VRChat Attracts Community of Deaf Users & Supporters Who Communicate With Unique, VR-Based Signs

This new video from Syrmor, VRChat's best embedded reporter, is easily among his very greatest; it's also one of the most profound and impressive use cases of social VR I've ever seen: A community of Deaf people and their supporters who meet in VRChat to communicate with each other via VR-based sign language. I capitalize "Deaf" thanks to this Google Doc from Helping Hands, "a community to encourage anyone who wants to learn sign to be able to interact with various Deaf communities and cultures inside VRChat", which explains:

Deaf: Deaf (with a capital ‘D’) refers to embracing the cultural norms, beliefs, and values of the Deaf Community. The term ‘Deaf’ should be capitalized when it is used as a shortened reference to being a member of the Deaf Community.

As that suggests, the Helping Hands community is seriously dedicated to supporting its members online: 

For instance, one member translates church services in VRChat (yes those exist) for Deaf attendees. And because sign language varies from country to country, and VRChat has a heavily international userbase, the community has created a new set of VRChat-unique signs for its members.

Another striking thing: Many of the community are not Deaf but are interpreters in real life, or have learned signed language in order to communicate with the Deaf community in VR. 

"By far we have one of the kindest communities I've ever been a part of," as one member says.

Or as a Deaf member who's suffered horrible real life abuse due to her lack of hearing calls it: "My new family."

More Syrmor amazing-ness below:

• Watch: Bullied Teen With ADHD & Social Anxiety Is Eloquent & Perceptive Through His Kermit The Frog Avatar In VRChat
• Watch: Syrmor's First Interview With A Female VRChat Player, A Brazilian Girl Yearning For A Better Life
• Watch: Syrmor Interviews A Man With ALS Reflecting On Life While A Talking Mushroom In VRChat

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