Human Diversity and Its Complexities

A Look at the Identities of the Deaf of the Viçosa-MG Community

Abstract

This article deals with a reflection on the identities of the deaf subject, verifying aspects related to the denial or acceptance of deafness and the Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). The researched audience consisted of four deaf adults participating in an extension project at the Federal University of Viçosa, Minas Gerais. The methodological approach was qualitative, based on a case study, whose data collection was based on semi-structured interviews. The investigative process revealed that the research participants went through oralization processes in childhood and adolescence and knew Libras in adulthood. At the time of the research, one of them assumed deaf identity, two of them were in the process of transition, assuming their identity as deaf, while one of them had incomplete deaf identity. Everyone recognized that Libras brought new meaning to their lives. It is concluded that deaf people experience everyday situations in which denial and acceptance of deafness are related to the way they are challenged in a context marked by prejudices that generated obstacles to their insertion in society, given the difficulty of communication with listeners. In this sense, all the research subjects stated that if the listener society knew and used Libras as the official language of the country, the lived experiences would have a positive connotation.