In front of the town hall, sits the sign language flag. Julien Compan, 31, elected to town planning, shows it with great pride. At his side, Elodia Mottot signs what he explains.
Julien Compan is one of the seven deaf elected officials in France. He is in Massy, in the Paris region. “When the mayor Nicolas Samsoen came to get me to be on his list, I especially did not want to be the elected“ disabled ”that we put forward to sell a program. I didn’t want to be a banner. It was not the case and today I take care of what corresponds to my studies namely town planning. “
This Marseillais studied in Aix-en-Provence. A BTS in building, then a license as a projector designer before flying to Paris where culture attracted him more than the Marseille sun. “There are very few interpreters in France and especially budget problems in public establishments. As a result, during my studies it was the AVS who took notes for me during the lessons. “
“We are a century behind”
If the inclusiveness of deaf people is lagging behind in France, it is mainly because of the Milan Congress of 1880, which banned the use of sign language for deaf people with an oral profile. “We are a century behind, continues this elected official. In the United States, deaf people are lawyers, doctors and others. There is even a university for the deaf. In France, we are struggling to have a budget to hire an interpreter and have their rights in the same way as any citizen. “
For elected officials, Julien Compan explains that it is up to the municipality to choose whether or not to set up an accessibility budget. “We are considered as sub-citizens, we depend on the municipalities and their budget to know if we will be able to work on our current files in the same way as the other elected officials. So with the mayor of Massy, they wrote to three ministries to try to promote the idea of a neutral budget which does not depend on the municipalities but on the State. “It’s time to include the deaf and deaf elected officials in society! “
Examples where he has been put aside he no longer counts. Like this time when a campaigning team contacted him shortly before the regional elections. “They wanted us to work together on several files and I said to myself why not. Except that on the day of the meeting, no interpreter had been scheduled. He explained to them, in writing, that they needed it to participate and discuss. “They told me we are getting back to you. It’s been almost a year and I’m still waiting for them to contact me. I’m sure the blacklist. », He blurted out with a smile.
Through this personal example, Julien Compan wishes to underline to what extent being elected and deaf remains an exception in France. Not because he is less competent, but because once again nothing is done to include the difference. Whatever. Last July celebrated a civil marriage with an interpreter by his side. A symbolic victory while waiting for real equality.