New to BSL and Hello!

[kattandthat]

Hey everyone! My name is Caitlyn and I'm 22 (you can call me Katt if it sticks better too!) I'm currently doing Level 1 BSL and I'm enjoying it a lot so far and finding it relatively easy. I'm suspected autistic and there's a few reasons why I decided to learn BSL. I go mute sometimes so it can be extremely exhausting to communicate verbally and I think that teaching the people around me what I've learned in BSL will not only help me not have to drain myself with speech in those episodes but can actually help the ones close to me understand those hard of hearing or deaf who use BSL as well. I've always wanted to learn as I want to be able to communicate with as many people as I can and if means learning new languages I'm happy to do that. I hate the idea of someone feeling excluded due to a lack of understanding in an ableist and discriminatory world so I want to make it easier for other people who just want to be included and listened to. If I can do it for one person that is enough for me  x

[KazGriki]

Hi everyone! I'm Karen, 62 years young and learning BSL for the first time. Inspired by Rose on Strictly Come Dancing, I like watching  Mr Tumble, who uses the language system Makaton (which shares some signs with BSL) on CBeebies with my 16 month old grandson. I am thoroughly enjoying learning the language, particularly as it uses facial expressions and body language, in addition to hand signing, acknowledging the importance of the whole body in communicating. I use BSL in communicating with my grandson, who is not yet talking, and he is already picking up some words and phrases.

I am so pleased that the British Government has finally acknowledged BSL as an official language and is legislating to make it so. As a modern, western society it has been a long time coming!