Hearing pretending to be deaf to avoid conversation?

I just don't wear my hearing aids so when people talk to me I can't hear them but I also sign in public with my husband so many people put 1 and 2 together. What I hate is when hearing people pretend to be deaf and pretend to sign when they don't know how.
 
I'm a hearie and this whole concept of pretending deafness is bizarre to me. I've never even considered doing this, and I don't personally know any other hearies who have this desire.

Weird.
 
"Deaf wannabe". First time I've ever heard of anyone wanting to be deaf...or blind.
If they do, I bet they'd change their tune if they really did go deaf.
 
I've seen many people at my school use sign language, mainly to cheat on a test, but sometimes just communicating. I found it really awkward, because I'm the only deaf kid in my school and they're signing to each other when they(hearing) can simply talk.
 
DeafNerdMommy said:
I just don't wear my hearing aids so when people talk to me I can't hear them but I also sign in public with my husband so many people put 1 and 2 together. What I hate is when hearing people pretend to be deaf and pretend to sign when they don't know how.
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How do you know if they arent late deafened? ASL is not an easy art to master.... Im one of them.
 
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Have people use ASL with me b/c I am HOH , not every HOH person know ASL . I had no place to use it so I forgot what I did learn.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
Have people use ASL with me b/c I am HOH , not every HOH person know ASL . I had no place to use it so I forgot what I did learn.
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Haha, at least it's the thought that counts! I never had one person use sign language with me, well except a deaf person :P
 
camtheham said:
Haha, at least it's the thought that counts! I never had one person use sign language with me, well except a deaf person :P
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Yeah but the person was surprise I didn't know ASL and that what bugged me. Just b/c I wear a hearing aid doesn't mean I know ASL.
 
Oh I see what you are saying wdys I can see how people can see you pretend because you don't know sign, but the funny part is a lot of deaf people don't know sign. Yet hearing people assume all deaf people know it so when they pretend to be deaf they just move their hands about.
 
DeafNerdMommy said:
Oh I see what you are saying wdys I can see how people can see you pretend because you don't know sign, but the funny part is a lot of deaf people don't know sign. Yet hearing people assume all deaf people know it so when they pretend to be deaf they just move their hands about.
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Yeah exactly what I mean ! I get the feeling they think I am not really HOH b/c I don't know ASL . ASL was not taught to deaf and HOH students when I was going to
public school. I know a guy about my age and he is HOH and doesn't know ASL.
 
It was taught back then... just not as widespread or visible as much as it is today. I can think of a couple of people who are 60+ who do sign- either from childhood.. or quite a few came to ASL late when attending Gallaudet. One of my friends was in his 30s when he first entered Gallaudet not knowing any sign and HOH. I haven't seen him in 30 some years so don't know how good he is now but he's married to a deaf woman...so there's that...

Interestingly, in my experience I have never had anyone express 'surprise' that I didn't know ASL before I went to Gallaudet at 18... that I can recall. First time I knew ANYTHING of sign was either from some movie or when my aunt brought brochures and info from MSSD up to our house.
 
Well now days it is taught in high schools and colleges so most heating people (that I know) assume that deaf hoh now asl, but people I know also assume Mexicans new Spanish and Asian don't speak English. Everyone stereotypes even if they don't know they are doing it.
 
DeafNerdMommy said:
Well now days it is taught in high schools and colleges so most heating people (that I know) assume that deaf hoh now asl, but people I know also assume Mexicans new Spanish and Asian don't speak English. Everyone stereotypes even if they don't know they are doing it.
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LOL! I know this is a typo but it's funny ' heating people'. Yeah it's a lot difference today and thank goodness for that ! I am not sure when I first knew there was
ASL b/c I only knew 2 people that wore a HA while growing up , a classmate and my first speech therapist .
 
Heheh wow my phone must hate me, first it changed deaf to dead lol but I fixed that one. I was lucky and lived next to the Deaf school growing up so I would watch them walk by my house signing. I didn't know I could learn it until I was in middle school. I thought that only Deaf people could learn and it was before my parents learned about my hearing lose.
 
DeafNerdMommy said:
Heheh wow my phone must hate me, first it changed deaf to dead lol but I fixed that one. I was lucky and lived next to the Deaf school growing up so I would watch them walk by my house signing. I didn't know I could learn it until I was in middle school. I thought that only Deaf people could learn and it was before my parents learned about my hearing lose.
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That happen to me and other people too , we had a few ' dead' posted here instead of deaf so you wouldn't be the first to do it ! LOL!
 
They always assume! Out of curiosity, what do hearing people ask you to sign when they come up to you?

People always ask me how to swear in sign language.
 
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