The Spanish legal system trains sign-language users to self-exclude

What is it about?

When groups are subject to discrimination, self-regulatory practices tend to emerge that sustain their own oppression. Studying capital investment strategies of Spanish sign-language users, means for the system to engage the subjects of oppression in protecting its internal hierarchy are explored.

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Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash

Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study shines a light on a critical issue: how Spanish sign-language users (LSE users) face exclusion in Spain’s legal system, even though laws recognize their right to interpretation. The system still prioritizes spoken Spanish and hearing culture, creating barriers that go beyond providing interpreters. What makes this study stand out is its focus on how LSE users internalize these unfair ideas, such as monolingualism and audism, which shape their choices and limit their sense of independence. What’s special about this research is its use of ideas from two different fields: psychology and sociology. It combines the theory of self-determination—which looks at autonomy, competence, and belonging—with Pierre Bourdieu’s ideas of habitus and capital, which explore how social norms influence people’s behavior. This mix helps explain how broader social systems and personal experiences work together to reinforce inequality, often without people even realizing it. The study is also powerful because it brings in the voices of LSE users through personal interviews. These stories show how people experience discrimination in the legal system and how they either resist or adapt to it. The interviews reveal that interpretation services, while necessary, are often treated as a favor rather than a right, and the system doesn’t fully embrace LSE users’ linguistic and cultural identity. This work is timely because it challenges the idea that simply providing interpreters is enough. It argues that real change requires redesigning the system to recognize multilingualism as normal and to involve LSE users in shaping solutions. The study highlights the need to break down cultural and linguistic hierarchies, making the legal system more inclusive and equitable. By combining personal stories with a fresh theoretical perspective, this research not only helps us understand the problem but also points the way toward meaningful solutions. It’s a call to action for creating a justice system where everyone, regardless of language or hearing ability, feels valued and empowered.