audism is the fact that in the US cops are only legally obligated to provide an interpreter after a Deaf person is detained. this results in many Deaf people being murdered by the state for not understanding instructions at things as simple as traffic stops.
many cops make no effort to use alternative communication with Deaf people even after we have identified ourselves as Deaf.
audism is also the fact that our signing is considered threatening and something that warrants murder. audism is the fact that our signing is labeled as gang signs and is used to justify murdering us. (and, for the record, actual gang signs also don't justify murder)
audism is the way Deaf people are accused of lying to "get out of things" when we identify ourselves as Deaf.... which is then used to deny us accommodations like interpreters or written communication.
audism is the fact that multiple Deaf people (mostly unhoused) have been murdered in my city alone in the last 5 years under the premises of "refusing to follow instructions" and "threatening hand gestures" and "gang signs." audism is the fact that Deaf people (and especially multiply marginalized Deaf people such as Black Deaf people) disproportionately experience police brutality even when it isn't lethal.
