The Future Is Bright
Although officially recognised in 2003, across the UK British Sign Language does not have the same legal status as other British languages such as Welsh, Cornish, Irish, Manx and Gaelic.
At the moment, the only UK country to give legal recognition to sign language is Scotland, which gave BSL full support under the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015.
However, that could be about to change.
At time of writing, the British Sign Language Bill, introduced as a Private Members’ Bill to the House of Commons in June 2021, has completed its third reading in the Commons and progressed to the House of Lords.
If given the same support by peers as it has from Ministers and MPs, and thereafter granted Royal Assent, it will, at last, give legal status to British Sign Language.
This means that in times to come, courts won’t be the only public service to offer BSL.
It is also timely because, for the last two years, those with hearing impairments could not lip-read as so many people wore masks.
David Buxton, Chair of the British Deaf Association, said, “If the BSL Bill passes into law, we are ready to work hand in hand with the UK government to redesign public services that meet the unique needs of those people who have British Sign Language as their first or preferred language.
“We also hope that the legal recognition of BSL will encourage many more people to learn British Sign Language and go on to become interpreters, bilingual professionals and allies of the Deaf community.
“British Sign Language can bring us all together as a society.”