By Whose Advantage | Fulton Sun

Dictionaries commonly define the term, "advantage," as: "a superior or favorable position in relation to somebody or something," and "to hope for gaining an advantage in the negotiations." This article is similar to the two previous articles entitled "By Whose Authority," and "By Whose Opportunity."

I feel that these three terms: the authority, the opportunity and the advantage, have been crucial factors in the success of other minority groups in their struggle to overcome oppression. This has been especially true for African-Americans, Hispanics, Vietnamese, Jews and Women. We, the profoundly Deaf and Hard of Hearing minority group, are way behind these other groups in decreasing oppression.

I believe that if we, the deaf people, had obtained authority, opportunities and advantages when the other minority groups did, we would see more deaf professionals, administrators, and supervisors today than we currently have.

As I explained in article 58, we, the deaf and hard of hearing minority group, are the last to win our rights. This is ironic, because deaf people were a minority group before either African Americans or Women.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Around 1848 to today, Women's rights are entitlements http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entitlements and freedoms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_freedom claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies. In some places, these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behavior, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed. They differ from broader notions of human rights through claims of an inherent historical and traditional bias against the exercise of rights by women and girls in favor of men and boys.

Here are some issues commonly associated with notions of women's rights. They include, though are not limited to, the right: to bodily integrity and autonomy; to vote http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage (suffrage); to hold public office; to work; to fair wages or equal pay; to own property http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_property ; to education http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_education ; to serve in the military or be conscripted; to enter into legal contracts; and to have marital, parental and religious rights.

It seems like for years that we, the deaf people, have accepted an inferior status, even though other minority groups have been struggling to improve theirs. People in authority still treat us in a paternalistic manner. They still treat deaf adults like immature and incapable children. It is time that we joined the other minority groups in the struggle to overcome this oppression.

Of the Deaf People, By the Deaf People, For the Deaf People