Have you ever challenged a person's or an organisation's attitude to hearing loss?

At the RNID website they have a page entitled ‘Have you ever challenged a person's or an organisation's attitude to hearing loss?’
The answer to that question is a loud thumping ‘yes’, I most certainly have. In fact, this blog was set up for that very purpose – to challenge RNID’s appalling attitude to hearing loss. Their page goes into a bit more detail about what information they are looking for:

Perhaps you challenged the attitude of a shop manager, your town council, a member of your family, a neighbour or a friend. We would like to know what action you took (i.e. did you write a letter, speak to someone in person, attend a meeting, call or email?) and what the outcome was.

Superb questions! Here are my answers. I challenged the attitude of RNID. They have an appalling lack of respect for our ability to work at our own organisation (especially at senior level) and our right to have a say in our own affairs The action that I took was to become a member and write many e-mails and letters to various members of RNID staff over the years (a fact that was kindly acknowledged by former RNID CEO, Dr Low.) I also lobbied the trustees and set up various discussions on the internet. The outcome, unfortunately, has been very poor, with no improvement whatsoever. I have, however, been ignored, attacked, vilified and made to look like a villain.

This script appears to be unfolding in the form of an uproarious comedy, but let’s be serious for a moment. Here the RNID is, encouraging us to take action to challenge attitudes to hearing loss, whipping out the ducking stool, stocks and rotten fruit, wildly nodding with bright eyes mouthing ‘YES!’ However, if you follow this advice to the letter and challenge the “wrong” organisation i.e. RNID, all of a sudden it’s a crime. Do the RNID think they have some sort of diplomatic immunity from criticism? Perhaps they think that their “royal” pre-fix confers such an honour? Perhaps we are “not allowed” to do this because of the circular logic that they help a lot of deaf people because they say so and because they say so, they must help a lot of deaf people?

Now it’s time to do an impersonation of Mr Gradgrind. Fact: RNID boldly proclaim in capital letters in their raison d'être, their stated objects, that they strive for our better treatment, training and employment. Fact: RNID have no deaf or hard of hearing people on their senior management team. Fact: Only 10% of their staff are deaf or hard of hearing. Fact: Jackie Ballard has said on See Hear that she is not going to start a senior management training programme for deaf and hoh people. Fact: RNID have scrapped their general forum where deaf and hoh people could have a say. Fact: RNID have resisted requests for a system by which deaf people can express their concerns better to the trustees. Fact.

The double standards going on here are truly astounding. The next time an RNID apologist tries to make out that you are a bad person for challenging RNID, show them their own page which encourages us to do just that. And there is no rule that exempts RNID from that principle, except in their imagination.