Not deaf but not hearing either
Hey there,
Well this is my first post here so hello everyone (:
I am deaf since birth. For other people it might seem weird not ever hearing any sound and there have been so many times I got told to 'fix the deaf'. People seriously asking me how I live.
Over time I noticed people barely know anything about deaf culture, sign language and most importantly that we are humans too,
I was treated - and I still am treated this way sometimes - like I'm not a real human being, like I can't do anything myself, that I need help and I often got the impression from people that I should hate myself because being deaf is the worst thing ever.
No it is not. And the only thing I can't do is hearing. I wish people would realizethat.
And yes I speak. Sign language is an actual language.
Cochlear implant:
I know that for people who lost their hearing later, people who remember what it's like to hear or people who want to a cochlear implant is great. It's honestly great that there is such a chance for them.
So what people never understand, and what even my family does not fully understands is why I don't want it.
I grew up being deaf, for me it is kind of normal since I am not even used to what it's like to hear. I'm aware that hearing makes some things easier but the deaf culture is home to me and I feel like I'm totally okay with it.
And with a cochlear implant - what does anyone thinkyou are?
You're not truly hearing but not truly deaf.
No people should realize even though I have a disability I can live with it and I know many other people being deaf living a good life.
Any disability you have doesn't define yourself.
People with disabilities, we are so much more than this and I wish people would treat us the same as everyone else.
Hello! I just wanted to say thank you for posting this.
I've always been interested in deaf culture and wished I had learned how to sign fluently.
Your sarcasm here cracked me up - "And yes, I speak. Sign language is an actual language". Because it's true and it's a shame so many people don't recognize that.
People have so many misunderstandings about deafness - like that if you read lips you can understand everything people say so long as they're facing you, just like if the person could hear (which is NOT true. My understanding is that only about a small percent is understood, but it still helps with communicating with non-signing persons).
The other thing, that you've mentioned, is that people think with some sort of medical intervention to hear that it makes everything just like a hearing person. But there are limitations. I don't know what those limitations are for the implants, but I do known that even people with hearing aids still do not hear the same as a person born with regular hearing. Hearing aids can even make hearing more difficult at times. Such as if you're in a crowded, loud room it's difficult to distinguish sounds from one another because they all come in at the same decimal. So it's difficult to hear those close to you speaking. As I mentioned, I don't know the specifics about choclear implants and their limitations, but I'd imagine there are still similarities.
I know it's difficult to go against the grain of what other people think you *should* do. Like people, even your family, think you "should" get a choclear implant. It would be nice if more people supported you in being you, instead of encouraging you to conform to the type of life others thinks is "best" or ideal.
I love how you've thought about this and can talk about it with such clarity. You recognize that people wanting you to hear is a "them" issue, truly. Knowing what it's like to be hearing, they can't imagine their life without it. It would be nice if they could see that you feel the same way and are doing a-ok, thank-you-very-much.
Well, I just wanted to chime in. I think the post helps others understand things better from your perspective, and that in turn creates awareness in people as to what not to say or do. Empathy through understanding! Thanks again.
Thank you for replying to this post. I think it's quite cool that you're interested in deaf culture. I love how you're so open minded and up to this.
Lip reading is hard, especially because people naturally don't always face you directly. I think the more you do it, the better you get. But I've heard about a study that showed even the best lip readers can only get about 70% of what is really said. And I can tell you, you definitely can't get everything. I don't. But it still worksin a way.
About the cochlear thing...my understanding is that you get an electronical sound to your ear of the actual sounds, It is slightly different. And I got told especially since when you never heard before, your brain isn't used to those sudden noises.
Like, you probably know what a train or airplane or birds or even wind or waves sound like right ?But since I've never heard those things before, my brain would need to learn every sound to every thing that has a noise somehow. Sure anyone could learn , anywayit's a decision.
I'm not actually familiar with hearing aids, like how it would be like, so thanks for the definition.
I especially like your last sencence "Empathy through understanding", yes because in the end for some it's probably as hard to imagine living in complete 'silence' as for me it is, to imagine having a sound to everything in this world.
Thanks you againfor posting this
I am severely hearing impaired and agree - lip reading isn't a sure thing. It does help my brain to put together meaning -- that and context and my hearing aids, but people overestimate what lip reading can accomplish.
I don't know who these people are that think they can tell you what you should do. I guess they are well-intentioned, but ignorant.
Thanks for posting - I appreciated your comments!