Deaf Epistemologies, Identity, and Learning

Challenge of “Serious” Scholarship 119

having their fam ily help and feed them. Then they can also feed their family. If

deaf people can continue school until college, then we can follow up with them.

Being serious also means not wandering around. In a time of rampant HIV and AIDS,^12

moral crisis, and sexual violence, older deaf women are drawing upon their own life

experiences and knowledge related to HIV and AIDS, relationships, marriage, and

the unequal position of women in society to advise young deaf women on sexual be-

havior and morality. This is also related to the concept of what it means to be a good

woman in Cameroon and to the moral crisis and lack of serious men in Cameroon

(cf. Johnson-Hanks, 2007). Sexual abuse of young deaf girls is perceived as dam-

age, and there is concern about increased teenage pregnancies. Advice from older

deaf women sometimes leads to positive awareness and more responsible behavior

among young wom en. Male leaders are also taking responsibility for advising young

Figure 5.4. An example of behavior that is “not serious”: “drinking” money,

as drawn by Eyonga Beltus.

12. UNAIDS (2008) reports a 5.1% rate of HIV infection among the Cameroonian adult population
    (i.e., people 15 to 49 years old) and that 60% of the infected individuals are women. In my research
    study, which is not representative, infection rates seemed to be greater and were particularly high in
    some regions and among some groups of deaf people. This should be examined further.
    Research in Kenya found a comparable infection rate (about 7%) among deaf and hearing clients
    of an HIV testing and counseling program (Taegtmeyer et al., 2009). The risk factors for HIV and AIDS
    among people with disabilities identified by Groce (2004) also apply to the Cameroonian deaf commu-
    nity: poverty, limited access to education, illiteracy, inaccessibility of information and health care, the
    orphaning of deaf children of people with AIDS, greater risks of sexual violence in combination with
    limited legal protection and access, and the misuse of alcohol and drugs.
    Representative research on HIV and AIDS among the Cameroonian deaf population is needed. Some
    initiatives have been taken by NGOs, and some deaf adults have received training. However, nationwide
    community-based prevention and counseling programs in CSL, access to health services, and in-depth
    training of deaf HIV educators and counselors are needed (see Groce, 2004; Taegtmeyer et al., 2009).