With nearly 30 million people with hearing impairments in China, a significant portion of the population often struggles to have their voices heard. Tang Shuai, China’s first sign language lawyer, has dedicated his career to bridging this communication gap and advocating for the rights of the deaf community.
Since becoming a licensed attorney, Tang Shuai recognized the unique challenges faced by the hearing-impaired in accessing legal services. In 2018, he established a team specializing in providing legal assistance to the deaf, aiming to ensure that justice is accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to hear.
Over the past few years, Tang Shuai’s team has served more than 160,000 deaf individuals across China. By using sign language in legal consultations and court proceedings, he has enabled countless people to navigate the legal system effectively.
One of Tang Shuai’s most memorable cases involved a young woman who was wrongfully accused of theft. Unable to communicate her innocence due to her hearing impairment, she faced significant legal hurdles. Tang’s fluency in sign language allowed him to understand her side of the story fully, ultimately leading to her acquittal.
Tang Shuai’s inspiration to become a sign language lawyer stemmed from a personal encounter with a deaf individual who struggled to receive fair treatment in a legal matter. Moved by the injustice, he committed himself to learning sign language and using his legal expertise to advocate for the deaf community.
Looking ahead, Tang Shuai hopes to inspire more legal professionals to learn sign language and to raise awareness about the needs of the hearing-impaired. “Everyone deserves equal access to justice,” he says, “and communication should never be a barrier to fairness.”
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
