The legal recognition of sign languages in an intersectional perspective

Abstract

Sign language is a key instrument of communication for the deaf community. For this reason, it is important that sign language finds recognition at a legislative level and is promoted as an inclusive means let people to use it, to communicate and to receive information. 

This article presents the increasing importance of sign languages with a special focus on the recent legislative acknowledgement in the Italian legal context. After the presentation of the theoretical framework in which sign languages are considered, the article proposes a model to describe and analyse the various level of recognition and protection that sign languages could have in different legal systems, with a particular focus on European states. This brings to the presentation and the critical assessment of the recent recognition of Italian Sign Language (LIS) in Italy. Conclusions suggest the preferable way for sign languages recognition and promotion, with the aim of guarantee the effective right to use it to all, irrespective of their individual conditions.