Hello!! My name is Kimberly. Sign Language and the deaf have always facinated me. I met my husband a year ago and fell in love with him. I knew no sign language other than part of the alphabet. Even though I did not understand sign language I seemed to understand what he was saying to me. One day I got tired of writting everything so I started learning ASL. If I did not know the word I would spell it and he would show me the sign for it. It became a passion for me and i wanted to learn more. I invested in books and started studying more with the help of my husband ,friend, and other deaf people. Everyone is shocked how much I have learned in a year and I am starting to understand more and more. I am a member of the Toledo Deaf Club and I never saw a group of people that were more understanding, accepting, and patient as the deaf people are. I have so many deaf friends now and they are no different than anyone else. I will say this..just because a person is deaf does not make them any less of a person or mean that they are dumb. They just cannot hear. I do not understand why some people can be so cruel as one friend said to me "I think the deaf should stay with the deaf". I totally disagree with that because like any other human being the deaf can be loved, give love , and feel love. In all honesty I think I like the deaf culture better than my hearing culture. Seriously I think a lot can be learned from the deaf. I love my husband and I would not trade him for anything in the world. People should learn to look at others for what they are on the inside not for what is on the outside because all of us have flaws though maybe some of them are more noticeable than others. Always remember this though, no matter what in Gods eyes we are all complete.
Hello and welcome to Alldeaf SignoftimeASL! That was a great perception you made with your introduction! It's nice to see that people/members such as yourself do not single out the 'deaf/hoh' in a negative way, but to be able to relate to each one of them in their own uniqueness within and not by what we see on the 'outside'! Hope you'll enjoy your stay here in AD!
I have done some studying on Deaf Culture and it is sad how the Deaf were treated and all the crap they went through and still go through. My husband experienced this at one time when he had applied for called and wanted him to call for an interview. Now of course being deaf he had to use the TTY to call them. I was setting there the whole time and they hung up on him three times. As I sat there while this was happing and I got angry! Not only did they hang up on him three times they lied and said the position had been filled!! Now how the postions be filled in one day???? I ended up calling back because something just did not set right with me. Of course they did not know my voice so I asked them "are you hiring?" and they said yes. I asked them "for what postion?" for all positions. Then I asked them why they lied to my husband and told him they was all filled and why they hung up on him. I told them he is deaf he can't help that he has to use a TTY phone to call people. They did not know what to say to me. We ate there after this and when the manager saw us he went back into the kitchen and would not come out. I have worked with my husband before and he is a hard worker and would go out of his way for someone. He wants to help people and be a blessing to them. All I have to say is that if they where to blind to give him a chance then it is there loss. That is what is wrong with people they focus to much on disability than ability. I may be hearing but I'll tell you what I have more deaf frinds then hearing friends and the deaf are more accepting and down to earth then hearing people. I don't see the fact that my husband is deaf I love him for who he is. People take forgranted what they have and try to bring themselves up by poking fun at someones disability. Anyone that knows me knows including my husband that I will kick someones but over my husband. I have seen first hand how he is at times mad fun of. What is wrong with people??? Everyone has a disability though some are more visable then others. If people would learn to look at others for whats on the inside they mind find a wonderful person. It does not matter what disability they have!!!!
G'day signoftimeASL.
Welcome to AD. It's neat you're learning ASL.
I learned ASL when I was living in Canada for an year. It's a cool language.
Cheers!
Welcome to AD. It's nice to meet another advocate. I recently graduated from a program in TX. Have you ever thought about going to DC and giving them a dose of reality??
here and enjoy urself here! 
It's nice to see that people/members such as yourself do not single out the 'deaf/hoh' in a negative way, but to be able to relate to each one of them in their own uniqueness within and not by what we see on the 'outside'! Hope you'll enjoy your stay here in AD! 
