Hiding the hearing loss....

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*Starfish87*

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In the past, I have hid my hearing loss or the cochlear implants because I feel like I don't want to scare hearing people off. But now, everytime I first meet the hearing people, I just tell them that i am deaf and they stayed and chatted with me. :)
 
I did that when I was a kid because I felt ashamed,but I could not get away with it with my deaf accent but I did fool people with lip reading.
 
I make it a policy to tell people I meet and need to communicate with (store clerks, receptionists, gas station help, delivery people who come to my door, police officers, etc.) to sign "I deaf" and to say, "I'm deaf but can read most people's lips."

I've found it tends to smooth a lot of conversations if the person knows communications with me requires a bit of accommodations. To not tell folks I'm deaf has led to the assumption I can hear and has caused some unpleasant problems.

Of course there's the occasional idiot who freaks out and looks around for an escape route, but I just sign and say "Excuse me, please" and go to someone else or close the door.
 
I just can't hide it. Usually I can work around it.:aw:
 
I never tried to hide my deafness. I didn't care if people noticed or not.
 
Chase said:
Of course there's the occasional idiot who freaks out and looks around for an escape route, but I just sign and say "Excuse me, please" and go to someone else or close the door.
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(chuckles)

The ol' escape route. :)
 
That's good.

I know that it can be something we all prefer to hide until later. I was that way a bit when I was younger. :)
 
I never mention it while on at a job interview. I let people know when I can't hear them, I'll tell them that I am HOH. That usually makes them talk louder and sometimes slower. :roll: Today, I was talking w/ someone in the elevator and she asked if I was from here in Detroit (I work at a global HQ). I said yes, I am but most people think I am from Boson cuz of my hearing loss/speech impediment!
 
My speech is pretty good but I wearing hearing aids. I have always had to deal with stares since I was little. I got used to it and sometimes I can see people with weird looks on the faces when they see the hearing aids sometimes they aren't noticeable cause of my hair but if I have my pair pulled up they are in view.
 
Never hid my deafness, I was taught by my family to never be ashamed with what I've got. Still to this day, it's fascinating how people react to my deafness when I either try to communicate with them or at least say something to them. I'm noticing a trend today that people are starting to become more acceptable of people with hearing loss. Places I go to get services, I tell them I'm deaf and they are sooo sweet and so good to me. I went to oil change, and I tell this guy that I couldn't hear well, he took the time to show me parts in the car and say the words several times until I get it, then he proceed to explain what they do and what is recommended. I was comfortable asking questions, he was very patient and when I don't understand, he'll write it down. People in the waiting room were then now aware that I'm deaf. I was standing looking at the bulletin board, a woman came up to me and tap on my shoulder. She smiled and said they are ready for you. I thanked her.

Give them kindness, respect and you'll get it in return
 
I did that when I was a kid because I felt ashamed,but I could not get away with it with my deaf accent but I did fool people with lip reading.


Me too. :)
 
Once upon a time, I hid my hearing loss, which is something I regret, because my hearing loss is part of who I am. But, I guess I can learn from my experience and help people who try to hide their hearing loss, so that they don't make the same mistake.

Generally, I don't care what people think anymore. However, as far as I can remember, I have never had any bad experiences with people. I think hearing loss is becoming a common issue today.
 
i also did that when i was younger but now i wear hot pink hearing aids so it kind of hard to hid i love being deaf and hard of hearing i part of me and i love signing it so much fun
 
*Starfish87* said:
In the past, I have hid my hearing loss or the cochlear implants because I feel like I don't want to scare hearing people off. But now, everytime I first meet the hearing people, I just tell them that i am deaf and they stayed and chatted with me. :)
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hey, I have that issue but you need to be yourself as strong self-esteem. I pity them cause they think have a enough education, hell no! LOL! they need learn about us. wink.
 
I don't announce it until I have to, if it's really important I say that I'm deaf before anything else. I like to see how long it takes for people to figure out I'm deaf. I'm always surprised and pleased when someone, a store clerk for example, knows a little sign language.
 
I've always wondered why such shame was attached to hearing loss. Was it me that percieved shame or did others make me feel this way? I think its always been seen as an elderly affliction. I had a teacher once make a joke about me "tuning in," when I was wearing hearing aids back in school. It made me feel embarrased.

They didn't really help me hear what I needed to hear (conversation) so I let them go. I then trained myself to read speech, faces and body language. Now the damn things, while claim amazing clarity, are so expensive I won't buy them for that reason.
 
Who has time to teach the world? I usually watch and imitate what others do in check out line among other things simply to avoid the whole scene. Mostly I don't like the deer in headlights that follows if I do say something and/or the attempts to sign, since I am not fluent. A point not often known is that not every deaf person knows sign language. I look at it this way, they probably have issues they won't share with me either, so lets all just do what we can!
 
I've never hid my deafness. I remember one deaf TOD who told my class she used to hide her deafness. I remember thinking it never occured to me that deafness was something to hide.
 
roundtuit said:
I've always wondered why such shame was attached to hearing loss. Was it me that percieved shame or did others make me feel this way? I think its always been seen as an elderly affliction. I had a teacher once make a joke about me "tuning in," when I was wearing hearing aids back in school. It made me feel embarrased.

They didn't really help me hear what I needed to hear (conversation) so I let them go. I then trained myself to read speech, faces and body language. Now the damn things, while claim amazing clarity, are so expensive I won't buy them for that reason.
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