“Be proud of our diversity”
At home, he is responsible for five children. At work, he manages an entire IT department. Laurent Barrère is not just a busy man: he also has a disability that is impossible to guess at first glance. What is everyday professional life like when you are deaf? Follow the guide...
The interpreter is here. My first interview in sign language: a three-way interview, where gestures fly through the air, light as a feather. A universal language takes shape between us, beautiful as a dance... With his azure eyes, pirate-like appearance, and bright smile, Laurent arrived at the university in September 1998. Today, he works at the Faculty of Sciences in Montpellier.
“Things are going well with my colleagues. We have a laugh! But nobody knows sign language. So sometimes I give little lessons... At lunchtime, we go to the staff restaurant, and I try to follow the conversations, but I often end up giving up: it requires a lot of attention... In my professional practice, I am also in contact with students and teachers. With students, it's a little more complicated. Especially with foreign students who don't speak French. It's not always easy to communicate in that case..."
“Awareness-raising efforts to be made”
How can we improve everyday life?
“For me, the ideal situation would be for other people to speak sign language. We could give each other advice, talk about life at work, and share our professional strategies. Being able to talk about our difficulties would be a huge relief. It can be hard sometimes to sit with hearing people without saying anything, struggling to follow the conversation. Communication difficulties often stem from a kind of fear, the fear of reaching out to others. There is still work to be done to raise awareness and improve understanding of people with disabilities."
Raising awareness, but how?
"Yes, it's not easy! We mustn't be afraid to reach out to others and talk to them. That's the price we have to pay to better understand what disability is. In the case of deaf people, there is a language barrier that must be overcome. But this is a general problem that goes beyond the university setting. We need to make an effort to inform society as a whole: how can we get closer? How can we communicate better?"
Do we need more communication?
"Of course! Very often, it's because of ignorance that we don't dare to approach people with disabilities. We mustn't be afraid to make contact. Communication is possible. For example, we often talk about "deaf-mutes." That's not true: deaf people are not mute! I speak, and people can understand me."
“Proud of our diversity”
Did the creation of the Handiversité service change anything at university?
“That was five or six years ago. Yes, quite a few things have changed. When the service was created, I was able to make myself heard and express my needs. Some important adjustments were made: flashing lights in case of fire alarms, for example. The most important thing for me was the possibility of having interpreters for meetings: that didn't exist before. However, you have to give them three weeks' notice..."
What remains to be done?
"A lot of things. I would like universities to hire more deaf and hard-of-hearing people, because they have a hard time finding work in private companies. And we mustn't be afraid of difference. I believe it's up to each of us to roll up our sleeves and help make the university accessible and welcoming. The university is a place of learning and knowledge. I am proud to work here and to do a job that adds so much value. I would like to get involved in raising awareness about disability. If deaf people weren't present at university, a whole section of society would be missing. We should be proud of our diversity. I would like to help with that."