In a message dated 3/8/1999 9:02:04 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
<< That should never be understood as an equivalency, but it is nevertheless
important. >>
That is true, I think I did comment on that, but you were much clearer about
it.
However, even in its importance, it cannot negate the need of people, whenever
possible, to speak for themselves, and when others speak on their behalf as
advocates, they still must relent that they are not to be the
permanent/primary authorities on that experience.
What college was that, Gaudellet (spelling??) that was in a somewhat of an
uproar over the placement or possible placement of a hearing position in the
(presidency?) of the college focused on the deaf. Why was it important for the
person to be deaf? I thought about that and understood that it was not just
about having a person who could understand the needs and situations of deaf
people, but about having someone who represented leadership for deaf
people,symbolizing what they could do for themselves, on their own behalf. It
wasn't negating that a hearing person could care, or even understand to a
certain level, even have felt the issue through association with friends and
family who are deaf.
Perhaps more tangible for this list, would be the issue, brought up a few
posts back, about women's college - why are they valuable and/or necessary?
Why would it be important to have a sustantial number - majority - of women in
teaching and other leadership positions? It isn't that no men exist who are
caring or aware enough, not even that there aren't enough to fill majority
positions at such schools, there are other reasons.
When you have full respect and understanding, you know that sometimes you have
to step back and let go of the goal of leadership and dominance, and just
remain in supporting roles. Consider how many "sensitive" men step back and
although they have as much love for their newborn, or to be born babies as
their wives, they know that they are not women, and there are just some
aspects of that experience they cannot master. The best of their positions in
some situations of that experience are to be supportive - not dominant.
Even in international affairs situations, the best NGOs, the best "activists"
are the ones who can allow the people they desire to help, by providing the
means for them to convey their own wants, ideas, wishes, and perspectives on
their own situations, and to faciliate their leadership - not to overtake it
as their own.
We often forget that in helping others we are more called to be "humble
servants" than to be "masters" to them.
Nicole
