What is it like to be both gay and deaf?
Sign language: Dating can be hard enough even when you can hear.
So imagine how it would be for a deaf person?
That’s what two men explored in the latest episode of First Dates Ireland.
Watch First Dates’ gay guys meet and speak using sign language
It featured one deaf guy and another man who could speak Irish Sign Language on their date.
Dating has its problems for everyone…#FirstDatesIRL pic.twitter.com/zIYhgz3aMp
— RTÉ2 (@RTE2) January 30, 2018
John Charles, on the show, said people seemed to just talk ‘louder’ in his ear when he told them he was deaf.
Stephen, his date, opened up about going on dates with deaf men before.
He said, when they went to a club, they would like to stand by speakers so they could feel the vibrations.
But for him, as a hearing person, it was ‘overwhelming’.
Fans praise diversity
The inclusion of diversity on First Dates Ireland was noticed by fans.
Caroline McGrotty said on Twitter: ‘You know what the best thing about Irish Sign Language date on #FirstDatesIRL tonight was?
‘The fact that Coco Television didn’t do a voiceover for the date.
‘Such a small but powerful thing to do because it really made people pay attention to what a beautiful language ISL is!’
Michael Stedman, also on Twitter, said: ‘I really hope this date encourages more people to learn sign language!’
But did it work out?
While people may have loved the date, and the men seemed to get on, it turns out that it didn’t work out.
DATER UPDATE
From spirituality to sign language, it’s been another successful night in the First Dates restaurant.
Here’s how some of tonight’s daters have been getting on since their dates.#FirstDatesIRL pic.twitter.com/EyQEvddU8g
— RTÉ2 (@RTE2) January 30, 2018
