings.

"From the first White House press conference on this coronavirus, the NAD has received daily complaints from deaf and hard of hearing citizens across the country asking why their President is not ensuring they are getting the same access to emergency information as everyone else," Howard A. Rosenblum, NAD Chief Executive Officer, wrote. "We have been directing their complaints to your [press] office, and join in their concern for the lack of information for our community."

Pls RT. Dear @WhiteHouse news & press conferences around the country during this Corona Virus Emergency have sign language interpreters standing next to the speakers, providing ACCESS for millions of deaf Americans. Can you do the same, PLEASE? #noaccess #ADA #asl #cdi
- Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) March 19, 2020

Many states - including Virginia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and California - provide interpreters during their governors' briefings. "Often, the barrier in bringing in a [Certified Deaf Interpreter] to interpret the press conference has to do with educating the requestors about the value of providing this access to the large Deaf community," Rupert Dubler, the certified Deaf interpreter who has been alongside Gov. Charlie Baker during his coronavirus briefings, told WBUR.

Tired of waiting for the White House, some Deaf advocacy organizations have stepped up to provide their community with what they need. CSD, DPAN.TV, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) and CONVO are providing live American Sign Language interpretation and closed captioning of the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefings via Facebook Live, something they started at the beginning of this month.

Each organization is providing a different element of the live ASL interpretations: CSD is providing Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services, known as real-time captioning; DPAN is providing the live streaming capabilities; and RID and CONVO are providing the ASL interpreters.

"Nothing is more critical for our community to combat this global pandemic than breaking down all communications barriers and ensuring deaf individuals get equal access to important and reliable information in their own language," Soukup, CEO of CSD, said in a press release provided to Refinery29. "We could wait no longer for others who are responsible to implement these rightful accommodations as we face this life-threatening crisis."

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Deaf Advocates Petition To Include An ASL Translator In White House Briefings

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 11.5 million Americans living with hearing loss of some kind, which is nearly 3.6% of the population. Now, advocacy groups are petitioning for an ASL translator to be included in all White House briefings.

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The international outrage over a fake sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in South Africa last week is a controversy all too familiar to Quebecers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

A new online petition launched by a Montreal-based advocacy group says the province suffers a chronic lack of proper interpretation services for the 10 percent of its citizens who are deaf or hard of hearing.

We are considered sub-human - Véro Leduc, La Maison des femmes Sourdes de Montréal

The petition says Quebecers who are deaf or hard of hearing suffer discrimination and underemployment because they do not have access to quality interpretation services. It calls on the province to correct this reality through free, professional and standardized sign language services.

"We are considered sub-human and we don't have access to information, we cannot participate in an equal level as hearing people," says Véro Leduc of La Maison des femmes Sourdes de Montréal.

Calls for provincial standards

The lack of reliable, professional sign language interpreters in Quebec was made graphically clear last year when the Liberal critic for seniors, Marguerite Blais, used a sign language interpreter who signed nonsense while she wished Quebecers happy holidays.

Quebec does not have recognized provincial standards for sign language interpreters. Sign language teacher Alice Dulude says such standards are the only way to prevent episodes like the one that befell Marguerite Blais and the Mandela memorial.

"We need to be stricter about not allowing that to happen because they're providing a service but are they qualified? Are they really providing access to information," she said.

The petition also calls on the government to recognize Quebec Sign Language (LSQ) as an official language of the province that should be taught in its schools.

The petition currently has 1,716 signatures. It will be tabled in the national assembly in 2014 by Québec Solidaire MNA, Françoise David.

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New petition seeks rights for deaf Quebecers | CBC News

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The international outrage over a fake sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in South Africa last week is a controversy all too familiar to Quebecers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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Alex Jones talks about his experiences with Audism and Deaf Awareness