I don't get it

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defgrl

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Yesterday, I was informed that "there is no such thing as Deaf culture." By someone who is a mother to a Deaf (deaf?) daughter. I was told that her daughter is "more hearing-impaired" than I am. She had indicated previously that her daughter used an interpreter and so I naturally assumed that she was a member of the Deaf Community. And thus Deaf, as opposed to deaf or "hearing impaired." I was told something along the lines of just doing my best in the Hearing world. Something like that. I have never met this person or her daughter, nor have they met me, I have only communicated with this person via a LOUD HAC cell phone in conjuction with a hearing aid. Even then I don't always understand everything she says.

I am still kind of making up my mind as to exactly where I am on the Hearing/Deaf spectrum. But, I do NOT understand how someone can be "more hearing impaired" and yet a member of the Deaf Community. I thought people who called themselves "hearing impaired" preferred to use hearing aids, lipreading, speech, etc. I don't get it. Anybody got any thoughts on this stuff?
 
defgrl said:
Yesterday, I was informed that "there is no such thing as Deaf culture." By someone who is a mother to a Deaf (deaf?) daughter. I was told that her daughter is "more hearing-impaired" than I am. She had indicated previously that her daughter used an interpreter and so I naturally assumed that she was a member of the Deaf Community. And thus Deaf, as opposed to deaf or "hearing impaired." I was told something along the lines of just doing my best in the Hearing world. Something like that. I have never met this person or her daughter, nor have they met me, I have only communicated with this person via a LOUD HAC cell phone in conjuction with a hearing aid. Even then I don't always understand everything she says.

I am still kind of making up my mind as to exactly where I am on the Hearing/Deaf spectrum. But, I do NOT understand how someone can be "more hearing impaired" and yet a member of the Deaf Community. I thought people who called themselves "hearing impaired" preferred to use hearing aids, lipreading, speech, etc. I don't get it. Anybody got any thoughts on this stuff?
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I don't know what you are talking about. The majority of us Deaf people use hearing aids, lipreading, speech, etc when in the hearing world.

And still love sign and everything related to Deaf culture when we have the chance.

And as for the mother, I don't think what term she use mattered. I think she was telling you her daughter's hearing is a lot worse than your.
 
hearing-impaired... aka "hard of hearing (HOH)" is more of for people who can BARELY hear without hearing aids so that's why they wear hearing aids

HOWEVER - even though I wear hearing aids, I now considered myself as DEAF instead of HOH because when I take off my hearing aids, I hear NOTHING. My deafie friend explained the terms to me and I understood better now.
 
Jiro said:
hearing-impaired... aka "hard of hearing (HOH)" is more of for people who can BARELY hear without hearing aids so that's why they wear hearing aids

HOWEVER - even though I wear hearing aids, I now considered myself as DEAF instead of HOH because when I take off my hearing aids, I hear NOTHING. My deafie friend explained the terms to me and I understood better now.
Click to expand...

I think actually as has been explained before, "hearing impaired" is the medical model. Everyone whether Deaf,deaf, or hoh is hearing impaired for the medical model.

But it is a term that is out of favor.
 
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