Quote:
Originally Posted by BearBeauty
When people find out you're deaf, they're trying to be consideriate and ask if you can lipread or speak because they want to find out what you can do. I can understand people feeling insulted by it. but remember that most hearing people have never met a deaf person in their lives.. so they're not sure how to behave around a deaf person. It's not a matter of insulting the deaf, it's a matter of learning about them.
I get the lipreading and speaking thing all the time. Since I can lipread, I tend to use it with people unless I do not understand them. But All we can do as deaf people is educate those who don't understand.
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Isn't it best when meeting someone new that the person ask you a question and observe how you understand and how you reply back? By this way, if you are a lipreader then you would understand the question. If you speak orally then you would answer, if you sign only, then your answer would be in sign language and if you use pen/pencil then you would share your pen/pad. This enables the other person to know what your communication skills are. There is no reason for anyone to point out how well you speak, write or sign. It's just outright rude. People should understand that you are doing the best you can to thrive in this hearing world.