Pro-Tactile: DB People at the Center Chapter 4.2.1

Overview ‘Pro-Tactile’ is a philosophy and method developed primarily by aj granda (she prefers lower case letters for her name). Granda has developed this philosophy and method in close collaboration with Terra Edwards and Jelica Nuccio. It is central to this curriculum and to an understanding of the experience of DB people.

Overview (cont.) This presentation explains ‘Pro-Tactile’ and how it can (and should) be applied by SSPs, interpreters and others in the DB Community.

Definitions & Distinctions ‘Pro-tactile’ is: – a philosophy, – a method, and – an attitude. It should not be reduced to haptics (relating to the sense of touch) although it is very much about touch.

Pro-Tactile is a Philosophy

Philosophy As a philosophy, ‘Pro-Tactile’ asserts the right of DB people to define themselves and their own culture, and to not be dominated by non- deaf-blind thinking or the values of the dominant culture. This means to value touch and the DB Way, just as Deaf people value vision, ASL and the Deaf Community (as opposed to “fitting in”).

Community As a philosophy, ‘Pro-Tactile’ rejects the emphasis on differences such as degrees of vision or amount of hearing among DB people, which is based on an individualistic, “case-by- case” conception of what it means to be “deaf- blind”. ‘Pro-Tactile’ affirms the value of a common tactile language but also community itself.

Responsibility The philosophy of ‘Pro-Tactile’ is centered in the DB experience but it is also about responsibility of the DB person to: – take the initiative, – think for themselves, – seek out information, and – do tasks on their own rather than passively receiving information second-hand at the discretion of others.

Autonomy vs. Independence The DB person who follows a ‘Pro-Tactile’ philosophy does things by themselves (as opposed to alone). In the next slide the DB woman is shown the position of the elevator button which she then pushes herself. It is about responsibility and about a fuller experience.

Empowering The ‘Pro-Tactile’ philosophy says, “DB can do!” as in an earlier generation’s “Deaf can do!” or I. King Jordan’s famous quote, “Deaf people can do anything but hear.” Using touch and their intelligence: Given access, DB people can do anything but hear and see.

Pro-Tactile is Pro- (not Anti-)

Pro-, not Anti- ‘Pro-Tactile’ is pro-touch i.e. pro-tactile, pro- experience and pro-responsibility. It is not anti-vision, anti-hearing or anti-SSPs. Just as being “pro-reading” is not being “anti- math”, pro-ASL is not anti-English. While ‘Pro-Tactile’ promotes the use of touch, it does not discourage any additional access a DB person may be able to make use of.

Jorge (left) uses both touch and vision while listening to Lee.

Pro-Tactile is a Method

Pro-Tactile as a Method As a method ‘Pro-Tactile’ supports ‘hands-on’ learning and ‘hands-on’ experience rather than an experience limited to the DB person’s partial vision / hearing or vicarious information. SSPs should tell the DB person about the environment and also facilitate touch as a part of the experience.

Touch The next few slides illustrate DB people using touch as a part of the experience while using an SSP on a shopping excursion or learning about new art in the light rail tunnel. These are an illustration of the ‘Pro-Tactile’ approach or method.

Pro-Tactile and SSPs

Sighted Pro-Tactile Method The way sighted people and deaf-blind people use touch will be different, but when sighted people are with DB people, this method instructs them (sighted people) to use touch to: – Maintain a presence (stay in touch with the DB person) – Use tactile back-channel signals (including ‘hands- on’) for listening to a DB person. (See presentation, “Tactile ASL”)

Staying in Touch The next few slides show pictures of sighted SSPs using touch to communicate non- verbally. This may simply be “I’m here” or it may be back-channel information (feedback) during a conversation. This staying in touch precludes the DB person having to talk into a void.

Here the DB woman uses a pro-tactile approach to choosing bananas while the SSP stays in touch.

Notice the SSP on the left staying in touch with the DB man. The SSP on the right is doing the same, while the two DB people are using one hand to talk and one to listen and do back-channeling.

Pro-Tactile is an Attitude

Pro-Tactile as an Attitude ‘Pro-Tactile’ as an attitude or value emphasizes: 1.The responsibility and ability of DB people to seek out and get direct information on their own, rather than to depend on mediated experiences as filtered through SSPs or others. 2.A rejection of the pressure from the dominant society to conform to sighted-hearing norms.

Pro-Tactile is for Sighted People Too

Pro-Tactile for Sighted People ‘Pro-Tactile’ is a philosophy that values equality of all DB people regardless of vision or hearing, and values the contributions of non-deaf-blind people who participate as equals in the DB Community. In the pictures that follow you see non-deaf- blind people listening tactually (while still using their vision).

Sighted-hearing person

Sighted-hearing person

Sighted- hearing person Sighted-Deaf person

Radical Sighted people listening tactually (as well as with their vision) is a radical thing. It is parallel to hearing people communicating with each other using Sign Language (and no voice) when in a deaf environment. Thus ‘Pro-Tactile’ is also political. It challenges sighted privilege.

Conclusion ‘Pro-Tactile’ is a philosophy, method, attitude and political movement. It is PRO-, not anti-. At its root it is egalitarian and values Community. It is inclusive, not exclusive. It challenges sighted privilege.