The FDA approved a Prozac-type drug for dogs who are depressed. This is good, because it is hard for dogs to get therapy, since they’re never allowed on the couch. Source: Colin Quinn on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Read More0Deaf Children = Wild Animals?: You’ve probably seen those yellow signs by the roadside that announce “SLOW Deaf Child” or “Caution: Deaf Child Area”. Are these signs really necessary? Deer, cows, and ducks may occasionally have their own signs, but do Deaf children need them? Deaf children are not wild animals. They can be taught how to play outside and …
Read More0The Eyes Have It: People have always been fascinated by eyes. Quotes such as “the eyes are the mirror of the soul” and “you are the apple of my eye” remind us how mysterious and powerful eyes can be. Researchers know that eyes are important perceptual signals as well. We act differently when we are being watched and we often …
Read More0Isms are Everywhere: Sexism, Racism, Audism
Would They Ask This About an All-Male Anchor Team?: ABC’s Good Morning America announced yesterday that Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts will co-anchor the morning news, making them either the first or one of the very first all-female anchor teams. This announcement was followed by a news story questioning whether television viewers would be willing to watch two women give …
Read More0Mental Health and Deaf People: For interested colleagues and Deaf individuals, click here for information about an upcoming international online conference focusing on Deaf People and Mental Health. Here’s hoping a good number of Deaf professionals will answer the call for papers and presentations. Videos are also being accepted. The deadline is September 1st.
Read More0A Positive Move: There is good news for Deaf foster children in San Diego, California. The County has announced that it will set up a group home for Deaf foster children. We are crossing our fingers that this group home will be Deaf-centered and staffed by Deaf people. We also hope that this group home will consider including KODAs. In …
Read More0Who Decides What is Normal and What is Not?
The Big Book: Following up on this week’s earlier postings on labeling, today we thought we’d take a look at the DSM, the hefty 943-page widely used Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM is used by mental health professionals as a diagnostic tool. Every mental disorder, from autism to depression to …
Read More0What’s in a label?: Labels are everywhere. We label people by gender, race, sexual orientation, body size, personality, politics, and so on. With every label comes an image, and with this image comes a prescribed set of behaviors. Girls should be polite and follow the rules; boys have lots of energy and sometimes can’t help their unruliness. People with bodies …
Read More0Intersex and Cochlear Implant Surgeries
What Do Intersex and Cochlear Implant Surgeries Have in Common? Last summer we had a learning experience when we attended the American Psychological Association’s annual conference and found ourselves in the audience of an intersex workshop. Intersex refers to certain conditions that occur when someone is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to meet society’s expectations …
Read More0