can someone please answer a few questions for me? Please

[Owensby]

I am in college and I would like to ask someone a few questions about being deaf. I am not deaf but I would like to give a speech on what its like to be deaf. I would like to make people aware of some of the issues that you face being deaf. I think that I can respectfully do this only by talking to someone that is deaf. If someone could please answer these few questions it would be greatly appreciated. 1. what are the sterotypes that people form of you?
2. How do you deal with these sterotypes in your cmmunication interactions? 3. Have you experienced prejudice or bias in the workplace or your personal life? 4. If so how have you coped with such prejudice? 5. When was a time that u gave off a good impression when communicating with others that were culturally dissimilar to you?

 

[Cloggy]

Sorry, I'm hearing... can't help you.

I can only advise you to browse through this section and search on keywords...

Good luck.

 

[VamPyroX]

1. what are the sterotypes that people form of you?

Hmm... it usually depends. One thing that comes to mind is that we're ignorant. This is to be expected here at NTID. Sometimes, there will be deaf students making noises in a quiet environment like at a computer lab or in a library. When others inform them that they're being loud or making noises, those deafies will respond with... "So? We're deaf."

2. How do you deal with these sterotypes in your cmmunication interactions?

I will often respond back to these stereotyping with the truth or try proving them wrong with my own actions.

3. Have you experienced prejudice or bias in the workplace or your personal life?

Yes, I have... a few times. Sometimes, they're intentional... sometimes unintentional.

4. If so how have you coped with such prejudice?

I deal with it. I will either prove myself or just ignore them and move on.

5. When was a time that u gave off a good impression when communicating with others that were culturally dissimilar to you?

I did it in a good way.

 

[kashveera]

I am in college and I would like to ask someone a few questions about being deaf. I am not deaf but I would like to give a speech on what its like to be deaf. I would like to make people aware of some of the issues that you face being deaf. I think that I can respectfully do this only by talking to someone that is deaf. If someone could please answer these few questions it would be greatly appreciated. 1. what are the sterotypes that people form of you?
2. How do you deal with these sterotypes in your cmmunication interactions? 3. Have you experienced prejudice or bias in the workplace or your personal life? 4. If so how have you coped with such prejudice? 5. When was a time that u gave off a good impression when communicating with others that were culturally dissimilar to you?

I am deaf and Its a bit hard for the hearing world to actually understand exactly what it is like to be deaf. Well, I think when people think that a person is deaf they automatically think DUMB, which is so untrue, we just can't hear, that doesn't mean that we are devoid of any intelligence, some deaf people I know are such high achievers and they are so good at what they do, sometimes, they astound hearing people. If people are disrespectfu, then I have a lot to say, I have really made some people feel ashamed and sorry for their actions, because at the end of the day, we are one people, one world. With me, most people have treated me rather well, because I have achieved so much, but then again, most people don't even pick up that I have a disability! Oh I have seen enough prejudice, and I don't even want to go there, because It just brings back some awful memories, but I can tell you that all of this has indeed made me a much stronger person! Most of the time people don't know I'm severely profoundly deaf so they just are ignorant, I am proud of that fact. Hope this helps. If you wanna ask more questions or need further clarification, PM me or put it here, I'll be more willing to help you make other people more deaf aware!

Thank you.

Kashveera

 

[Calphool]

...being deaf...

I agree that it's next to impossible for someone who is hearing (such as myself) to really experience what deafness is like. Hearing is autonomic, so we can't really turn it off. Even if you plug your ears completely, as a hearing person, you still hear quite a bit.

However, I remember a wonderful scene in Children of a Lesser God, where William Hurt wants desperately to experience deafness so that he can better understand Marlee Matlin's character. He goes under water and holds his breath as long as he can. Even under water, a hearing person can hear a little, but not much. Short of an astronaut's space suit, that's probably as close as a hearing person can get to experiencing deafness, and obviously you can't really carry on a lifestyle underwater, so we're pretty much out of luck if we want to try to experience the world through only sight, smell, touch, and taste. That simple fact is what accounts for an independent deaf culture. We really can't completely exist in the same world. Our world view and culture is significantly affected by our senses (how we experience the world). CIs probably get us a bit closer for some, but ultimately, it really is two different cultures.

 

[NFGTragedy]

This is a little off topic... but I want to agree with this one...

One thing that comes to mind is that we're ignorant. This is to be expected here at NTID. Sometimes, there will be deaf students making noises in a quiet environment like at a computer lab or in a library. When others inform them that they're being loud or making noises, those deafies will respond with... "So? We're deaf."

I can't say how many times that has happened in computer labs when I was doing a project for class. I hate those responses... but I must say that more often then that, people won't even inform them that they are loud because they feel that the deaf person can't hear so they can't talk unless they sign. They will just sit there staring and eventually leave and give them a dirty look. How hard is it just to write things down and show them?

-I'm an rit student too

As for on the topic... I know tons of the common stereotypes that float around on the hearing side of the campus here at rit... I don't think I could even list them all nor could I explain some of them. I am also not deaf so I could not state my direct response to them. Many of the issues here come from the lack of "forced" mainstreaming. Unless you go out of your way to meet any of the deaf students... you could do your 4 or 5 years here without ever once even learning a sign. So much for a "mainstreamed" living and learning environment.

 

[sculleywr]

I may not be deaf, but I am taking interpreting classes at TTU. One of the things I found to be pathetic on the part of the hearing world is that the majority of parents of deaf children don't learn sign language in order to communicate with their children. In the world where I rule, every deaf child's parent is required to learn sign language.

 

[NFGTragedy]

I may not be deaf, but I am taking interpreting classes at TTU. One of the things I found to be pathetic on the part of the hearing world is that the majority of parents of deaf children don't learn sign language in order to communicate with their children. In the world where I rule, every deaf child's parent is required to learn sign language.

I find this kinda interesting... I know this happens alot but you must also remember that not all deaf people sign. So to say that they would all be required to sign is kinda rough no? Some deaf people choose the oral method and other choose to voice with their parents. I know my girlfriend voices to her parents. Her mom knows sign but her dad doesn't yet she never has a problem understanding either of them. Every situation is different I guess... One thing I do see alot of though is hearing parents that don't let their deaf child know whats going on. They will just go off talking to other hearing people like its no different. That is one thing that bothers me most.

 

[BearBeauty]

sculley.... Umm.. did you ever think maybe the parent of the deaf child might have their own reasons for not wanting to learn sign langauge? My family doesn't know sign language and I do.. but I can still communicate with them through lipreading and speech..

My family has a good reason for not learning sign language. they want me to keep my oral skills. So when i'm around them, I talk to them and lipread. It has never bothered me.

So parents of deaf children have to make their own choices and decisions as to how they will communicate with their children.. we can't force them to learn sign language if they don't choose to.