British Sign Language Bill passes second reading
In the UK, many deaf activists are celebrating after the British Sign Language Bill passed a second reading with no opposition in the House of Commons, the lower chamber of the UK Parliament.
British deaf journalist Liam O’Dell explained in “Independent” that BSL has “not historically been a legally-recognized language in the UK.”
A Coda lawmaker, MP Rosie Cooper, introduced the bill and shepherded it through the legislative process.
The BSL Bill would recognize BSL as “an official language of the United Kingdom.” It would encourage the use of BSL when public officials make announcements and direct the establishment of a “BSL Council to promote and advise on the use of BSL.”
The Royal Association for Deaf people (RAD) posted a video that said “today has been an amazing day with a huge crowd assembled while the BSL Act was being discussed in Parliament.”
On Twitter, you can see various videos of a large gathering of deaf people and other activists celebrating, shouting, and clapping at the news that the BSL Bill passed its second reading.
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The British Deaf Association said BSL does not have protection of its “linguistic rights” and it should be recognized on the same level as UK’s other indigenous languages, Welsh and Scottish Gaelic.
Deaf British actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won the Glitterball Trophy in UK’s “Strictly Come Dancing,” is credited as one of the key forces in galvanizing the public on embracing and supporting BSL. She spoke out that it “feels wrong” that BSL was not legally recognized and expressed concern that if she went to the doctor and there is no interpreter, it means she would have to bring a family member with her, but she doesn’t want to do that because she wants privacy.
O’Dell explained that the bill still “have a long way to go” because it has to go through several processes in the Commons before it moves on to the House of the Lords, the upper chamber, but he wrote that he feels optimistic about the future.
BSL was recognized as a “language in its own right” by the government in 2003, but it has no legal protection.
The third reading of the BSL bill will happen on March 18 and activists are planning to host another rally.
I will say this message in BSL — “congratulations.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-backs-vital-british-sign-language-bill
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/british-sign-language-bill-deaf-b2002813.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbGweiurWNU
https://twitter.com/NRCPD/status/1487072241053491204
https://twitter.com/SignaliseCoop/status/1487067872551702534